Researchers, public and private sector actors, and community workers are invited to discuss a recent publication (monograph, collective work, article, report, etc.) about Montreal or an urban theme relevant to the Montreal community. Each participant is invited to comment on the work based on his or her field of expertise or practice, while the author describes the genesis and purpose of the publication. Organized by CIRM, these short lectures are presented in English or French, open to all, and offered five or six times a year depending on the current program.
Past events
Multidisciplinary discussion: Looking at municipal elections in Montréal through the lens of linguistic diversity
March 22, 2023 (In-person and webinar event)
Bilingual discussion on March 22 on the book Voting in Québec Municipal Elections: A tale of two cities, co-directed by Éric Bélanger (CIRM / McGill). An event organized in association with the Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship (CSCD) and McGill University’s Quebec Studies Program (QSP). With Laura Stephenson, author and Professor of Political Behaviour at Western University, and other distinguished speakers and guest speakers.
"Une tour sur la montagne": Montréal Between the Wars Through the Eyes of Ernest Cormier
February 16, 2023 (Virtual event)
An evening of screening and discussion of the documentary film A Tower on the Mountain: the Architecture of Ernest Cormier and his life with Clorinthe Perron (in French with English subtitles), in the company of its Director Paul Carvalho, architectural historian Aliki Economides (CIRM / McEwen School of Architecture, Laurentian University), and guests Magda Fahrni (CIRM / UQAM) and Roderick MacLeod. This event moderated by Peter Sealy (University of Toronto) was part of the McEwen School of Architecture's "MSoA Winter 2023 Cultural Events" series.
Montréal dans les bulles
October 28-30, 2021 (Virtual event)
How do young francophone comic artists in Quebec represent the city of Montreal and how do they stage spoken Montreal French in their works? This is the question posed by Anna Giaufret (University of Genoa / CIRM) in her recent publication "Montréal dans les bulles : représentations de l'espace urbain et du français parlé montréalais dans la bande dessinée." This CIRM seminar presents the book and explores its themes with specialists in Quebec French, media culture, and language (in)security.
Politics and Funding of Artificial Intelligence in Canada
March 18, 2021 (Virtual event)
Launch of Ana Brandusescu's (McConnell Professor of Practice at CIRM) report, "Artificial Intelligence Policy and Funding in Canada: Public investments, private interests", takes a close look at Canada's AI ecosystem and its funding networks. Guest speakers include Bianca Wylie (moderator), Yuan Stevens, Nabeel Shakeel Ahmed, Jess Reia (CIRM 2020-2021 BMO Fellow) and Valentine Goddard.
Race, Crime, and Gentrification: Neighborhood Life in Chicago versus Montreal Realities
December 9, 2020 (Virtual event)
This seminar addressed the complex interplay between anti-crime initiatives, gentrification, and social justice activism from a Chicago-Montreal comparative perspective. Featuring Philip S. S. Howard, Jan Doering, Mélissa Côté-Douyon, Hélène Bélanger, Violaine Jolivet, Maxime Roy-Allard, Rémi Boivin, David Austin, and Sophie-Gabrielle Thiebaut.
From the Intelligent to the Intelligible City
October 29, 2020 - 12:15 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. (Virtual event)
This bilingual seminar brought together a panel of experts in urban studies, innovation, and data governance to provoke in-depth reflection on the deployment of new technologies in cities in relation to the resolution of contemporary crises. Featuring Hoi Kong, Nicolas Merveille, Jean-François Gagné, Lyne Nantel, Stéphane Guidoin, François Croteau, Sarah Gagnon-Turcotte, Ana Brandusescu.
Meteorology and Climate Change in the St. Lawrence Valley: Past and Current Observations
September 24, 2020, 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Virtual event)
This virtual seminar explored questions of climatic history and meteorological data conservation, in light of the citizen science project DRAW (Data Rescues: Archives & Weather) and the book "Climate in the Age of Empire: Recording, Analyzing, and Rescuing Three Centuries of Saint-Laurence Valley Weather Data", (Chicago UP), written by Victoria C. Slonosky (McGill U. / DRAW Project).
Qui sommes-nous pour être découragées?
