current activities, spring 2010

Spring seems to always see me quite busy, and the spring of 2010 will be no different, even though my teaching responsibilities in the Department of International Development Studies take a holiday. The biggest delight I have this spring is attending the Convocation of the first international development studies cohort at the University that I have seen through from the beginning to the end. Even more pleasing, I will be handing out their diplomas.

The only teaching I will do in the spring will be to act as External Examiner at a PhD defence at Wageningen University in the Netherlands on 16 June, which will require my presence. Of course I will have to maintain my ongoing responsibilities as Chair of the Department of International Development Studies to students, staff and faculty. This will also involve, for the first time, attending the annual meetings of the Canadian Consortium of University Programs in International Development Studies.

In terms of my research, I will be revising the manuscript of my forthcoming book for Fernwood Publishers, Hungry for Change? Farmers, Agrarian Questions and the Global Food Crisis as well as my chapters in the forthcoming textbook An Introduction to Gender and Economics: Foundations, Theories and Policies. I will also be giving a paper at the Second Annual North American Historical Materialism conference in mid-May, while late May sees me at the annual meetings of the Canadian Association for the Study of International Development.

Finally, a large amount of my time in the spring will be taken up undertaking some advisory work for the United Nations Development Programme New York, and possibly elsewhere if it is required.

I will find some time, though, to enjoy the new season.