Spectrum (E-Journal)
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Framing Fear: Loss Aversion and Availability in Trump’s Immigration Rhetoric
Get PDFThis paper examines the role of the cognitive biases of the availability heuristic and loss aversion in shaping voter preferences and public support for Donald Trump’s immigration rhetoric and policies. The study, grounded in behavioral economics, examines how loss-framed narratives, such as those of economic and cultural threats posed by immigration, mobilize voter support by leveraging fears of perceived losses. Simultaneously, Trump’s reliance on emotive anecdotes amplifies the salience of isolated events, distorting public perception of immigrants as disproportionately linked to crime and economic strain. Despite empirical evidence highlighting the economic contributions and lower crime rates among immigrant populations, these biases, namely the availability heuristic and loss aversion, drive support for stringent immigration measures, including travel bans and deportations for particular immigrant groups. This paper argues for corrective measures such as embedding anecdotal narratives within public campaigns, policy-making forums, and educational curricula alongside enhancing public data literacy to mitigate these biases in political discourse and voter choices
GLASS OF THE TITANS: Thomas Cole’s The Titan’s Goblet as a Religious Painting
Get PDFThe 1833 painting The Titan’s Goblet by Thomas Cole stands out as an oddity from his portfolio; its subject matter is strange, and many different historical attempts have been made to understand its meaning. However, most of them have been utterly debunked by the art history academic community. By looking at Cole’s personal views and comparing with much of his portfolio, the monumental glass depicted in this odd painting may be more clearly interpreted as a signifier of the lasting power of the Christian God over pagan gods of the past. This recognition can further help us understand the use of symbols in the works of Cole as well as his contemporaries
Supporting Indigenous youth to live with continued resilience, meaning and hope
Get PDFIndigenous Life Promotion and strengths-based approaches to mental wellness and suicide prevention are important strategies that promote sovereignty, holistic wellness, and healing at the individual, family, and community levels. As part of the Patient and Community Engagement Research (PaCER) program, our team facilitated three focus groups with Indigenous young people in Alberta to better understand how they wish to be supported to live life with continued resilience, meaning and hope. Our team conducted a thematic analysis on the focus group transcripts and derived five key themes from their contents: 1. Accessible, meaningful, and ongoing supports; 2. Indigenous-centered, culturally meaningful and safe supports; 3. Fostering meaningful connections and relationships; 4. Surviving/ ‘Existing’; and 5. Thriving; living with purpose and meaning beyond surviving. Based on these themes, six recommendations for better supporting the wellbeing of Indigenous youth were developed: 1. Indigenous-centred resources; 2. Accountability; 3. Person-centred support; 4. Enhancing empowerment in children & youth; 5. Holistic health liaison/navigators; 6. Increased funding. Attending to the voices of Indigenous youth in planning and enhancing supports will continue to bolster their inherent resilience and contribute to the process of reconciliation in Alberta and Canada
From Participant to Partner: Applying Indigenous Understandings of Treaties to Canada’s Environmental Impact Assessment Processes
Get PDFThe following seeks to explore solutions forward amid increasing pressure to improve the quality of Indigenous involvement within environmental assessments (EAs). This paper describes the historical entanglements of resource development, colonialism, and limited recognition of Indigenous interests within EAs currently. It deconstructs the implications of the following: extractive methodologies habitually used within EAs; distinctions between Canadian and Indigenous legal systems; cultural variances in perceptions of power structures; and noticeable systemic issues within EA processes. Drawing from Indigenous understandings of treaties, this article brings forth some key considerations necessary to establishing meaningful Indigenous involvement during EAs. It positions treaties as a powerful, practical orientation towards envisioning a framework that utilizes practices which foster genuine collaboration and dialogue amongst all parties involved. To this end, this article contends with the importance of addressing gaps in quality of Indigenous involvement during EAs, particularly as calls for reconciliation and sustainable environmental decision-making continue
Understanding Pediatric Patient\u27s Perspective on Neurostimulation (Cefaly®™) for Migraine Treatment: A Focus Group Discussion
No full textPurpose: Migraines are highly prevalent among children and adolescents, leading to significant disability. External trigeminal nerve stimulation (Cefaly®) is an emerging alternative treatment for migraine. These non-invasive wearable devices deliver electrical impulses through the skin to reduce pain transmission. Cefaly® has been government-approved for use in adults but has not been formally studied in pediatric-aged populations. We conducted a focus group with pediatric patients (aged 16-17) and a patient partner (aged 18) diagnosed with chronic migraine to investigate adolescent perspectives on the Cefaly® device. Involving adolescents ahead of a clinical trial is critical for understanding whether the Cefaly® device can be integrated into patients\u27 lives and have a meaningful impact in real-world contexts for pain management.
