Shaheen Shariff
James McGill Professor
Professor Shariff's work is centred on the intersection of education, law and policy, with a focus on constitutional, human rights and civil law as it impacts educational institutions. Her research over 21 years has examined court cases involving students with disabilities; gifted students; Charter of Rights and Human Rights challenges based on freedom of religion, diversity and pluralism; freedom of expression, and negligence in schools. She is best known for her work on cyberbullying, and sexual violence as symptoms of deeply ingrained systemic discrimination and societal power imbalances (intersecting forms of sexism, misogyny, homophobia, ableism, ageism, and xenophobia). In particular, her research examines tacit condoning and official sanctioning of hate and violence that proliferates through social media into physical contexts as normalized ways of speaking to, about and treating others. She examines parallels between victim-blaming, dehumanizing and ostracism in bullying, cyber-bullying and sexual violence cases, that exhibit similar patterns in wider global political conflicts that can result in ethnic cleansing. Shariff continues to work internationally and nationally with schools, universities, government policy makers and justice systems to counter and address systemic discrimination and violence through critical legal, feminist and media literacy. Her research projects bring together multi-disciplinary researchers with expertise in law, criminology, psychology, arts and popular culture; leadership, health education and policy studies to illuminate the nuanced complexities of these phenomena. Her work guides educational institutions and government policy makers to re-examine reactive laws and policies, and reclaim their role of protecting and educating university communities and the public through non-arbitrary, evidence-based policies, practices and curricular approaches, with greater promise of violence prevention and reduction.
Contributions to Public Policy and Academia: Shariff has been invited as an expert witness at the Canadian Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights and several Parliamentary Committees; provincial task forces; expert witness in court applications and policy advisory boards. Details of these are provided in the Contributions to Public Policy section in this Vitae. She was also invited to present on a panel on cyber-hate at the United Nations Headquarters in 2009 and was awarded the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contribution to public policy on cyberbullying in Canada. She has published 5 books, out of which 2 have been translated into Portuguese and Italian and peer reviewed journal articles, some of which are listed below. She has been interviewed in over 100 radio, television and print media reports and several documentaries, which can be requested by email, Selected publications, conferences and keynotes are also included below.
SSHRC iMPACTS Partnership: Her current 9-year research project (extended to 2025 by two years) brings together approximately multi-disciplinary university partners (national and international); community and advocacy partners, and academic and community collaborators. The goal of this partnered research is to engage educators and students with experts from three general community/corporate sectors: 1) Law and Policy, 2) Arts and Popular Culture; and 3) News and Social Media. The project includes academics within gender and feminist studies; law; professional programs such as dentistry; arts, management and education. Community partners such as theatre companies; art galleries and artists; and social media intermediaries; legal academics, judges, law, music and management students play an important role in knowledge mobilization.
Student Mentorship, Capacity Building and Financial Support: Over its term iMPACTS has supported 80+ graduate and undergraduate student researchers through graduate stipends and research assistant contracts. Shariff's Student Mentorship Committee engages students in national and international conference presentations of their research findings and co-authored publications with academics and fellow students through peer reviewed journals and book publishers. This engagement enhances student leadership and fosters student-centred agency and social responsibility towards democratic, civil and non-violent communities and society.
- Ph.D. – Leadership and Policy. Simon Fraser University, 2003. Supervisor, Professor Roland Case. Dissertation Title: A System on Trial: Identifying Legal Standards for Ethical and Legally Defensible Approaches to Bullying in Schools.
- M.A. Education. Curriculum Theory in Education, Simon Fraser University, 1999. Supervisors: Professors Michael Manley-Casimir and Roland Case. Thesis Title: Managing the Dilemma of Competing Rights: The Case of the Three Books.
- Bachelor of General Studies, Simon Fraser University, 1996.