February 25, 2020, 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. (CIRM, 680 Sherbrooke Street West, 8th floor)
Discussion on the social and political value of activism, based on the book "Qui sommes-nous pour être découragées?" (Who are we to be discouraged?) co-authored by Lorraine Guay and Pascale Dufour. The panel, composed of Barry Eidlin (Sociology - McGill U.), Alanna Thain (MIRL), Adam Gwiazda-Ansel (SSMU) and Maryse Chapdelaine (Peter-McGill Neighbourhood Table), was moderated by Jonathan Durand-Folco (CIRM/ Saint-Paul U.).
Legendary Nights in Montreal
November 18, 2019, 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (Librarie Z, 3420 Ontario Street)
Seminar on the Montreal nights of the 50's, around the comic book "La Femme aux cartes postales", written by Claude Paiement and drawn by Jean-Paul Eid. Five panelists including Jean-Dominic Leduc (columnist), Lysandre Champagne (BMO doctoral fellow), Catherine Charlebois (Centre d'histoire de Montréal), Mathieu Lapointe (curator), Vanessa Tremblay (musicologist) shared their interpretation of the work.
Encounters on Contested Lands
November 18, 2019, 1:30-3 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Seminar on the book "Encounters on Contested Lands: indigenous performances of sovereignty and nationhood in Quebec" organized in conjunction with the Indigenous Studies Program at McGill University. Author Julie Burelle, along with Mary Anne Poutanen, Yves Sioui Durand, Philippe Ducros, and Pierrot Ross Tremblay discussed the artistic self-representation of Aboriginal and First Nations peoples in Quebec.
L'innovation municipale : sortir des sentiers battus
October 11, 2019, 1:30-3 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Collective reflection on innovation in the municipal world in the light of the book "L'innovation municipale : sortir des sentiers battus", and in the company of the authors, urban planners Richard Shearmur and Gérard Beaudet. A panel of experts including Virginie Zingraff, Caroline Bourgeois, Fanny Tremblay-Racicot, and Élaine M. Gauthier joined the discussion to question innovative practices in cities from different perspectives.
Récits du coeur. Carnets de migration à Montréal
April 3, 2019, 4:00-5:30 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Seminar on the theme "Understanding Migration", in connection with the collective book "Récits du coeur. Carnets de migration à Montréal". The discussion, moderated by Frédéric Dejean (co-axis director, CIRM), brought together co-authors Maysoun Faouri and Yara El-Ghadban, as well as two commentators, Audrey Mailloux-Moquin (Territorial Partnership Advisor, BINAM) and Marie-Christine Jeanty (member, Intercultural Council of Montreal).
Enjeux de la recherche collaborative
March 29, 2019, 2:00-3:30 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
A discussion on "Issues in Collaborative Research" moderated by Kevin Manaugh (CIRM Axis Director) and Hoi Kong (CIRM Axis Director) on the book Towards Equity and Inclusion in Canadian Cities: Lessons from Critical Praxis-Oriented Research, with co-author Caroline Andrew (University of Ottawa) and a panel of experts: Isabelle Heck (Parole d'excluEs), Bochra Manaï (Parole d'excluEs), Jaimie Cudmore (BMO Doctoral Fellow, CIRM), Louise Lafortune (UQTR), Denis Bussières (CRISES), Jean-Marc Fontan (UQAM) and Eve-Marie Lampron (UQAM).
Greenovation. Urban Leadership on Climate Change.
November 15, 2018, 2:30-4 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Meeting with Joan Fitzgerald, author of Greenovation. Urban Leadership on Climate Change and Professor of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University. The publication was commented on by several speakers: Tania Gonzalez (Conseil régional de l'environnement de Montréal), Danielle Lussier (Director of the Bureau du développement durable, Ville de Montréal), Alex Norris (City Councillor, Jeanne-Mance District) and Samuel Pagé-Plouffe (Advisor to the Public Affairs Branch, Vivre en ville).
La fin de l'hospitalité. Lampedusa, Lesbos, Calais...jusqu'où irons-nous?
October 26, 2018, 1:00-3:00 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Lunchtime seminar on the book La fin de l'hospitalité. Lampedusa, Lesbos, Calais...jusqu'où irons-nous? in the company of its co-author, the philosopher Guillaume Le Blanc. The meeting, moderated by Frédéric Dejean (Département de sciences des religions de l'UQAM / CIRM), brought together several experts from the Montreal community: Jill Hanley (School of Social Work, McGill), Aude Mary (Bureau d’intégration des nouveaux arrivants à Montréal) and Lida Aghasi (Centre social d’aide aux immigrants).
La ville résiliente. Comment la construire?
