As a PhD candidate at McGill University’s Department of Integrated Studies in Education, I miss the classroom interaction with my middle school students but I understand that my pioneering research on the connection between religious literacy and religious bullying — bullying that occurs based on one’s belief, and/or one’s actual or perceived religious or religiously unaffiliated identity — is urgently needed in society today.
As a teacher-researcher, I am passionate about the inclusion of all students and focused my previous research on how teachers can address religion in an inclusive secular public school classroom. My current research aims to support teachers by sharing existing practices on religious literacy in secular settings and supporting teachers and students by developing their understanding of on-line and in-school religious bullying. In addition to research, I am also in the process of co-finding a Canadian non-profit that aims to promote civic religious literacy among various parts of Canadian society.
Additional Research
- “Classroom Subjected 2.0” (2018), with the Hindu American Foundation. The initial HAF bullying report (version 1.0) is available here.
- “TRaCE (Track Report and Connect Exchange) Project,” (2018), with the Institute of Public Life of Arts + Ideas at the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at McGill University.
- “Countering violent religious extremism through education in multicultural Canada” (2015-2020), funded by SSHRC Insight Grant, Research Assistant for Dr. Ratna Ghosh
- “Educational trajectories of radicalized females in Montreal” (2016-2017), funded by TSAS, Research Assistant for Dr. Ratna Ghosh
Additional Roles
- Co-Chair, Comparative & International Education Society Religion & Education Special Interest Group (2017-2019)
- Advisory Committee, See Different at the Canadian Council of Diversity & Inclusion (2015-2017)
- Steering Committee Member, Religion & Education Collaborative (ongoing)
- Knowledge Mobilizer, Comparative & International Education Society New Scholars Committee (2016-present)
Affiliations
- Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet), Emerging Scholar
- Citizenship Education Research Network, Graduate Student Representative
- The Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security, and Safety (TSAS), Junior Affiliate
- Other affiliations include: American Educational Research Association, Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, Religious Education Association, Comparative & International Education Society of Canada
Presentations
To utilize my research data, help build connections among stakeholders in local communities, and bridge communication between the larger society, policy makers, educators, and academics, presentations have been made to the following groups, in addition to the local religious and non-religious groups that participated in my doctoral research. If you would like an in-person or online presentation on religious bullying, please feel free to contact me at alice.wy.chan@gmail.com.
- American Educational Research Association
- Christian-Jewish Dialogue of Montreal
- Comparative & International Education Society of Canada
- English Montreal School Board
- International Conference on Human Rights Education
- McGill University, undergraduate and graduate Faculty of Education students
- National Metropolis Conference, Canada
- National Interfaith Anti-Bullying Summit, USA
- Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network
- Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (University of Toronto) graduate students
- Quest Conference, York Regional District School Board, Greater Toronto Area
- Religious Education Association
- Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
- Society for Terrorism Research
- World Anti-Bullying Forum
W. Y. Alice Chan 