Academic Affiliations and Associations
| 2010 ongoing | Affiliate Scholar, CIS - Centre for Internet and Society (CIS), Stanford University Law School, California, U.S.A. (renewed x 4 under separate applications – current appointment indefinite) |
| 2013 ongoing |
Executive Member, Institute of Human Development and Wellbeing, McGill Education |
| 2006 ongoing | Associate Member, Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, McGill University, Faculty of Law. |
| 1996-2002 | Research Associate, Center for Education, Law and Society, Simon Fraser University. |
- Intersection of Law, Education and Social Media: Leadership, policy and curriculum pedagogy relating to the intersection of law, education and social media. Research on sexual violence; technology facilitated violence (cyberbullying); youth social networking; digital citizenship; media literacy; constitutional law (free expression; privacy; discrimination); tort law (cyber-libel; privacy; defamation and negligence); human rights law (sexual violence; discrimination; cyber-harassment); criminal law (sexting and threats); policy and programs to reduce/prevent sexual violence on university campuses. Policy development includes student engagement; public sector partners in Arts, Media and Law; public legal literacy; youth rights and due process.
- Diversity and pluralism: Legal, social, political, cultural, educational and organizational contexts.
By arrangement through shaheen.shariff [at] mcgill.ca
A bilingual interactive resource website for Legislators and Policy-makers, Teachers, Parents and Students, launched May 19, 2011. This is a Knowledge Mobilization Website under my current SSHRC Insight Grant and Facebook Grant.
GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS (Funding Received)
Grants Received as Principal Investigator and Project Director
2016-2024 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. IMPACTS - Partnership Grant. Shaheen Shariff, Principal Investigator & Project Director, A multi-sector partnership to investigate and develop policy and practice models to dismantle rape culture in universities . University Partners 28, Co-Applicants 25, 13 Collaborators; 25 Community and Corporate Partners. (Award of $2,499,525 plus $3,299,773 cash and in-kind contributions from Partners. Total Project: $5,799,298).
2015-2016 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Letter of Intent on SSHRC Partnership Grant Accepted. Shaheen Shariff, Project Director, Defining the policy lines: Examining the role of news and social media, popular culture and the justice system in reducing and mobilizing change, or sustaining sexual violence and rape culture in universities. 19 Co-Investigators, 15 Partners ($20,000). Invited to submit final application for $2.5 million due November 1, 2015.
2012-2017 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 5 Year Insight Grant, Shaheen Shariff, Principal Investigator. Co-Investigators, Jamshid Beheshti (Information Systems), Victoria Talwar (Educational Psychology),Shauna Van Praagh (Faculty of Law), Franco Carneval, School of Nursing (all from McGill University), Tanya Beran (School of Medicine (University of Calgary), Michael Manley Casimir (Brock University). Defining the lines on cyberbullying: Keeping kids out of court by comparing legal responses with motivation, moral development and legal literacy of digital natives. ($498,000)
2012- 2013 Facebook’s Digital Citizenship Grant, Shaheen Shariff, Principal Investigator. Defining the line on cyberbullying: keeping kids out of court by comparing legal responses with motivation, moral development and legal literacy of digital natives. One of 4 applicants who received this award globally. ($50,000)
2009-2012 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Standard Research Grant, Shaheen Shariff, Principal Investigator. Co-Investigators: Tanya Beran, University of Calgary; Dawn Zinga, Brock University; France Bouthillier, McGill University, for the project:Developing an interactive virtual forum to study children’s on-line interactions and stakeholder responsibilities to promote cyber-safety for Canada’s youngest technology users. ($280,000).
2009-2011 Quebec Ministry of Education, Shaheen Shariff, Principal Investigator, for the project, Engaging educators with Quebec’s kids through teacher education and professional development on E-Q-Kids website to reduce cyber-violence. Awarded under the programme de soutien a la formation continue du personnel scolaire. ($98,000).
