York U. scholars interpret war rhetoric after terror attacks in U.S.

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TORONTO, September 20, 2001 --  Scholars at York University examining the consequences of the terror attacks in the United States can provide commentary on: Canada-U.S. border concerns; Canadian foreign, defence and security policy; the implications of U.S. homeland defence; the Middle-East conflict; the politics of Central and South Asia; international security concerns; intelligence gathering and covert activity, and the economic and civil liberties ramifications of heightened security and military alert around the world.

Look for additions and updates on the York University website, Media Relations page: www.yorku.ca/ycom/release/relarch.htm.

International Security, Intelligence, Defence

  • David Dewitt, professor of political science and director of the York Centre for International and Security Studies (YCISS), is a specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs, international relations, Asia-Pacific security cooperation, Canadian foreign, defence, and security policy, and broader issues of international security. Phone: 416-736-5156, email: ddewitt@yorku.ca.

  • David Mutimer, professor of political science and acting director of YCISS, specializes in international arms control, weapons proliferation, U.S. homeland defence and its implications for Canada. Phone: 416-736-5156, email: dmutimer@yorku.ca.
  • Reg Whitaker, recently retired professor of political science and Distinguished Research Professor at York, specializes in Canadian domestic and international affairs and international intelligence, and is author of The End of Privacy: How Total Surveillance is Becoming A Reality (New Press, 2000). Phone: 250-478-5767.

  • Stephane Roussel, professor of international relations at York’s Glendon College, specializes in U.S. homeland defence and its implications for Canadian foreign and defence policy and the role of the United Nations. Phone: 416-736-2100, ext. 88324, email: sroussel@glendon.yorku.ca.

  • Martin Shadwick, political science professor and member of the York Centre for International and Security Studies, specializes in Canadian defence and security policy with a focus on defence industrial and defence management issues (alternative service delivery), the military and Canadian society, and strategic studies. Phone: 416-736-2100, ext. 40244, at home: 416-494-5950, email: shadwick@yorku.ca.

International Law

  • Michael Mandel, professor of law at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School, specializes in international criminal law and humanitarian law and can comment on issues pertaining to the World Court treaty, which the U.S. has not signed, and U.S. foreign policy issues related to the terror attack. Phone: 416-736-5039, email: mmandel@yorku.ca.

 U.S. political environment

  • Stephen Newman, professor of political science specializing in American foreign and domestic policy, observes that policy makers in the United States are now speaking with one voice, but they have two messages that are not necessarily compatible – one of war and imminent retaliation, the other of patience and measured response. Newman supports tightened security measures but not at the expense of civil liberties and personal privacy. Phone: 416-588-0488, email: snewman@yorku.ca.

  • James Laxer, professor of political science and author of Stalking the Elephant: My Discovery of America (Viking, 2000), specializes in Canada-U.S. relations in trade and foreign policy. Phone: 416-544-9941.

Central and South Asia

  • Sergei Plekhanov, professor of political science and coordinator of the post-communist studies program at the York Centre for International and Security Studies, specializes in Russia, Eurasia and Eastern Europe. He is closely watching developments in Afghanistan and can comment on the repercussions in the region of the U.S. response to the crisis. Phone: 416-736-5156, email: splekhan@yorku.ca.

  • Amitav Acharya, professor of political science and member of the York Centre for International and Security Studies, specializes in international relations and security studies, particularly Southeast Asian and Asia Pacific regional security, focusing on regionalism and multilateral approaches to regional order. He is currently on leave in Singapore where he serves as Deputy Director of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at Nanyang Technological University. Phone in Singapore: (65) 790-6213, at home: (65) 795-7249, cell: (65) 9826-5928, email: ISAAcharya@ntu.edu.sg.

  • Mitchell Bernard, professor of political science specializing in China and Japan, was recently visiting professor in the Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, Kobe University, Japan. He is working on a study on the current political economy of Japan, and on China and regional integration, and can comment on those countries’ responses to escalated tensions. Phone: 416-588-0944, email: mbernard@yorku.ca.

Middle East, Iraq

  • Saeed Rahnema, professor of political science, specializes in Iran, Iraq and Middle East politics. Phone: 416-482-2242.

Canada-U.S. border issues

  • Howard Adelman, professor of philosophy and founding director of the York Centre for Refugee Studies, specializes in Canada-U.S. border harmonization and perimeter issues and has conducted preparatory research on the subject for the Canadian government. He is also a specialist in international ethics and can comment on the issue of racism and hate crime in the aftermath of the terror attacks. Phone: 416-533-5012, email: howardadelman@home.com.

  • Edgar J. Dosman, professor of political science and Senior Research Fellow at the York Centre for International and Security Studies, specializes in Canadian foreign and defence policy, regional conflict and conflict resolution in Central America and the Caribbean. Dosman is examining the implications of the attack in the United States on NAFTA and border management in the Americas, looking at the European concept of a border as a coordinated space, jointly managed, but significantly altering notions of national sovereignty. Phone: 416-736-5156, at home: 416-534-4680, email: edosman@yorku.ca.
  • Sharryn Aiken, professor of law at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School and member of the York Centre for Refugee Studies, can comment on the issue of tighter border security and immigration procedures and the implications for international civil and political rights. Phone: 416-924-8142, email: sharryn@yorku.ca.

  • Daniel Drache, professor of political science and director of the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies at York University, can comment on the domestic political debate about Canada’s response to the crisis, and the issue of border management. Phone: 416-736-5415, home: 416-921-3332, email: drache@yorku.ca.

Economy

  • Bernie Wolf, professor of economics and international business at York’s Schulich School of Business, specializes in international trade and the international monetary system and can comment on the effect of the crisis on markets and economic policy. Phone: 416-736-5067, at home: 416-223-2794, email: bwolf@schulich.yorku.ca.

  • Fred Lazar, professor of economics in the faculty of arts and at York’s Schulich School of Business, is a recognized authority on the airline industry. Phone: 416-736-2100, ext. 20252 or ext. 33623, email: flazar@yorku.ca.

Organized Crime

  • Margaret Beare, director of the Centre for the Study of Organized Crime and Corruption at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School, specializes in money laundering and banking secrecy. She has an intimate knowledge of policing procedures, problems unique to organized crime investigations, and the intricacies of evaluation research methods. Phone: 416-736-5907, email: mbeare@yorku.ca.

Civil Liberties

  • Dianne Martin, professor of law at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School, is widely known for her work on policing issues and suspected wrongful conviction. Phone: 416-736-5604, email: dmartin@yorku.ca.

Islamic religion and culture

  • Amila Buturovic, professor of Islamic studies and coordinator of York’s religious studies program, can comment on the various aspects of the Islamic religion and culture and the relationship between religion and state in the Islamic world. Phone: 416-736-2100, ext. 77021, home: 416-530-0507, cell: 416-358-5411, email: amilab@yorku.ca.

Racism, and politics in North Africa

  • Ratiba Hadj-Moussa, professor of sociology at York, examines issues of politics, public space and media in Canada and North Africa, how Muslim women use the media, how Muslims are viewed in the media, and the notion of "the other" in society that fosters fear and misunderstanding of cultural differences. She can clarify common misconceptions about Muslim history and culture and its role in world civilization. Phone: 416-736-2100, ext.77989, email: rhm@yorku.ca.

Psychology of Violence and effect on Children

  •  Debra Pepler, professor of psychology and director of the LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution at York University, specializes in the problems of children exposed to violence, and children’s own aggressive behaviours. Phone media relations or email: pepler@yorku.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Susan Bigelow
Media Relations
York University
416-736-2100, ext. 22091
sbigelow@yorku.ca
YU/099/01