Faculty of Arts at Saint Mary's University

Hi! We're the Halifax Humanities Society, a non-profit organization that offers free, non-credit, university-level humanities courses to adults who are facing barriers to traditional education. Visit us at www.halifaxhumanitiessociety.ca to learn more about this life-changing initiative.

Next week Frankenstein's Monster stands trial for murder at the annual Weldon Literary Moot. Time to get your tickets for this night of comic legal theatre in support of the work of Halifax Humanities!

@smuarts.bsky.social @dalhousieu.bsky.social @dal-english.bsky.social @dalhistory.bsky.social

An event poster with a photo of Dr. Krishnamurti looking upwards. Lecture description: This talk will examine how the colonial construction of ‘Hinduism’ and ‘Hindu’ as religious and political identity categories, both in India and in the diaspora, has prevented modern progressive movements to emerge within Hindu-identified communities. “Hinduish” attempts to think critically about Hinduism and modern identity politics to imagine how a relational ethics of justice and liberation might meaningfully take root.

Join us for "Hinduish": History, Politics, and Identity-Making in the Hindu Diaspora, with Dr. @sailaja.bsky.social of Queen's University. Friday, March 13, 12–1 pm in MM 214A at SMU. All are welcome! Presented by the 2025-2026 Study of Religion Lunch Seminar Series. loom.ly/f0peC18 #SMUReligion

Deadline to apply: March 31, 2026 You are eligible to apply for the annual Environmental Studies Prize if you are in the final year of your BES program or have graduated in Fall 2025 or Winter 2026; have a strong GPA; and have a record of involvement in environmental initiatives, whether on or off campus. To apply, send your application to bes@smu.ca including a short statement of your interest in the Environmental Studies Prize, your A-number and your SMU Co-curricular record and/or a statement summarizing your extracurricular environment-related activities.

Deadline to apply: March 31.

Must be in the final year of your BES program or have graduated in Fall 2025 or Winter 2026; have a strong GPA; and have a record of involvement in environmental initiatives.

Send applications to bes@smu.ca. See Alt text for more details.

@smuarts.bsky.social

2026 Environmental Gala is March 19th. Get your tickets soon!

Tomorrow at noon!

An event poster with a photo of guest speaker Robin Metcalfe, who is wearing a blue shirt and yellow bow tie. Text: "Decriminalizing Homosexuality and Other Myths" Tuesday, March 10 1:00 to 2:15 pm in Loyola 276 Saint Mary's University, Halifax All are welcome to join this guest talk and Q&A in Prof. Robert Wright's 'Queer Criminology' class.

RESCHEDULED to Tuesday, March 10: All are welcome to a guest talk and Q&A with Robin Metcalfe. A writer, curator, cultural activist and community historian, Robin is Chair of Sheet Harbour Pride and 2SLGBTQIA+ program coordinator for SeaHorse Sexual Health. 1-2:15 pm in Loyola 276: loom.ly/D8JEA4o

A blue event poster with photos of two keynote speakers. Text: Women and Gender Studies Graduate Student Conference 2026 Celebrating International Women's Day, this half-day conference brings together MSVU and SMU master's students from Professor Tatjana Takševa's course in transnational feminism. Thursday, March 5, 2026 12 noon to 4:30 pm Faculty Lounge, Seton 407/409), MSVU All are welcome. A light lunch will be provided.

A blue event poster with a photo of keynote speaker Dr. Gugu Hlongwane from SMU's Department of English Language and Literature. Text: Women and Gender Studies Graduate Student Conference 2026 Keynote 'You Strike a Woman, You Strike a Rock': Checks and Balances in South African Feminisms Dr. Gugu Hlonwane Associate Professor of English Saint Mary's University, Halifax Dr. Hlongwane's collection, 'Electric Fences and Other Stories', explores the resistance strategies employed by Black women during and after apartheid. The collection was published by Mawenzi House in 2016. She is currently working on a novel as well as a second collection of short stories titled 'Beauty in the Gathers'.