Grants Received As Co-Investigator and Collaborator
2019 Status of Women Canada, Department of Women and Gender Equality, Claudia Mitchell, Principal Investigator. More Than Words: Gender equality and sexual violence among Indigenous Communities ($700,000).
2018 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to partly cover a Joint SSHRC Connections Grant with ESSIMU, a Francophone research group at UQUAM, Led by Manon Bergeron on Sexual Violence in Universities to host the Canadian Symposium on Sexual Violence in Post-Secondary Education Institutions, held in June, 2018.
2015-2021 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The eQuality Project, (Big Data, privacy and cyberbullying). Project Directors: Valerie Steeves & Jane Bailey Shariff, as Collaborator ($2.5 million).
2014 - 2019 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and International Development Fund (IDRC) Networks for change and well-being: Girl-led “from the ground up” policy- making: Addressing sexual violence. Claudia Mitchell, Principal Investigator. Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada (SSHRC) Partnership Grant with South Africa. ($2.5 million).
2013-2018 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Advancing interdisciplinary research in childhood ethics: An ethnographic examination of best interests and moral agency. Insight Grant. Principal Investigator: Franco Carnevale, McGill University, ($439,231).
Refereed and Edited Books
Shariff, S. and Dietzel, C. (2023). Interrupting Sexual Violence: The power of law, education and media. Peter Lang, USA.
Shariff, S. (2016). Sexting e Cyberbullismo: Quali limiti per i ragazzi sempre connessi? (Edra S.p.A, Trans.) Milano, Italy (Italian translation under rights from Cambridge University Press). (Original work published 2015).
Shariff, S. (2015). Sexting and cyberbullying: Defining the line for digitally empowered lids. New York: Cambridge University Press. Law Department.
Shariff, S. (2012) Ciberbullying: questoes e solcoes para a escola, a sala de aula e a familia. Porto Alegre, Brazil: Artmed. [Portuguese Translation under rights from Routledge for distribution to schools across Brazil]. (Original work published 2008).
Shariff, S. (2009). Confronting Cyberbullying: What schools need to know to control misconduct and avoid legal consequences. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Shariff, S. (2008). Cyberbullying: Issues and solutions for the school, the classroom, and the home. Abington, Oxfordshire, UK: Routledge (Taylor & Frances Group).
Shariff, S., & *Churchill, A. (Eds.). (2009). Truths and myths of cyber-bullying: International perspectives on stakeholder responsibility and children’s safety. New York, NY: Peter Lang.
Shariff, S., & *Johnny, L. (2007). Censorship! . . . or . . . selection?: Confronting a curriculum of orthodoxy through pluralistic models. Rotterdam, Netherlands: Sense Publishing.
SELECTED Refereed Book Chapters (Sole authored)
Shariff, S. ( 2019). Privacy and Protection or Accountability and Transparency? Navigating the Legal Dilemmas Universities Confront when Students Allege Sexual Violence by Professors. In D. Crocker, J. Minaker, & A. Nelund, (Eds.) (Violence Interrupted: Confronting Sexual Violence on University Campuses.McGill-Queens Press.
Shariff, S. (2018). Clarifying Institutional Legal Responsibilities to Address Sexual Violence as University Contexts Expand Beyond Campus Borders to the Online Realm. In William Smale, Ed., 2018.Perspectives on Educational Law and Policy. Chapter 14. Word & Deed Publishing Incorporated.
Shariff, S. (2013). Courting digital citizenship: Keeping kids out of court. In R. Hanewald, (Ed.), From cyber bullying to cyber safety: Issues and approaches in educational contexts (pp. 169-191). NSW, Australia: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Shariff, S. (2012). Defining the line: From cyber-bullying to digital citizenship. In J. Beheshti & A. Large (Eds.), Children’s information behaviour (pp. 195-212). Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.
Invited Book Prospectuses and Special Issue Journals (Forthcoming -in Progress, 2019-2020)
Shariff, S. (Sole Authored). [Tentative title] Turbulent IMPACTS of online hate and misogyny: Shifting tides, public policy and legal dilemmas for educational institutions. Prospectus invited by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Ontario:CA (2019-2021).
