York successfully organizes the 2023 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences
In May 2023, York University hosted Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Canada’s largest academic gathering, in partnership with the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences. More than 10,000 participants assembled on York’s Keele Campus to explore the theme “Reckonings and Re-imaginings.”
This theme underscored the urgency of recognizing historical injustices and the intersectionality of race, gender, Indigenous and geopolitical issues; and leveraging this knowledge to dismantle systemic inequities. With the support of 67 participating academic associations and more than 250 York-based faculty and scholars who hosted over 200 talks, it created a transformative space where Indigenous and Black scholars and artists could influence the disciplines of humanities and social sciences while making a tangible impact on the SDGs.
Approximately 160 York-led open programming events took place throughout the conference, ranging from scholarly presentations, panels and workshops to film screenings, exhibitions and tours. Poetry readings were also presented by high school students from the nearby Jane-Finch community. Congress 2023’s success was facilitated by nearly 900 staff members and over 400 volunteers, who helped demonstrate York’s leadership in building a brighter, more equitable future in line with its University Academic Plan 2020–2025.