Liam Swiss

Our amazing Acadia Sociology students are committing sociology yet again: Next up, they'll examine Schedule H in discussion with the Provost and an ASU rep.

Tuesday, March 10 at 12:30pm in BAC 353

All are welcome!

An illustration of selection on significance for a test with 50% power

I wrote a short blog post that describes selection on significance in plain language and then proposes and criticizes two alternatives (selection on precision and registered reports). This is me working through my thoughts online, so feedback is very welcome.
ryancbriggs.net/blog/the-pro...

My latest article, with Heather Dicks and Lisa Kaida, is out now in the Canadian Journal of Development Studies. This research stems from our recent SSHRC Insight Development Grant on aid and remittances. Check it out:

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

🚨 A defining moment for global health data.

The termination of the #USAID-supported Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Program has wide-ranging consequences. We reflect on the collapse and argue what should come next in a new PNAS: doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2…

📊 9,000+ studies

SOSA Speakers Series

I will be in Halifax tomorrow (February 27) @dalhousie.bsky.social Sociology & Social Anthropology to talk about global aid networks and their evolution over time.
Room McCain #1116 @ 2:30PM.

www.dal.ca/faculty/arts...

Danielle Smith says 'significant' deficits to come, rules out tax hikes and big cuts | CBC News Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says "significant" deficits are in store for the province as her government tries to grapple with low oil prices.

Once again, for the hundredth time: Alberta could solve this with a simple PST. You'd be able to balance the budget *and* save non-renewable resource royalties for the future.

But, of course, the self-appointed "fiscal conservatives" won't entertain the idea. #abpoli

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Join us for Dr. Robyn Maynard's public lecture (Policing Black Lives) tomorrow at 7PM in the KCIC Auditorium. All are welcome!

It's cold outside..stay in and join this February webinar!

Learn more: www.csa-scs.ca/news/tips-tr...

Acadia Sociology is excited to host Dr. Robyn Maynard next week for a public lecture, a research talk, and a discussion with racialized students/faculty/staff.

All are welcome for the lecture "Policing Black Lives" (7pm Feb 5th) and the research talk "Abolition and Fascism" (11:30am Feb 6th).

Nice summary of the Government of NS' recent overreach in the post-secondary sector here from the Dalhousie Coalition for Collegial Governance. Dal-focused, but the Schedule H discussion applies to every university in the province.
cocogov.org/blog/post-007/

Looking forward to participating in this Computational Social Sciences symposium at @dalhousieu.bsky.social this weekend: www.cssbridgingdisciplines.ca

Why the US Collapsed I wrote this a few years from now… Historians, political analysts, and much of the general public around the world have long discussed why the United States of America collapsed in the mid- to late 2...

What were the main causes behind the collapse of the United States back in the mid- to late 2020s?

Here's my overview:
www.internationalaffairsfornormalpeople.eu/why-the-us-c...

Withdrawing the United States from International Organizations, Conventions, and Treaties that Are Contrary to the Interests of the United States MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United

The US has published a list today of dozens of environmental, scientific, and development organizations and treaties from which it is withdrawing. This list includes the IPCC; IRENA; the UNFCCC; UN Water; IPBES; among many others. Absolutely nuts. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

A firm with a reputation for recommending deep cuts and layoffs has been hired as a consultant to review Nova Scotia's universities - Halifax Examiner I don't like that university programs are having to justify themselves merely in terms of the jobs that students get after graduation.

More on the current NS government-mandated review of universities in the province

www.halifaxexaminer.ca/morning-file...

Why we still need ivory towers - Halifax Examiner When universities are pushed to align themselves too closely with political priorities or labour market needs, their ability to nurture democratic capacities is weakened.

Insightful commentary from Kate Ashley @kmans.bsky.social on the NS Government's recent overreach with our Universities

www.halifaxexaminer.ca/commentary/w...

Congratulations to the newly-minted Dr. Judyannet Muchiri @judyannet.bsky.social on her successful PhD Defence @memorialu.bsky.social Sociology today! Bravo Dr. Muchiri!

Yeah, as I've been saying, we overcompensated because the media ran with the stupid 'GDP per capita' and 'immigrants hurt housing' framing. This is long-run damage to the economy by short-term thinking, feeding xenophobia, and helping to further destroy Canada's world class universities.