Shariff, S. (Sole Authored). [Tentative title] iMPACTS: Addressing Sexual Violence through the Arts, Media and Popular Culture. Prospectus Invited by Peter Lang Publishers, USA. (2019-2021).
Shariff, S. and Members of IMPACTS Research Team: (Edited Book). Tentative Title: A System on Trial: iMPACTS of Sexual Violence Laws, Policies and Responses in University Contexts. Prospectus invited by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Ontario:CA (2019-2021).
SELECTED Refereed Journal, Special Edited Issue on Sexual Violence in Universities
Shariff, S., Jaswal, N., and *Dietzel, C., (Co-Eds. 2017). [Special Issue]: IMPACTS: Responding to Legal and Educational Dilemmas in Addressing Sexual Violence in Universities. Education & Law Journal. ELJ. 27 (1). [Included publications by 5 iMPACTS Graduate Students]
Shariff, S. (2017). Navigating the Minefield of Sexual Violence Policy in Expanding “University Contexts.” [Special Issue]: IMPACTS: Responding to Legal and Educational Dilemmas in Addressing Sexual Violence in Universities. Education & Law Journal. ELJ. 27 (1): 39-58.
Shariff, S. & Eltis, K. (2017). Addressing Online Sexual Violence: An Opportunity for Partnerships between Law and Education. [Special Issue]: IMPACTS: Responding to Legal and Educational Dilemmas in Addressing Sexual Violence in Universities. Education & Law Journal. ELJ. 27 (1) 99-117.
Shariff, S. and Members of IMPACTS Research Team (Special Issue Journal, Ed. Shaheen Shariff). Legal Issues Relating to Sexual Violence in Universities (tentative title).
Education & Law Journal. Carswell.SELECTED Refereed Journal Articles (Co-Authored)
SELECTED Refereed Journal Articles Co-Authored
Shariff, S., & Wiseman, A. (2016). Supporting survivors: A strategic model to address rape culture in universities. Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology Reflections, 1,(2), 5-12.
Talwar, V., Gomez-Garibello, C., & Shariff, S. (2014). Adolescents’ moral evaluations and ratings of cyber-bullying: The effect of veracity and intentionality behind the event. Computers in Human Behaviour, 36, 122-128. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2014.03.046
Gomez-Garibello, C., Shariff, S., McConnell, M., & Talwar, V. (2012). Adolescents’ evaluation of cyberbullying events. Journal of Educational Research, 58, Retrieved from http://ajer.synergiesprairies.ca/ajer/in dex.php/ajer/article/view/1060/900
Shariff, S., *Wiseman, A., & *Crestohl, L. (2012). Defining the lines between children’s vulnerability to cyberbullying and the open court principle: Implications of A.B. v. Bragg
Communications Inc. Education & Law Journal, 21(3), 231-262. Toronto, ON: Carswell.
*Retter, C. and Shariff, S. (2012). A delicate Balance: Defining the line between open civil proceedings and the protection of children in the online digital era. Canadian Journal of Law & Technology, 10(2), 232-262. Toronto: ON: Carswell.
Beran, T., Stanton, L., Hetherington, R., Mishna, F., Shariff, S. (2012). Development of the bullying and health experiences scale interact. Journal of Medical Internet Research 1(2) e13. doi: 10.2196/ijmr.1835.
Shariff, S., & Hoff, D. L. (2007). Cyber-bullying: Clarifying legal boundaries for school supervision in cyberspace. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 1(1), 76-118.
Shariff, S., & *Johnny, L. (2007). Cyber-libel and cyber-bullying: Can schools protect student reputations and free-expression in virtual environments? Education & Law Journal, 16(3), 307-342.
