Black Futurities 2025: We Listen and We Don't Judge (Black Studies Edition)

Black Futurities 2025: We Listen, We Don’t Judge (Black Studies Edition)

Black Studies in Canada is growing, but where is it headed? What tough questions do we need to ask—about the work we do, the spaces we’re in, and the futures we’re building? What kind of space do we need to create to deliberate and dream, push each other, and imagine what’s possible? 

This conference is about making room for real talk, with a focus on mobilizing emerging scholars and graduate students who are shaping the future of the field. How do we build Black Studies in Canada in ways that sustain us? How do we ensure that the next generation of scholars, educators, and thinkers have the support, mentorship, and institutional backing they need—not just to survive, but to thrive? 

These questions feel especially urgent as Black Studies takes root in Canada amid austerity measures that threaten institutional support and ideological backlash that questions its place. In this shifting and tenuous landscape, how do we move with intention, build networks of support, and ensure that Black Studies grows in ways that are both sustainable and transformative? 

Through open and honest conversations, we’re bringing together emerging scholars, students, and community members to reflect on where we are and chart a path forward. 

Host or Publisher Africa and Black Diaspora Studies at McMaster U