Thursday, March 5: #WGSConference2026 showcases emerging feminist scholarship in #Halifax, including research by SMU master's students in Dr. Tatjana Takševa's @smuwgst.bsky.social course. Dr. Gugu Hlongwane of @smuenglish.bsky.social will deliver a keynote. loom.ly/13CRFrA #SMU_WGST #IWD2026

Hi @brendyncreamer.bsky.social, thanks for sharing this! Sorry to be relaying this after the fact ... Robin's talk has been rescheduled to next Tuesday, March 10, 1-2:30 pm in Loyola 276. loom.ly/D8JEA4o

Please note that this event has been rescheduled to Tuesday, March 10, 1:00 to 2:15 pm in Loyola 276.

An event poster with a photo of guest speaker Robin Metcalfe, who is wearing a blue shirt and yellow bow tie. Text: "Decriminalizing Homosexuality and Other Myths" Tuesday, March 10 1:00 to 2:15 pm in Loyola 276 Saint Mary's University, Halifax All are welcome to join this guest talk and Q&A in Prof. Robert Wright's 'Queer Criminology' class.

RESCHEDULED to Tuesday, March 10: All are welcome to a guest talk and Q&A with Robin Metcalfe. A writer, curator, cultural activist and community historian, Robin is Chair of Sheet Harbour Pride and 2SLGBTQIA+ program coordinator for SeaHorse Sexual Health. 1-2:15 pm in Loyola 276: loom.ly/D8JEA4o

A poster to promote Irish Community Classes at SMU. The background image is a photo of the McNally Building, with a blue wave on top. Text: - 4-week free Irish language course for beginners - on Mondays through March, beginning on March 9 - 7 to 8:30 pm - Instructor: Maebh Dinneen, ICUF Scholar - Venue: SMU campus; room number provided upon registration.

Starting March 9: Join instructor Maebh Dinneen, our ICUF Scholar with @irishstudies.bsky.social, for a 4-week Irish language course for beginners. It runs on Mondays through March, 7-8:30 pm on campus. It's free and all are welcome! Register here: forms.office.com/r/Vvc1PLHcT1 @icuf.bsky.social

A poster to promote the 2026 call for papers for the annual Arts Student Conference. An illustration shows a pen on paper.

📣 Deadline March 6: Call for papers by undergraduate and graduate Arts students at SMU! Present your research at the annual Faculty of Arts Student Conference on March 27. Submit a 500-word abstract detailing your topic to Dr. Nicole Neatby of @historysmu.bsky.social. Learn more: loom.ly/7sBnm9g

An event poster with a photo of Dr. Comeau. Lecture description: Baie Sainte-Marie Acadian French: An “older French”? Thursday, March 12 | 5:30-6:30 pm Loyola 174, Saint Mary's University All are welcome to attend this Arts With Impact public lecture, presented by the Linguistics program. Guest speaker Dr. Philip Comeau is Full Professor and Vice-doyen des études universitaires, Université Sainte-Anne in Pointe-de-l’Église, Nova Scotia. A common perception of Acadian French is that it is an “older dialect of French” or “French as it was spoken in the 17th century.” In his talk, Dr. Comeau questions this general perception, focusing on French varieties spoken in southwest Nova Scotia, particularly in the regions of Baie Sainte-Marie and Par-en-Bas. He will present findings from a project using data spanning four centuries. Even though many of the conservative or older features of French have persisted, one of the conclusions is that Baie Sainte-Marie Acadian French is clearly no exception to the rule that living languages are constantly changing. https://loom.ly/_AhKHfM

Baie Sainte-Marie Acadian French: An “older French”?
Thursday, March 12 | 5:30-6:30 pm | Loyola 174

Dr. Philip Comeau of Université Sainte-Anne will deliver this public lecture, using findings from data spanning 400 years. All are welcome! Learn more: loom.ly/_AhKHfM #SMULinguistics #ArtsWithImpact

Queerabilities offered inspiring and impactful sessions with speakers including Johanna Hedva (at right), ivan beck (at left), Katie O'Brien, Paige Cox, Erin Norris and Halifax Queer Ensemble. LA-based Hedva was recently named by @unitedstatesartists.org as a USA Fellow for 2026: loom.ly/1JZI3ak.