Shariff, S., & *Gouin, R. (2006). Cyber-dilemmas: Gendered hierarchies, new technologies and cyber-safety in schools. Atlantis - A Women’s Studies Journal, 31(1), 26-36.
Shariff, S. (2006). Balancing competing rights: A stakeholder model for democratic schools. [Special issue: Democracy and Education]. Canadian Journal of Education, 29(2), 476-496.
Shariff, S. (2006). Cyber-dilemmas: Balancing free expression and learning in the virtual school environment. International Journal of Learning, 12(4), 269-278. Retrieved from http://l05.cgpublisher.com/proposals/696/index_html
Shariff, S. (2005). Cyber-dilemmas in the new millennium: Balancing free expression and student safety in cyber-space. [Special Issue: Schools and courts: Competing rights in the new millennium]. McGill Journal of Education, 40(3), 467-487.
Shariff, S. (2004). Travel and terror: Re-allocating, minimizing and managing risks of foreign excursions and out-door education field trips. Education & Law Journal, 14, 137-165.
Shariff, S. (2004). Keeping schools out of court: Legally defensible models of leadership. The Educational Forum, 68(3), 222-233.
Shariff, S., Case, R., & LaRocque, L. (2001). Begging the questions: The Court of Appeal decision in the Surrey school board controversy. Education & Law Journal, 11(1), 85-111.
Shariff, S., Case, R., & Manley-Casimir, M. E. (2000,). Balancing rights in education: Surrey school board's book ban. Education & Law Journal, 10(1), 47-105.
SELECTED Book Chapters Co-Authored
Shariff, S., & *DeMartini, A., (2015). Defining the legal lines on cyberbullying among university students. In H. Cowie & C. A. Myers (Eds.), Bullying amongst university students. Prospectus submitted to Routledge (Taylor & Francis), UK.
SELECTED Book Reviews in Peer Reviewed Journals
Shariff, S. (2013). [Review of the book Cyberbullying prevention and response: Expert perspectives]. New Media and Society, 15(1), 154-156.
SELECTED Invited Articles, Op-Eds., Blogs and Encyclopaedia Contributions
Shariff, S. (2019-2020). Article on iMPACTS Project for Institute of Human Development and Wellbeing Newsletter.
Shariff, S. (2016, November 1). Sexual violence and difficult boundaries to define. La Presse. Retrieved from http://www.lapresse.ca/debats/votre-opinion/201610/31/01-5036210-violenc... difficiles-a-definir.php
Shariff, S., & Chan, K. (2013, November 19). Canada needs a sweeping strategy to fight cyberbullying. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/canada-needs-a-sweeping- strategy-to-fight-cyberbullying/article15505007/
Shariff, S., & Retter, C. (2012). Confronting cyberbullying: Defining the lines between ethical choices and jail terms. Cambridge University Press Legal Department. *Selected best blog by Columbia University Press see http://www.cupblog.org/?p=5760
Commissioned Research Papers
Shariff, S. (unpublished, 2012). Mapping global perspectives on cyberbullying. A global review of
emerging research relating to on-line peer violence and digital communication among youth.
Commissioned research paper UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Florence, Italy.
Selected Contributions to Public Policy
Government Policy Briefs, Expert Witness Presentations, Advisory Board, Task Forces, Committees
Shariff, S. (Upcoming - April 30-May 1, 2020). Invited as Expert Panelist on Cyberbullying, Sexting and Online Hate/Violence, International Conference “Connected – Social Media and Youth Mental Health, hosted at McGill Institute of Health and Social Policy in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada, Queens University and Universite de Montreal and Pre-Conference Working Group Meeting.
Shariff, S. (March 29, 2019). Invited Panelist, Canadian Studies of Parliament Group, Parliament Hill, Ottawa Ontario. Impact of #MeToo on government institutions.
Shariff, S. (November, 2018). Invited to be Expert Witness for Human Rights Commission Intervention in case challenging Ontario’s decision to remove the 2015 sex education curriculum from schools and revert to an earlier version. Advised human rights lawyers but did not testify due to teaching conflicts.
