The Canada Graduate Scholarships to Honour Nelson Mandela (external link)  was created in 2013 to celebrate his legacy of pursuing “peace, democracy, justice and freedom through learning, understanding and education.” The award, jointly administered by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), recognizes graduate students’ research in the areas of national unity, democracy, freedom and human rights, leadership, children’s participation in society, and children’s health.
Emilia Gonzalez, a second-year doctoral candidate in Social Policy at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) in the Policy Studies PhD program, has been named a recipient of the Canada Graduate Scholarships to Honour Nelson Mandela for her research focused on understanding how to foster meaningful and effective intergenerational dialogue to drive social change.
Emilia Gonzalez
Emilia’s research explores how strengthening intergenerational relationships within youth-serving organizations across Latin America can influence the participation of both young and older individuals in society, advocacy, and research. Rooted in a critical children’s rights framework, her work seeks to expose the social narratives and contextual factors that can enable and/or hinder young people’s active participation. Using participatory approaches and arts-based research methods, Gonzalez aims to contribute to both theory and local practices. Emilia also notes that this research builds upon her MSc work on youth participation and intergenerational relationships with young people from diverse and underrepresented communities. This work includes three published articles: “I wish every day was Saturday” (external link) : Newcomer youth and program facilitators’ experiences of a community-based resettlement program during the COVID-19 pandemic in Montreal; Photo journals (external link)  with refugee youth: Methodological reflections of conducting research during the pandemic; and Negotiating child agency in childcare practices among immigrant families (external link) .
Living through a period of global challenges, complex social dynamics, and shifting societal landscape, Emilia explains that “The honour of carrying Nelson Mandela’s legacy through my doctoral research means continuing to build meaningful relationships and social networks, uplifting the voices of all people, especially young people, who are fighting for justice and liberation, and who are bravely defending their communities in the face of harmful systems and structures of oppression.” She added, “I deeply believe that engaging in different forms of intergenerational dialogue can create opportunities to better understand one another, and to continue fighting for peace, justice, and freedom.”
Enrolling in the PhD program in Policy Studies has proven to be an enriching experience for Emilia, both personally and professionally. The program’s commitment to diversity and emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration initially attracted her to it. She expresses deep gratitude for the ongoing generosity, encouragement, and support provided by her doctoral supervisor and mentor, professor Mónica Ruiz-Casares. Emilia also thanks her comprehensive exam committee members, professor Tara Collins and professor Patrizia Albanese, her doctoral colleagues, the Graduate Program Director, and the Graduate Program Administrator. This PhD journey has also been supported and inspired by the International and Canadian Children’s Rights Partnership (ICCRP), Recrear International (external link) , the Critical Children’s Rights Research Network (external link) , and Child Rights Academic Network (external link)  (CRAN).
CONTACT US
416-979-5000 ext. 554040
Department Directory
Jorgenson Hall, JOR-100
380 Victoria St.
Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3
Follow Us
Facebook, opens new window Instagram, opens new window X, opens new window YouTube, opens new window LinkedIn, opens new window Tiktok, opens new window

source