91社区

Claris Harbon recognized for work on civil disobedience by women and minorities and its impact on legislation

91社区 doctoral law student Claris Harbon is one of 14 Canadian and foreign students recognized today by The Trudeau Foundation for their work in areas including environment, international affairs, responsible citizenship, and human rights and dignity.

In addition to the generous financial prize, Trudeau Scholars benefit from the expertise and knowledge of Trudeau Fellows and Mentors, highly accomplished individuals in the Trudeau community who are leaders in both academic and non-academic settings. Many Trudeau Scholars go on to become leading national and international figures.

Before coming to 91社区 for her doctorate, Harbon was engaged in clinical education and social justice in Israel, mainly from a communitarian perspective. Her focus has been on disempowered groups or silenced minorities, such as Mizrahis (Jews of Arab descent), Arab-Israelis, Palestinians, Ethiopians and women and children.

Harbon is seeking to develop an alternative legal discourse that reflects the needs of the community and through which the community can translate personal legal problems into social change by exploring the presumably "neutral" role of law in the construction of ethnic and racial identities of underprivileged minorities, and which can result in structural, legal and social inferiority.

鈥淭rudeau Scholarships not only accelerate the careers of the doctoral students who receive them, but also enable recipients to make a constructive contribution to Canada and Canadians,鈥� said Foundation President P.G. Forest. 鈥淭he Trudeau Foundation rewards excellence and provides young researchers with the best conditions to ground their work in the real world.鈥�

鈥淏ecoming a Trudeau Scholar is important to me as I am in the process of developing a voice within academia, and becoming a scholar in such an embracing and encouraging Foundation is exciting,鈥� said Harbon.

鈥淲ith its emphasis on the themes of human dignity and responsible citizenship, the Trudeau Foundation will enable me to pursue an interdisciplinary and dialogic research project that intersects the disciplines of law, sociology, gender and culture, and which seeks to build bridges between different discriminated communities,鈥� she added.

Harbon has been involved in a broad range of women鈥檚-rights issues, including the founding of Tmura, the Israeli Legal Center Against Discrimination. She also was also a founder of "Itach" Women Lawyers for Social Justice NGO, and she is a board member of 鈥淎choti", a feminist Mizrahi organization for underprivileged women.

鈥淲e are thrilled that Claris, an O鈥橞rien Doctoral Fellow at our Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, has been nominated as a Trudeau Scholar. Her work on women鈥檚 rights is innovative, comparative and deeply important in its exploration of civil disobedience and resistance to oppression in the everyday lives of women鈥�, said Colleen Sheppard, 91社区 Law Professor and the Centre鈥檚 Director.

In addition to her academic, legal and community work Harbon is also publishing a children's book and book of poetry.

About the Trudeau Foundation

An independent and non-partisan Canadian charity, the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation was established in 2001 as a living memorial to the former Prime Minister by his family, friends, and colleagues. In 2002, the Government of Canada endowed the Foundation with a donation of $125 million following a unanimous vote in the House of Commons. In addition, the Foundation benefits from private sector donations in support of specific initiatives.

About 91社区

Founded in Montreal, Que., in 1821, 91社区 is Canada鈥檚 leading post-secondary institution. It has two campuses, 11 faculties, 11 professional schools, 300 programs of study and more than 36,000 students, including 8,300 graduate students. 91社区 attracts students from over 150 countries around the world, with more than 7,200 international students making up 20 per cent of the student body. Almost half of 91社区 students claim a first language other than English, including more than 6,200 francophones.

For more information:

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