Shariff, S. (Summer, 2018). Invited to online consultation with Status of Women Canada (now Ministry for Women and Gender Equality) on institutional responses to sexual violence.
Shariff, S. (December, 2017). Invited to Engagement Session with Federal Minister for the Status of Women, Maryam Monsef to inform development of a Status of Women Canada survey on sexual victimization among post-secondary students on January 19, 2018.
Shariff, S. (August, 2017). Policy Advisor to Status of Women, Canada on preparation of guidelines for Universities on gender based violence on campuses. Invited by Jodi McMurray, Sr. Program Officer, Women’s Program and Regional Operations Directorate, Status of Women Canada/Government of Canada.
Shariff, S. (2017). Advisory Board. Canadian Index of Child and Youth Wellbeing. UNICEF Canada.
Shariff, S. (2016). Advisory Board (January-June). Premier Couillard’s comité d’experts sur la cyberintimidation, Government of Quebec.
Shariff, S. (April, 2016). Invited Expert Witness to House of Commons Standing Committee on Violence Against Girls and Women.
Shariff, S. (February-September, 2015) Invited Expert Panelist, Premier Couillard’s comité d’experts sur la cyberintimidation, Government of Quebec.
Shariff, S. (June 3, 2014). Expert Witness to House of Commons Committee on Bill C-13, the “Cyberbullying” Bill, Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act. Invited by Liberal Member of Parliament, Sean Casey.
Shariff, S. (November, 2013). Expert background evidence to support Defence counsel of Laval youth arrested on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography. Trial in March, 2014.
Shariff, S., Mishna, F., MacKay, A.W., Bailey, J., Steeves, V., Roher, E., Slane, A. (October, 2013). Policy brief for consideration by Federal Minister of Justice Peter MacKay prior to Bill C-13, Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act.
Shariff, S. (Cyber-Safety Week, October, 2013). Advisory Committee on development of resources. Partnership of Quebec Ministry of Education, Ensemble contre la violence, Institut Pacifique and Teljeunnes.
Shariff, S. (2012). Roundtable Task Force on Implications of Bill 56 (Law 19) Tolerance Foundation (Anne Lagace Dowson), Ministry of Education, Member of Parliament, Dany Morin; Various consultants and community groups.
Shariff, S. (December, 2012). Expert Witness to House of Commons Committee on Bill C-273, Private Members Bill to amend the Criminal Code to include online bullying and hate crimes. Invited by NDP Member of Parliament, Dany Morin.
Shariff, S. (April 30, 2012). Expert Witness submission to Canadian Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights on Canada’s obligations under Article 19 of the International Convention of the Rights of the Child on addressing cyberbullying. Invited by the Honourable Senator Salma Attaulahjan.
Shariff, S. (November, 2011) Expert Witness submission to Nova Scotia Task Force on Cyberbullying Invited by A. Wayne MacKay, Chair of Task Force on Cyberbullying.
Shariff, S. (2011, Affidavit). Expert Witness Affidavit Invited by Counsel for Plaintiff, Jane O’Neill, resulting in successful leave to appeal to Supreme Court of Canada in landmark case of A.B. v. Bragg Communications, Inc.
Shariff, S. (2011). Invited written submission to former Australian Parliamentary Committee on Cyberbullying (5 pages).
Shariff, S. (June 12, 2009). Invited Advisory Panelist. Cyber-hate: Danger in Cyber-space. 2009 United Nations Unlearning, Intolerance Seminar. United Nations Headquarters, NY. Chaired by United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon.
Invited International and National Policy Panels, Roundtables and Media Panels
Shariff, S. (October, 2017). Panelist - “Safe Spaces”. Human Rights Conference, Enabling Civil Society, McGill Center for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, Faculty of Law, Montreal, Quebec.