A poster from PARC (Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre) with a photo of Dr. Bannerjee against a red background.

Dr. Rohini Bannerjee is February's Playwright of the Month with the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre! A French professor at SMU, she's also a translator, poet, lyricist and short story writer, published in India, Canada, Spain and France. Read more: playwrightsatlantic.ca/news/the-par...

Congrats to @irishstudies.bsky.social on an excellent Queerabilities conference today. It was a thoughtful and heartfelt day of speakers, music and discussion!

Queerabilities is a workshop on campus queerness and disability, in theory and practice. All are welcome to attend this Saturday in person and online. More details on the SMU Events Calendar: loom.ly/573BUfo

Queerabilities sees improvisation in play as praxis.

"Halifax Queer Ensemble" set the tone.

Register for online or in person participation: forms.office.com/r/Cttb9wqnbF

Researching autism is a queerability.

Erin Norris reflects on their praxis as an autistic researcher.

Register for online and in person participation: forms.office.com/r/Cttb9wqnbF

Navigating student accommodations can be depressing, as Paige Cox knows too well. How to go about it?

Register for online and in person participation: forms.office.com/r/Cttb9wqnbF

Queerabilities asks, "how to care?" What does care aspire to as a praxis? Ivan Beck and Katie O'Brien lead the workshop.

Register for online and/or on campus participation: forms.office.com/r/Cttb9wqnbF

An event poster with a headshot photo of guest speaker Robin Metcalfe, who is wearing a blue shirt and yellow bow tie. Text: "Decriminalizing Homosexuality and Other Myths" Tuesday, March 3 11 am to 12:15 pm in Loyola 298 (Private Dining Room) Saint Mary's University, Halifax All are welcome to join this guest talk and Q&A in Prof. Robert Wright's 'Queer Criminology' class.

TUESDAY, March 3: All are welcome to attend this guest talk and Q&A with Robin Metcalfe. A writer, curator, cultural activist and community historian, Robin is Chair of Sheet Harbour Pride and 2SLGBTQIA+ program coordinator for SeaHorse Sexual Health. 11 am-12:15 pm in Loyola 298: loom.ly/D8JEA4o

CFP: Black 2026, part of the Still Here: Emancipation Celebration, 31 July-3 August 2026

See more at: acadiensis.wordpress...

An event poster with a small headshot photo of Dr. Paulo Ravecca. Text: SMU Research Spotlight Series "Reading the Far Right Beyond Self-Righteousness" Dr. Paulo Ravecca Associate Professor of Political Science, Saint Mary's University Thursday, March 5, 2026 Noon to 1 p.m. | CLARI Hub, Atrium 340 All are welcome! Light refreshments will be served.

Next up in the SMU Research Spotlight Series: Reading the Far Right Beyond Self-Righteousness. Join us March 5 from 12-1 pm as Dr. Paulo Ravecca delves into it. All are welcome to attend; CLARI Hub (Atrium 340). Lecture description: www.smu.ca/fgsr/researc... #SMUResearch #SMUPoliticalScience

Johanna Hedva in conversation. Register for online/in-person attendance: forms.office.com/r/Cttb9wqnbF

Reimagining Resilience in Bay of Fundy Dykelands Thu 26 Feb, 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. [AST]: Join us for a friendly fireside chat with Saint Mary’s University researchers Dr. Danika van Proosdij and Dr. Jonathan Fowler. It's the first event in a new an...

Tonight at Saint Mary's! Join us at 6 pm either online or in person (Sobey Building room 422) for this discussion on Reimagining Resilience in Bay of Fundy Dykelands.

More info here: loom.ly/frzoba0 @smugeographers.bsky.social @coldh20.bsky.social @historysmu.bsky.social #ClimateResilience #Fundy

Discussing the Fundy Dykelands

All welcome, details here:
eventscalendar.smu.ca/smuhalifax/d...

Maebh Dineen and students from her "Introduction to Irish Language" class @smuarts.bsky.social join Mason Tours for a tour of Irish Halifax.