May 24, 2018, 12:00-13:30 (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Isabelle Thomas (Université de Montréal), La ville résiliente. Comment la construire? (Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 2017). Lunchtime seminar led by Juan Torres (Faculty of Planning, Université de Montréal / Axis Director, CIRM), with three panelists: Sylvain Perron (Public Policy Analyst, Suzuki Foundation), Michèle Dagenais (Department of History, Université de Montréal) and Claire Néron-Dejean (Project Director - Strategic Planning, BC2).
Can the flâneur be imperfect?
April 26, 2018, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Lunchtime seminar by Simon Yiu-Tsan Ng (researcher in residence at CIRM): "Can the flâneur be imperfect? Reinterpreting the flâneur to better understand the inevitable disappointment in everyday life". Mr. Yiu-Tsan Ng presented elements of his manuscript "Imperfect Flâneurs : Anti-heroes of Modern Life ", based on his doctoral thesis, referring to the city of Montreal and Robert Majzel's novel City of Forgetting. The presentation, moderated by Aliki Economides, was commented by four panelists: André Carpentier (short story writer and novelist), Andre Furlani (Associate Professor in the Department of English, Concordia University), Catherine Leclerc (Professor in the Department of French Language and Literature, McGill University) and Sandeep Banerjee (Professor in the Department of English, McGill University).
À nous la ville! Traité de municipalisme
March 29, 2018, 2:30-4:00 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Jonathan Durand Folco (Saint Paul University), À nous la ville! Traité de municipalisme (Écosociété, 2017). Midday discussion moderated by Hoi Kong and Daniel Weinstock (Faculty of Law, McGill University), with four panellists: Caroline Patsias (Professor, Department of Political Science, UQAM), Marguerite Mendell (Director of the Karl Polanyi Institute of Political Economy, Concordia University), Celine Cooper (columnist for the Montreal Gazette) and Halah Al-Ubaidi (Executive Director of the Conseil communautaire Notre-Dame-de-Grâce).
Rhapsodie québécoise. Itinéraire d'un enfant de la loi 101
March 15, 2018, 12:00-13:15 (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Akos Verboczy, Rhapsodie québécoise. Itinéraire d’un enfant de la loi 101 (Boréal, 2016). Discussion with the author about his story as part of the Francofête 2018 programming.
De l'utilisation de mégadonnées et des données ouvertes en contexte de gouvernance métropolitaine. Quelles pratiques mettre en oeuvre?
February 20, 2018, 1:30-3:30 p.m. (CEIM, 20 Queen Street, Montreal, 3rd floor)
Roundtable chaired by Jayne Engle (Director, Des villes pour tous Program, McConnell Foundation and Associate Professor, School of Urban Planning, McGill), with interventions by Gorka Espiau (McConnell Foundation Practitioner Professor at CIRM), Stéphan Guidoin (Director, Montreal, Ville intelligente et numérique), Charles-Antoine Julien (Assistant Professor, School of Information Studies, McGill), Jean-Noé Landry (Director General, Nord Ouvert), Pierre-Luc Bacon (Ph.D. student, School of Computer Science, Reasoning and Learning Laboratory, McGill), Geneviève Boisjoly (Ph.D. student, School of Urban Planning, McGill) and Vincent Thomas (Dean of the UFR Droit-sciences économique et politique, Dijon).
Speaking Memory. How Translation Shapes City Life
January 19, 2018, 12h30-14h00 (CIRM, 3438, rue McTavish, salle 100)
Sherry Simon (French Studies, Concordia University), Speaking Memory. How Translation Shapes City Life (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2016). Midday discussion with the book's director, moderated by Gillian Lane-Mercier (DLLF, McGill). The book is commented by Marie Lambert-Chan (Editor-in-Chief, Québec Science), Catherine Leclerc (DLLF, McGill), Wim Remysen (Centre de recherche interuniversitaire sur le français en usage au Québec, Université de Sherbrooke), Robert Schwartzwald (English Studies, Université de Montréal) and Simon Yiu-Tsan Ng (resident researcher at CIRM).