Shariff, S. (2016, August 10-11): Invited Panelist. Sexual violence and rape culture in digital spaces. Ontario Universities Taking Action Against Sexual Violence. Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Shariff, S. (August 5, 2014). Invited Panelist. What is Ethical Academic Freedom? Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s Law Division. Sheraton Hotel, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Shariff, S. (May, 2013). Invited Panelist. Conference on Cyberbullying, sponsored by three Faculty of Law Centres (the Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights, the International Human Rights Program, and the Centre for Innovation Law and Policy) and the University of Toronto Faculty of Social Work. University of Toronto.
Shariff, S. (2012, October). Amanda Todd Case: CBC The National with Wendy Mesely. Role of Law to Reduce Cyberbullying. Panelist with privacy lawyer David Fraser and RCMP officer. [Live Interview]. http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV+Shows/The+National/ID/2294250596/
Shariff, S. (2012, June) Roundtable Panelist. Towards Future Policies on Cyberbullying. International COST Conference on Cyberbullying and Policy Development, Sorbonne, Paris, France.
Shariff, S. (2012, June). Panelist. Canadian Telecom Conference, Toronto, Ontario. [unable to travel due to illness].
Shariff, S. (2012, May). Bully Proof Online Interactive Expert Panel on CBC Website responding to questions from international audience.
Shariff, S. (2012, April). Panelist. Policy Considerations on Digital Citizenship and Cyberbullying. Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory-LRID Conference, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law.
Invited Policy Advisory Committees and Task Forces
2016 Advisory Board (January-June). Premier Couillard’s comité d’experts sur la cyberintimidation, Government of Quebec.
2013 Cyber-Safety Week, October, 2013. Advisory Committee on development of resources. Partnership of Quebec Ministry of Education, Ensemble contre la violence, Institut Pacifique and Tel-jeunnes.
2012 Roundtable Task Force on Implications of Bill 56 (Law 19) Tolerance Foundation (Anne Lagace Dowson), Ministry of Education, Member of Parliament, Dany Morin; Various consultants and community groups.
2011 Shariff, S., & LaRocque, (2011). L. Analysis of anti-violence policies and programs in British Columbia schools. Unpublished report commissioned by B.C. Ministry of Education, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
2009 Shariff, S. and Mitchell, C. International Advisory Committee on Drafting a Toolkit for Global Teacher Code of Conduct with representatives from CIDA, UNESCO and Institute for Educational Planning, France.
2009 Quebec Ministry of Education and Commission Scolaire Task Force (by invitation): Groupe-relais montréalais en prévention et traitement de la violence à l’école.
2009 Shariff, S. (March, 2009). Panelist and written contribution. Cyber-bullying and the Policy Vacuum. Online symposium with the First Amendment Center. Washington, D.C. www.firstamendmentcenter.org.
2008 Invited policy advisor Australian Safety Authority in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia on cyberbullying and cybersafety.
2008 Quebec English School Boards Association Task Force on Cyber-bullying (by invitation).
2007 Policy Advisory Committee, PREVNet: Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network: Networks of Centres of Excellence/ Réseaux de centres d’excellence.
2006 Member of consulting committee with European granting agencies NORFACE, during visit to Montreal, November, 2006.
2005 Contributed to North American United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Consultations on Violence against Children http://www.violencestudy.org/r25; http://www.unicef.ca/portal/SmartDefault.aspx?at=1388.
2005 McGill représentative on comité de coordination, Immigration et Métropolis, Université de Montréal.
Current Supervision of 3 PhD and 4 Masters students, plus 15 Graduate and 5 undergraduate students under iMPACTS Graduate Stipends within DISE
Supervision of 5 McGill Faculty of Law students over 2022-2023.
