Research Summary
The world is facing multiple intensifying and intersecting crises—from climate change to the rise of xenophobic populism to the unknowns of artificial intelligence (AI). The term “polycrisis” has emerged to capture how these various issues may interact to produce ever worse outcomes. Dr. Yasmeen Abu-Laban, Canada Research Chair in the Politics of Citizenship and Human Rights, is examining the nature of rights claims in light of this polycrisis.
She and her research team are assessing the impact of neoliberal restructuring, surveillance and xenophobic populism on minorities and immigrants in Canada and other former colonies. They are focusing on four areas: understanding antiracism, migration governance and AI, displacement and border management, and political community within and beyond the human. By shedding light on responses to and claims about rights, their research will provide clues to what the mid-21st century might hold for ideals of equality, justice and human dignity.