Methods: Participants partook in a 65-minute virtual semi-structured focus group discussion where they were asked open-ended questions regarding their experiences living with chronic migraine and their impressions of the Cefaly® device and barriers to use.
Results: Participants were keen to try Cefaly® but felt it was best suited for home use due to the device\u27s appearance combined with the length of time required per session. Participants described Cefaly® as most helpful as an adjunct for their existing therapies. The device\u27s portability was regarded as advantageous. Participants especially expressed a favourable perception towards the non-invasive nature of Cefaly® and minimal side effects compared to medications and injection-based treatment options.
Conclusion: Adolescents reported a desire to try Cefaly® for treating their chronic migraines. Clinical studies are needed to validate the efficacy of Cefaly® for pediatric populations
Inspiring Repertoire for Enrichment: Edvard Grieg’s Lyric Pieces Opus 12 as a Pedagogical Tool
Get PDF One of the enduring challenges for piano teachers is selecting appropriate repertoire to enrich a student’s piano education, which has foundations in leveled books. A response to the challenge is to select a collection from a composer’s works to immerse the student in the style and technical demands of that specific composer. In this study, Edvard Grieg’s Lyric Pieces Opus 12 were investigated for their effectiveness as pedagogical tools for intermediate piano students. The analysis included: (1) contextualizing the collectionhistorically through related literature; (2) identifying primary technical elements to determine an effective pedagogical approach for introducing the specific elements to students; and (3) identifying stylistic features and Norwegian cultural connections to provide meaningful insights for students’ interpretation of the pieces and lead to a set of guiding questions to pose to students. Historically, Grieg’s Lyric Pieces capture the Norwegian spirit by incorporating folkloric elements into classical compositions, and his intention in the compositions was to supply his music school with short, digestible instructional material. The Lyric Pieces are accessible piano pieces that allow students to discover complex technical elements such as melodic nature, varied approaches to the keys (touch), complex rhythms, and ornamentation. They also provide opportunities for students to grow their understanding of stylistic features through the titles and descriptive phrases, as well as connections to Norwegian culture, which allow them to develop their interpretation of the pieces. This study contributes to the professional learning of studio piano teachers and the application of Grieg’s Lyric Pieces in teaching intermediate students
Bridging the Gender Gap: A Canadian Study Examining Gender Inequality in Engineering Workplaces
Get PDFDespite considerable work to encourage women to enter the profession, engineering continues to be heavily male dominated. Research shows that women in engineering experience unequal treatment starting from their entry into the occupation. My research will discuss the experiences of gender inequality for women working in engineering fields by looking at the empirical literature examining the hiring process, chilly climates, hostile work environments, pay and promotion inequalities, and the challenges women engineers face due to competing identities and motherhood. I will show that the oppression and inequality of women reflects and perpetuates a culture that favors male-dominance and exclusionary practices within the engineering profession
Autistics, Myths, and Robots: Artistic Resistance to Dominant Disability Discourse
Get PDFAbstract
Despite growing awareness, misconceptions about autism (also known as autism spectrum disorder or ASD) persist within science, academia, and popular culture. These misconceptions perpetuate harmful stereotypes that contribute to the ongoing stigma, exclusion, and isolation experienced by autistic individuals. A significant barrier to overcoming these challenges is the underrepresentation of autistic voices across multiple fields and disciplines, making it difficult to effectively challenge and transform prevailing social norms and attitudes about disabilities and neurological differences. While efforts are being made by advocates to improve representation through community-based participatory research and coproduction models, the arts remain a particularly powerful yet underutilized tool for disrupting problematic discourse. Through creative expression, the arts offer a unique avenue to subvert reductionistic pathologies, dehumanizing language, and unfavorable depictions of autism that have been deeply engrained in both academic and cultural discourse. This poem critically engages with widespread stereotypes, using sarcasm and humor to reclaim and reshape existing depictions of autism. By doing so, it aims to empower fellow autistic individuals to challenge these narratives and express their own experiences through whatever creative mediums resonate with them, ultimately offering a more nuanced and representative understanding of autism in the process.
