Throughout the year, MacEwan faculty apply their scholarly research to timely topics with pieces published in The Conversation Canada. Looking for reliable, factual content that can spark conversations about topics that matter? Look no further than the eight most recent stories MacEwan faculty have published at The Conversation.

1. Canada shouldn’t follow Greece’s example of a six-day work week — here’s why

Dr. Constantin Colonescu, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology, Economics and Political Science, examines Greece’s decision.

On July 1, Greece introduced a six-day work week for some categories of employees, namely those working for private businesses that provide 24/7 services. The new legislation seeks to boost productivity to support a growing number of pensioners as the country faces an aging, shrinking population. Read the full story.

2. Electric vehicle tariffs: What’s next for the future of EVs in Canada?

Dr. Roland Lee, associate professor of chemistry, looks beyond the proposed tariff on electric vehicles and what the future holds for the electric vehicle (EV) market.

As the Canadian federal government considers a tariff on Chinese electric vehicles — intended to offset some of China’s intentional market saturation — it is only logical to wonder what impact this move will have and what the future holds for the EV market. Read the full story.

3. Even if they fell short, the Edmonton Oilers defied regionalism to unite Canadians in the Stanley Cup final

Dr. John Valentine, associate professor in the Department of Allied Health and Human Performance, looks at how Canadians' support of the Oilers shifted during the playoffs.

Canadian hockey fans were optimistic going into the National Hockey League playoffs this year, with four of the seven teams being Canadian: Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Edmonton all qualified. Hopes were high when the Edmonton Oilers made it to the final stretch, but they fell short of victory in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup, extending the drought for Canadian teams. Read the full story.

4. 'Jewish Matchmaking’ offers a nuanced portrayal of some of the diversity of Jewish life

Dr. Regan Lipes, an extended sessional instructor in English and Comparative Literature, looks at portrayals of Jewishness in contemporary media.

While there have been popular TV shows featuring Jewish families or characters in recent years, gone are the Seinfeld days of benign Jewish cultural references mixed in with day-to-day banality wrapped into a 30-minute sitcom. Read the full story.

5. Public service reflections: Why the role of civil servants must evolve to ensure public trust

Dr. Brendan Boyd's research asked politicians, public servants and the public questions about partisanship and the public service, including who should be deemed at fault when something goes wrong in government.

While trust levels tend to fluctuate, a 2021 report found that less than half (48 per cent) of Canadians surveyed indicated they trusted the public service, which is slightly lower than the average among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development states (50 per cent) and only a little higher than trust in Canadian politicians (44 per cent). Read the full story.

6. Public notifications make it challenging for prisoners to reintegrate after release

Dr. Sandy Jung's psychology research shows that no matter how information is presented, the public is less inclined to see merit in reintegration or rehabilitation.

In Canada, when someone is about to complete serving their prison sentence, they are typically assessed for risk of violence by the prison. If they are deemed to pose a significant threat to the community, a package is prepared and shared with the police, who are notified about the release. Read the full story.

7. How the nursing shortage is affecting the health-care system, patients and nurses themselves

MacEwan nursing professors Lisa McKendrick-Calder, Leanne Topola and Tanya Heuver look at the impact of the global nursing shortage.

If you worry that there are not enough health-care providers to meet health needs, you are not alone. Seventy per cent of Canadians worry about access to care. One factor affecting health-care access is a global nursing shortage. The increasing demand for nursing services in Canada far exceeds the current supply. Statistics Canada reported in 2021-22 nursing had higher job vacancies than any other occupation, and nurses worked over 26 million hours of overtime. Read the full story. 

8. Young middle-class Nigerians are desperate to leave the country: insights into why

Dr. Jing Jing Liu discusses migration out of Nigeria and its causes and effects.

Since the 1980s, migration has been a part of the Nigerian middle-class psyche, catalysed by the usual suspects: high unemployment, security concerns, infrastructure gaps and poor governance. Migrants tend to be middle-class since one needs resources to migrate. Read the full story.