Articles by author: Brock University

• Brock expert available to comment on youth activism

  Tuesday, March 20, 2018 | By Brock University

  EXPERT ADVISORY: 20 March 2018 – R00058

  An estimated 500,000 youths will arrive in Washington, D.C. this Saturday for the March For Our Lives demonstration to address issues of school safety and gun control.

  They will be joined by other children and youth at some 800 simultaneous events being held around the world in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida last month.

  “There are many examples of young people today mobilizing around social issues, especially those that connect to their high schools,” says Rebecca Raby, a professor in Brock University’s Department of Child and Youth Studies and the graduate programs in Social Justice and Equity Studies and Critical Sociology. “To do so, they are activating social media in a way that blurs distinctions between online and offline worlds.”

  Raby, who has spent several years studying student protests, is available to speak with the media this week in advance of the March For Our Lives demonstration.

  She says that while some adults think young people are disengaging from formal politics, “in other arenas, we can see young people engaging directly with political questions.”

  “Adults sometimes conceptualize young people in ways that discount their views and participation, framing them as incompetent, immature and naïve,” says Raby. “But many researchers are challenging this way of thinking about children and youth, noting the value of listening to young people’s views and highlighting their competencies.”

  She says under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, youth also have a say about the decisions made about them.

  Raby has researched student protests of dress codes and recently co-edited The Sociology of Children and Youth in Canada, a volume that includes several research projects on social justice and youth engagement. She is available to comment on:

  • recent and upcoming examples of youth civic engagement
  • theories of agency, rebellion, resistance and contestation among young people
  • children and youth as participants within families, peer groups, social institutions, online and more broadly

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

  Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

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  Categories: Media releases

• Tickets selling fast for Ontario’s biggest VQA celebration

  Monday, March 19, 2018 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 19 March 2018 – R00057

  The wines have been chosen and Ontario’s top winemakers are ready to pour their favourites this Friday, March 23 at the 30th annual Cuvée Grand Tasting.

  Organized by Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), the Cuvée Grand Tasting takes place at Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls and is expected to be another sold-out affair. The event is the largest celebration of VQA wine of its kind, and highlights the $4.4-billion Ontario wine industry.

  “We’ll have 48 of Ontario’s best and brightest VQA wineries on hand this year pouring two of their winemakers’ favourite wines for our guests to enjoy,” said Cuvée manager Barb Tatarnic. “Local chefs will also be serving our guests a variety of tantalizing culinary options that are sure to excite every palate as we celebrate this 30-year milestone.”

  As well as providing the opportunity to showcase VQA wines to consumers, Cuvée also provides future grape growers and winemakers the chance to interact directly with key industry players.

  Proceeds from the event support the Cuvée Legacy Fund, which was established to fund industry-driven research initiatives and scholarships for students. The event generated more than $37,000 for the fund in 2017 alone.

  “Winning the Graduate Scholarship last year was a tremendous honour and the recognition amongst elite contributors to the wine industry was quite surreal,” said Brock PhD candidate Jennifer Kelly, a beneficiary of the Cuvée Legacy Fund. “It’s such a fun event and offers a unique opportunity for students to access people they may otherwise never have a chance to meet. It also allows everyone to connect with industry friends who are rarely all in one place.”

  Champions in the province’s wine industry will also be showcased at the event, including the first-ever Winemaker of Excellence award. The winner will be announced live before the evening’s popular Après Cuvée begins. Guests are then invited to dance the rest of the evening away to live music from local band The Associates, as well as sample Icewine, sparkling wine, cider and local craft beer selections.

  The Cuvée en Route passport program will extend the wine celebration all weekend long running from March 23 to 25 at participating wineries across Niagara. A complete list of participating wineries at the Grand Tasting and en Route can be found at cuvee.ca

  Tickets, which include both the Friday night Grand Tasting and the en Route passport are available online at cuvee.ca/tickets for $200 per person. Tickets for the en Route passport only are $30.

  For those attending the Grand Tasting, a free shuttle service will be available to bring guests from the Scotiabank Convention Centre parking lot right to the front doors.

  NOTE: Media interested in attending Cuvée Friday are asked to RSVP as soon as possible to Media Relations Officer Dan Dakin below.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

  Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

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  Categories: Media releases