Collaborating with the Enemy, How to Work with People You Don't Agree with of Like or Trust
December 7, 2017, 5:30-7:30 p.m. (Impact Hub Montreal, 550 Richmond Street, Salon 1861)
Adam Kahane, Collaborating with the Enemy, How to Work with People You Don’t Agree with or Like or Trust (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2017). Discussion moderated by Daniel Weinstock (Faculty of Law and Institute for Health and Social Policy [IHSP], McGill), with interventions by Geneviève Baril (Executive Director of the Institut de recherche sur l’autodétermination des peuples et les indépendances nationales), Luc Doray (Secretary General of the Office de consultation publique de Montréal), Christine Grou (President of the Ordre des psychologues du Québec), Jackson Joseph (co-founder of the Impact Hub Montréa), Aurélie Lanctôt (essayist and columnist for Le Devoir), Matthew Pearce (President and CEO of the Old Brewery Mission), and Vanessa Sykes (Director of Le Baobab familial).
Histoire du Mile End
November 2, 2017, 1:00-2:30 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Yves Desjardins, Histoire du Mile End (Septentrion, 2017). Midday discussion moderated by Frédéric Dejean (UQAM) and Annick Germain (INRS), co-director of CIRM's "Immigration, living conditions and religion" research axis, with Gabrielle Désilets (INRS), Marie-Ève Desroches (INRS), Steven Lapidus (Concordia University), and Claudine Schirardin, co-founder of the Comité des citoyens du Mile End.
Second Generations on the Move in Italy. Children of Immigrants Coming of Age
October 30, 2017, 12:30-14:00 (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Roberta Ricucci, sociologist and professor at the Department of Culture, Politics and Society of the University of Turin, Second Generations on the Move in Italy. Children of Immigrants Coming of Age (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014). Midday discussion moderated by Frédéric Dejean (Département de science des religions, UQAM), with comments by Cheldy Belkhodja (SPCA, Concordia University) and Gabrielle Désilets (INRS).
Les communautés d'innovation. De la liberté créatrice à l'innovation
October 13, 2017, 12h30-14h00 (CIRM, 3438, rue McTavish, salle 100)
Laurent Simon (HEC, co-director of the book), Patrick Cohendet and Benoit Sarazin, Les communautés d’innovation. De la liberté créatrice à l’innovation (Presses de l'Université du Québec, 2017).
Midday discussion moderated by Richard Shearmur (School of Urban Planning, McGill) and commented by Rami Bebawi (KANVA), Diane de Courcy (Je fais Mtl/Ville de Montréal), Gorka Espiau (CIRM), Zoé Gagnon-Paquin (Magnéto), Pierre Emmanuel Moyse (Faculty of Law, McGill) and Julie Aurore Rijpens (SIIL, McGill).
Race, Class, and Politics in the Cappuccino City
August 11, 2017, 12h00-13h30 (CIRM, 3438, rue McTavish, salle 100)
Derek Hyra, Race, Class, and Politics in the Cappuccino City (University of Chicago Press, 2017). Luncheon discussion moderated by Will Straw (Professor, Art History & Communication Studies, McGill University) and devoted to the most recent book by Derek Hyra, founder and director of the Metropolican Policy Center at American University.
Montréal en évolution. Quatre siècles d'architecture et d'aménagement
January 2, 2017, 12:00-14:00 (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Jean-Claude Marsan, Montréal en évolution. Quatre siècles d'architecture et d'aménagement (Presses de l'Université du Québec, 2016). Midday discussion with the author. Session commented by Dinu Bumbaru (Héritage Montréal), Gérard Beaudet (Faculté de l'aménagement, UdeM), Albert Ferré (Canadian Centre for Architecture) and Alena Prochazka (Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal).
Chronique des arts de la scène
October 27, 2016, 12:00-13:30 (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Marie-Thérèse Lefebvre, Chronique des arts de la scène (Septentrion, 2016). Lunch discussion moderated by Will Straw, professor in the Department of Art History and Communications at McGill University. With Andrée Fortin, professor emeritus in the Department of Sociology at Université Laval, Yves Jubinville, professor at the École supérieure de théâtre at UQAM, and Jean-François Nadeau, historian, essayist and assistant news director at Le Devoir newspaper.
Le Quartier des Spectacles et le chantier de l'imaginaire montréalais
April 21, 2016, 12:00-14:00 (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Simon Harel, Laurent Lussier and Joël Thibert (dir.), Le Quartier des Spectacles et le chantier de l'imaginaire montréalais (Presses de l'Université Laval, 2015).
Pointe-Saint-Charles. L'urbanisation d'un quartier ouvrier de Montréal, 1840-1930
February 25, 2016, 12:00-13:30 (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Gilles Lauzon, Pointe-Saint-Charles. L'urbanisation d'un quartier ouvrier de Montréal, 1840-1930 (Septentrion, 2014). Session moderated by Richard Shearmur (McGill).