Keywords: Arts, neurodiversity, critical autism studies, representation, stereotypes, subversion
Author’s Note
As an autistic scholar and artist, I rely on a combination of lived experience, community involvement, and research training within this creative piece. A significant source of inspiration comes from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, particularly their powerful reclamation of terms like “queer” that were once used as weapons of marginalization and exclusion. By embracing and redefining these terms, this community has subverted their original pejorative meanings, transforming them into symbols of identity, pride, and resistance. This act of linguistic reclamation not only disrupts the power dynamics of hate and oppression but also fosters a sense of solidarity. In a similar vein, my work seeks to challenge and overturn the derogatory labels and misconceptions that have been imposed upon autistic individuals, using creative expression as a means to redefine our realities. Historically, academic and societal discourses have often dehumanized autistic people through harmful and reductive descriptions, perpetuating what I refer to in this piece as “myths” about autism. Through this work, I critically deconstruct these demeaning representations, employing a sardonic lens to counter these narratives and expose their absurdity. Incorporating examples from my experiences as an autism and neurodevelopmental researcher, I seek to highlight and dismantle these entrenched misconceptions, including deficit-based models, problematic pathologies, and stigmatizing descriptions of autistic individuals. As someone who experiences echolalia (i.e., the repetition of words, phrases, and sentences) and who frequently incorporates pop culture references when communicating with others, this piece also serves as a homage to the songs, films, and television shows that resonate with me and my special interests. To ensure clarity and accessibility for readers, I have included detailed endnotes that explain both the research references and the various pop culture elements, providing a comprehensive overview of the content and its meaning
What makes transitional housing in Manitoba unsafe for transgender people?
Get PDFTransgender people across Canada face high rates of housing insecurity and homelessness compared to people whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. Yet shelters and transitional housing meant to provide temporary places to stay do not always meet the needs of transgender people. This community-based study asked what can make transitional housing safer and more comfortable for transgender people, with a focus on the Westman region of Manitoba. In collaboration with YWCA Brandon, the first author interviewed nine service providers who work in housing organizations or in service provision for transgender people in Manitoba, to learn about good practices from their perspectives. In the process we learned about the factors that make transitional housing and shelters unsafe and unwelcoming for transgender people; these factors are the focus of this article. We highlight barriers to access to existing transitional housing, including the prevalence of faith-based shelters, gender segregation policies and practices, intake and referral procedures that create risks for transgender people, and insufficient training for organization leaders. These findings are relevant to shelter and transitional housing providers and to allies and advocates for the well-being of transgender people in Manitoba and beyond
Reconsidering Treaty 8 Negotiations: The Canadian Government’s Purposeful Exploitation of a Disadvantaged Population
Get PDFTreaty 8 was signed on June 21, 1899, between the Government of Canada and Indigenous Peoples living in the northern Alberta, northeastern British Columbia, southwestern Northwest Territories, and northwestern Saskatchewan region. Calls for the treaty began in the 1870s, but negotiations only began one day before the treaty was signed, raising questions about the fairness and professionalism of the negotiation process.1 Issues involving the mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples, both historically and contemporarily, have been on the front pages of media increasingly since the discovery of unmarked graves at a Kamloops formerresidential school in 2021. Each case of the Canadian government’s mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples, or enabling of it, is different and needs to be examined individually with consideration of the different sources relevant to each event or case. This research sought to uncover if injustice or mistreatment of Indigenous groups occurred during the Treaty 8 negotiations, and if so, how. The research reveals that the government took advantage of the poor economic conditions affecting Indigenous Peoples in Northern Alberta and created Treaty 8 to unfairly benefit itself on the premise that Indigenous Peoples are less worthy of respect from the government. Negotiations were unfair and Indigenous Peoples were mocked and exploited, calling into question the ethics of Treaty 8 and the need to not only reconcile, but to completely re-examine Treaty 8 and other historical treaties and laws concerning Indigenous groups