North American Colloquium

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The North American Colloquium

University of Toronto Autonomous National University of Mexico University of Michigan

Overview of the Colloquium

The North American Colloquium (NAC) is a collaborative venture between the Autonomous National University of Mexico, University of Toronto, and University of Michigan. Established in 2018, the NAC brings together leading academic analysts and practitioners from Mexico, Canada and the United States to address key social and policy issues facing all three countries. Each year, the three partner universities select a theme, and one serves as the host to convene joint activities throughout the year.

The first NAC, hosted by the University of Toronto in 2018-19, focused on trade. In 2019-20, the Autonomous National University of Mexico hosted the NAC with a focus on migration. Climate change was the theme of last year’s NAC, convened by the University of Michigan. This year, the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy is leading the Colloquium on the theme of nationalism and extremism in North America.

The 2021-22 Program

This year’s NAC features a series of tri-national online panel discussions on key topics related to nationalism and extremism, as well as a planned in-person conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan on April 8-9, 2022. Our online panel events are as follow:

October 28, 2021 – Historical Drivers of Nationalist Extremism

This session introduced the historical landscape of nationalist extremism in North America, examining key ideas, trends and events that have contributed to the rise or resurgence of the phenomenon in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Panelists included Jose Luis Valdes Ugalde from the Autonomous National University of Mexico (UNAM), Dur-e-Aden from the University of Toronto, and Alexandra Minna Stern from the University of Michigan.

December 10, 2021 - Surveying the Current Landscape

This session will examine the current dimensions of threat posed by nationalism and extremism in the three countries. Panelists will include Leonardo Curzio from UNAM, Stephanie Carvin from Carleton University in Canada, and Cynthia Idriss Miller from American University.

January 10, 2022 - Policy and Legal Foundations

This session will analyze the policy tools and frameworks that exist for addressing nationalist extremism within and across the three North American countries.

February 11, 2022 - New Approaches

This session will explore new possible approaches to confronting rising nationalism and related extremist movements and organizations.

April 8-9, 2022 – The Full Colloquium

The University of Michigan will host an in-person conference on the theme of nationalism and extremism, engaging students from the three NAC partner universities and leading scholars and policy practitioners from Mexico, Canada, and the United States. More details are forthcoming.