Architecture iconique. Les leçons de Toronto
January 28, 2016, 12h00-14h00 (CIRM, 3438, rue McTavish, salle 100)
Guillaume Ethier, Architecture iconique. Les leçons de Toronto (Presses de l'Université du Québec, 2015). Session moderated by Nik Luka (Professor, Department of Urban Studies and Department of Architecture, McGill University), Simon Harel (Professor, Department of World Literature and Languages, Université de Montréal), and Aliki Economides, (Researcher in Residence at CIRM).
De la Belle-Époque à la Crise. Chroniques de la vie culturelle à Montréal
December 10, 2015, 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Denis Saint-Jacques and Marie-Josée des Rivières (dirs.), De la Belle-Époque à la Crise. Chroniques de la vie culturelle à Montréal (Nota Bene,2015). Session moderated by Michel Biron, Professor in the Department of French Language and Literature at McGill University, Louis-Patrick Leroux, Professor in the Department of French and English Studies at Concordia University, and Jarrett Rudy, Professor in the Department of History at McGill University.
Des sociétés distinctes. Gouverner les banlieues bourgeoises de Montréal, 1880-1939
November 5, 2015, 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Harold Bérubé, Des sociétés distinctes. Gouverner les banlieues bourgeoises de Montréal, 1880-1939 (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2015). The session will be moderated by Michèle Dagenais, professor in the Department of History at the Université de Montréal.
Salomé et les hommes en noir
October 22, 2015, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Discussion around the book by Valérie Amiraux and Francis Desharnais, Salomé et les hommes en noir (Bayard, 2015).
La gouvernance montréalaise : de la ville-frontière à la métropole
April 23, 2015, 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Lunchtime discussion on the book La gouvernance montréalaise : de la ville-frontière à la métropole (Montréal, Éditions MultiMondes, 2014).presentation by Harold Bérubé and Donald Fyson, co-directors of the publication, with Léon Robichaud.
Nettoyer Montréal. Les campagnes de moralités publiques
March 26, 2015, 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Lunchtime discussion on the book Nettoyer Montréal. Les campagnes de moralités publiques, 1940-1954 (Montreal, Septentrion, 2014). Presentation by Mathieu Lapointe, author and historian, and comments and reactions by Sandra Breux (Urbanisation, culture, society, Institut national de la recherche scientifique).
L'innovation sociale : les marches d'une construction théorique et pratique
February 26, 2015, 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Lunch discussion on the book L’innovation sociale: les marches d’une construction théorique et pratique (Québec, Presses de l'Université du Québec, 2014). Presentation by Juan-Luis Klein and Benoît Lévesque, co-founders of the Centre de recherche sur les innovations sociales, Université du Québec à Montréal. Comments and reactions from Vincent van Shendel (Director General, Innovative Territories in the Social and Solidarity Economy) and Monique Vallée (Head of Social and Community Development and Homelessness, City of Montreal).
Villes en traduction. Calcutta, Trieste, Barcelone et Montréal
February 12, 2015, 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Lunchtime discussion on the book Villes en traduction. Calcutta, Trieste, Barcelone et Montréal (Montreal, Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 2013). Presentation by Sherry Simon, author and full professor in the Department of French Studies at Concordia University. Comments and reactions by Gillian Lane-Mercier (French Language and Literature, McGill) and Robert Schwartzwald (English Studies, Université de Montréal).
Quartiers disparus
January 29, 2015, 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Lunchtime discussion on the book Quartiers disparus (Montréal, Éditions Cardinal, 2014) with Jean-François Leclerc, Director of the Centre d'histoire de Montréal; Catherine Charlevoix, co-author and museologist at the Centre d'histoire de Montréal; and Paul André Linteau, co-author and full professor in the Department of History at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Comments and reactions by Francine Dansereau (Urbanisation, culture et société, Institut national de la recherche scientifique).
Quand les archives racontent Montréal : 110 pièces d'exception
January 15, 2015, 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (CIRM, 3438 McTavish Street, Room 100)
Midday discussion on the book Quand les archives racontent Montréal: 110 pièces d’exception (Québec, Les Publications du Québec, 2013). Presentation by Mario Robert, author, head of the Service des archives de la Ville de Montréal and member of the CIRM advisory committee.Comments and reactions by Sherry Olson (Geography, McGill) and Sylvie Taschereau (Social Sciences and Humanities, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières).
