Bell Chair in Canadian Parliamentary Democracy
The Hon. Dick and Ruth Bell Chair for the Study of Canadian Parliamentary Democracy promotes the study of the Canadian parliamentary and political system. The current holder of the Chair is Professor Jonathan Malloy. The Chair was previously held from 2009-2019 by Professor Bill Cross.
The Bell Chair holds events and workshops and sponsors graduate student research. A key goal of the Chair is to broaden and diversify the study of Canadian political institutions and contribute to the overall strengthening and diversity of Canadian political science.
Recent Bell Chair events have featured Dr. Debra Thompson (BPAPM/03), Canada Research Chair in Racial Inequality in Democratic Societies, speaking on her book The Long Road Home: On Blackness and Belonging, and the October 2022 Bell Chair Legislative Research Workshop, which brought together over 25 Canadian legislative researchers to Ottawa to discuss their work and hear from keynote speaker Michael Chong, MP.
The Chair was created in 2009 thanks to a generous gift from Carleton alumna Dr. Ruth Bell, MA/65, LLD/84. Ruth Bell (1919-2015) was a distinguished citizen of Ottawa and lifelong women’s activist, political scientist and member of the Order of Canada. Dick Bell, LLD/84 (1913-1988) served as a Member of Parliament and was minister of citizenship and immigration in the Diefenbaker government.
Please contact Professor Malloy at jonathan.malloy@carleton.ca for further information. Prospective graduate students are particularly encouraged to inquire about the possibility of working as part of the Bell Chair.
Below is a recording of a special Bell Chair interview of Dr. Annette Isaac by Amanda Roberts on “States of Consciousness of Racism” held in October 2020 under pandemic restrictions.
Bell Chair Lecture Series
In this Bell Chair Lecture Series conversation between Dr. Annette Isaac and PhD Candidate Amanda Roberts, Dr. Isaac outlines her evolving stages of consciousness of racism during her time at Carleton University, University of Alberta, and in international development. The conversation begins with an opening statement by Dr. Isaac to frame the discussion, then moves into a Q&A portion discussing racism and anti-racism in Canada, issues of representation, missing cues and imposter syndrome, and advice for grad students on building community.
Dr. Annette Isaac is an author and scholar with experience studying women and gender, feminism in Canada and the developing world, race, ethnicity, globalization, and more. She is co-author of Politics of Race, and in her recent memoir, Missing The Cues. Tales of a Newcomer’s Life in Canada, Dr. Isaac shares the subtle messages and hints that most newcomers in Canada tend to miss while building their social and professional lives. She not only studied at Carleton University, but was also an Adjunct Research Professor and Instructor in the Department of Political Science for a number of years.
Correction: Near the end of this talk Dr. Isaac referred to the valedictorian speech Chadwick Boseman gave at Howard last year, when she intended to describe it as his commencement speech.