Spring 2012
Wednesday, January 25
“Systemic and perceived injustice under extreme poverty: the case of Ethiopia and Nunavut”
Facilitator: Dr. Olav Slaymaker
Wednesday, February 22
“Social Suffering, Inequality and Justice: A Canadian Case Study”
Facilitator: Dr. Joan Anderson, Professor Emerita, School of Nursing, and SJC Faculty Fellow ; Co-facilitator: Dr. Paddy Rodney, Associate Professor, School of Nursing
Wednesday, March 28
Environmental Ethics
Facilitator: Dr. Theresa Satterfield
Wednesday, April 25
Sport Ethics – “Fairness as a floating signifier: Seeking gender justice in elite sport”
Facilitator: Dr. Patricia Vertinsky, School of Kinesiology; Co-facilitators: Stephanie van Veen and Sandy Wells
Wednesday, May 23
“Inequality, Prostitution and Trafficking: Mapping the Connection”
Facilitators: Dr. Janine Bebedet – Associate Professor at the Faculty of law UBC and Lee Lakeman – Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter
Lee Lakeman and Dr. Janine Benedet will facilitate a discussion about the inequalities stemming from prostitution and human trafficking regulations (or the lack thereof) in Vancouver, and in Canada more generally. The recent controversial Bedford case, legalizing brothels in Ontario, sparked much debate about prostitution laws and fuelled discussions among pro-legislation and abolitionist activists. Lee and Janine, who will present an abolitionist stance, advocate for criminalization of buyers of prostitution and the creation of a safe way for prostitutes to exit the trade. Ideally, state-sponsored programs should be organized to support ex-prostitutes so they can make different life/career choices. A similar model as that suggested by Janine and Lee has already been successfully implemented in several Scandinavian countries. This ‘Nordic model,’ Lee and Janine believe, would also be transferrable to a Canadian context.
More specifically, Lee Lakeman will focus attention on why men should not be allowed to buy sex and why prostitution should be treated as a form of violence against women. Dr. Janine Benedet will address law as it relates to prostitution and trafficking, and the role that power, consent and coercion play in legal understandings of violence against women. She will also address the relationship between social attitudes and law enforcement.
SUMMER 2012
Wednesday, June 27
“Omar Khadr: You Don’t Like the Truth”
Facilitators: Gail Davidson
Gail Davidson is the founder and executive director of Lawyers Rights Watch Canada and the co-founder of Lawyers against the War. As a human rights advocate she supports adherance to human rights and humantitarian law and opposes impunity for violators. She is a recipient (2004) of the UBC Great Trekker Award.
5:00 – 7:00 pm | Lecture Hall #1080 | 2111 Lower Mall | St. John’s College
If you would like to be a part of the discussion, please RSVP to alexanbw@mail.ubc.ca.