Norway Strengthens International Efforts to Promote LGBTQ+ Rights | Norad.no Norway is increasing its support to organisations working to advance LGBTQ+ rights, including efforts to combat violence and discrimination. Norad is entering new agreements with the Norwegian organis...

In response to the growing backlash against international LGBTQI+ rights and other aid donors' waning support, Norway is increasing its funding in this area. A good example for other countries, such as Canada, to follow. www.norad.no/en/news/news...

2026 CSA-SCS Annual Conference Fourwaves - 2026 CSA-SCS Annual Conference

I am co-chairing the Sociology of Development Research Cluster sessions at the 2026 CSA Conference:
- DEV1 Development & its Discontents;
- DEV2 Conflict/Development;
- DEV3 SocDev Omnibus.

Read the CFP and submit your abstract here:
event.fourwaves.com/2026-csa-scs...

@csa-scs.bsky.social

For First Time in Decades, Child Deaths Will Rise This Year Almost a quarter of a million more children around the world are projected to die in 2025 than in 2024.

This fetid landmark, this historical stain on humanity is primarily due to the stunningly reckless obliteration of America's foreign assistance agency earlier this year.

Led by the richest man on earth. In secret, on a weekend. With zero analysis or discussion of its catastrophic impacts.

We are very excited to work in partnership with Dalhousie University’s Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology to host our Conference.

Approximately 250 sessions have been planned, so submit your abstract by January 26 to present your work!

www.csa-scs.ca/2026-annual-...

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Better Together - Creating Space. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Creating Space: BIPOC Voices in Academia BIPOC employees across higher education institutions in Canada play a vital role in creating inclusive, equitable, and culturally grounded campuses, yet many ...

Check out this Maple League event on Dec 10 for a discussion about creating space for BIPOC voices in higher education and beyond.

Join Danai Bélanger and Foroogh Mohammadi to reflect on workplace culture, identity, leadership pathways, and community care.

Register here: bit.ly/BT-Creating-...

Too True Crime The Too True Crime podcast documents over 580 women killed by femicide in Canada since 2020. Explore an episode for every life lost to gender-related violence.

There have been 580 femicides in Canada since 2020.

@cfoja.bsky.social has created a podcast with an episode for each woman and girl.

Their lives matter. Their deaths were preventable.

Notes from the field titled "Troubled Encounters: Feminist Foreign Policy and Donor-Implementer Relations in Peacebuilding" by Niklas Balbon and Younna Christiansen.

📢New issue of #PAG21 is out!📢

In their notes from the field, "Troubled Encounters", @balnik.bsky.social & Younna Christiansen outline the challenges of implementing a feminist foreign policy in the context of peacebuilding.

gendersky polisky

buff.ly/XFbx7St

Excellent analysis here from @stephenbrown.bsky.social for The McLeod Group.

Does government funding limit charities' political advocacy in Canada? Despite anecdotal concerns that it does, we demonstrate via an analysis of CRA data over time that organizations receiving government funding are MORE likely to be politically active.

Learn more:

anserj.ca/index.php/cj...

When Trudeau declined to put the feminist foreign policy forward in an actual policy statement, this walkback was inevitable. Disappointing nonetheless. Also unclear what this means for the future of Canadian aid still operating under the FIAP.

Artificial intelligence is front and centre at COP30 COP30 is the first conference where AI has been formally integrated as a central theme in the conference agenda.

Great piece on the intersection of environmental and AI polycrises at COP by @dbtindall.bsky.social

theconversation.com/artificial-i...

'Something is terribly wrong': Baby formula among most stolen food items as costs spiral, researcher says | CBC News The price of baby formula in Canada has risen roughly 84 per cent since 2017, according to Statistics Canada, driving some parents to turn to strangers on social media for help. One researcher says fo...

Research from Acadia Sociology's Dr. Lesley Frank (@franklyless.bsky.social) cited in CBC article on infant feeding in Canada and the spiralling costs of baby formula:

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

The world needs less Canada? - The McLeod Group McLeod Group blog by Stephen Brown, November 10, 2025 Does the world need less Canada? One might think so, reading last week’s federal budget. The cuts to foreign aid and how they are justified sugges...

Excellent commentary from @stephenbrown.bsky.social on the McLeod Group Blog about Canada's ill-timed cuts to its global aid responsibilities:

"The World Needs Less Canada?"

www.mcleodgroup.ca/2025/11/the-...