This page features news stories about our faculty and students. Learn how the work of anthropologists impacts our world.
2026
Stephen Scharper's opinion piece, “There’s more than one brutal theocracy the free world should worry about”, is published in the Toronto Star. View the archived article. (April 15, 2026)
On March 21, Prof. Stephen Scharper served as master of ceremonies for a celebration of the life and legacy of Jane Goodall. The event, cosponsored by the University of Guelph Arboretum (where the event was staged), the Guelph Seminar, and OPIRG, featured presentations by Dr. Kerry Bowman of UofT, primatologist Dr. Keriann McGoogan, members of the Climate Hope Lab, and harpist Shannon Ferguson. The gathering also included "hope stations" involving local artists, naturalists, and musicians with interactive displays and activities. (March 2026)
On March 15, Stephen Scharper was the invited speaker at the Grand River Unitarian Congregation in Kitchener, Ontario. The title of his talk was "What's Love Got to Do with It?: Thoughts on How Best to Respond to the Ecological and Social Crises of Our Time." View his presentation on YouTube (begins at 34:52).
Stephen Scharper gave a lecture entitled "AI, Ethics, and the Fate of the Earth: An Emerging Spiritual Crisis" on March 8 at St. John's Anglican Church in Ida, Ontario. (March 8, 2026)
On January 31, Associate Professor Stephen Scharper joined The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson (Governor General of Canada,1999-2005), The Honourable Bob Rae (Canadian Ambassador to the UN, 2020-2025), Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, and former refugee Hidat Mosa in paying tribute to Mary Jo Leddy, Ph.D. Dr. Leddy, who recently turned 80, is the founder of Romero House for Refugees, a Member of the Order of Canada, and a pioneering journalist, author, peace activist, and engaged philosopher specializing in the work of Hannah Arendt. Prof. Scharper's remarks can be found here on Substack. (March 2, 2026)
Stephen Scharper's latest opinion piece, “Bruce Springsteen and the Badlands of Minnesota”, is available on Substack. (February 18, 2026)
UTM Anthropology student Charlotte Li has a piece entitled Drawing is Seeing: Illustration to Learn About the Potter's Craft in Arch Notes, the Newsletter of the Ontario Archaeological Society. (February 12, 2026)
UTM Anthropology HBA student Aditi Soin receives 2026 U of T Student Leadership Award (February 9, 2026)
Stephen Scharper gave a talk entitled "From Information to Formation: Cultivating an ecological lifeway in a fear-filled time", presented to the Unitarian Congregation of Guelph, Ontario (February 8, 2026)
Stephen Scharper's latest opinion piece, “Improvising against Tyranny: The Power of Ordinary Americans from the Battle of the Bulge to the Streets of Minnesota”, is available on Substack. (January 25, 2026)
Stephen Scharper was a guest speaker on CBC’s IDEAS podcast. This episode explored the legacy and continuing resonance of the work of Holmes Rolston III, a Presbyterian minister and philosopher who worked to bridge the gap between science and religion. (January 8, 2026)
The UTM Department of Anthropology is very pleased to present a new special issue of Young Anthropology entitled Notes from the Field, featuring fieldwork and research reflections, photography and artwork by UTM Anthropology undergraduate students. (January 8, 2026)