IMPACT OF SCHOLARSHIP: MEDIA RELATIONS (Last 8 years)
Art Exhibits, Theatre Productions, Documentary Videos funded or partially sponsored by
Shaheen Shariff as Principal Investigator and Project Director of iMPACTS: A SSHRC Partnership Project on Sexual Violence in Universities (iMPACTS)
Shariff, S. As Principal Investigator (2018-2019) Funded by iMPACTS. Incognito Mode Theatre Production, Directed by Marcus Youssef, Studio 58 informed by iMPACTS research conducted by Partners Stuart Poyntz and Ruth Beer, Simon Fraser University and Emily Carr University of Art and Design (EUCLAD).
Shariff, S. As Principal Investigator. (June, 2019). Funded by IMPACTS In/visible body as reflective site. McClure Art Gallery (Partner, The Visual Arts Centre), Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Shariff, S. As Principal Investigator of Define the Line: Stories of cyberbullying. Native Counselling Services of Alberta. BearPaw Media Productions. Award Winning Documentary.
Shariff, S. as Producer (2012), with Define the Line team and Tolerance Caravan: Video-Vignettes for Use in Classroom Discussions of Cyberbullying. See About Us, Resources, www.definetheline.ca.
- The New Girl/La Nouvelle
- The Cell Phone/La Photo
- The Computer/La Blague
Upcoming Documentary/Film Featuring my work: February 6, 2020 upcoming interview with Spotlight Video from British Columbia on cyberbullying and sexting and the suicide of B.C. teenager, Amanda Todd.
Selected Media Appearances [Radio and Television Broadcasts]
Shariff, S. (2016, October). Sexual violence on campus at Laval University. CTV National News. Genevieve Beauchemin. Taped Television Interview]
https://twitter.com/WatchCTVNews/status/788235697777958912?cn=bWVudGlvbg...
Shariff, S. (2016, October). Interview regarding SSHRC Partnership Grant on Sexual Violence. http://publications.mcgill.ca/reporter/2016/09/shaheen-shariff-on-rape-culture-on-university-campuses/http://publications.mcgill.ca/reporter/2016/09/over-10-million-in-sshrc-funding-to-support-mcgill-research/
Shariff, S. (2016, February). How should we protect children from sexual predators on the Internet? Radio Noon, Shawn Apel, Host [Taped Radio Interview].
Shariff, S. (2015, September). Panel on Rape Culture. “McGill Talks.” Canal Savoir [Taped Panel Discussion] With Colleen Sheppard (Law), Shahrokh Esfandiari (Dentistry) and Carrie Rentschler, Faculty of Arts.
Shariff, S. (2015, August). CBC News, Home Run. Radio Interview on Sexist Cyberbullying on Social Media. [Live radio interview]
Shariff, S. (2015, February). BBC Wales. Sexting and Cyberbullying. [Live Television Interview – Skype]
Shariff, S. (2013, November 21). Response to Bill C-13. The Dave Taylor Show, Calgary, Alberta. [Live Radio Interview].
Shariff, S. (2013, November 21). Response to Bill C-13. The Bill Good Show. CKNW. [Live Radio Interview].
Shariff, S. (2013, November 20). Response to Bill C-13. CBC Homerun with Sue Smith. [Live Radio Interview].
Shariff, S. (2013, November 19). Defining the legal line: Discussion of arrest of 10 teenage boys in Laval, Quebec . Radio Interview with Tommy Schnurmacher, CJAD [Live Radio Interview] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqpEAT0eEFA
Shariff, S. (2013, November 15). School board speaks out in child pornography case. Global Television Montreal and National News. Rachel Lau, Reporter. [Television Interview] http://globalnews.ca/news/970531/school- board-speaks-out-on-child-pornography-case/
Shariff, S. (2013, November 15). Montreal teen says she regrets sexting with classmates. Radio Interview with Mike Finnerty, CBC Daybreak. http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/Montreal/Audio/ID/2418281519/ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-teen-says-she-regrets-sexting-with-classmates -1.2428082
Shariff, S. (2013, October). What are kids doing online and what are the legal ramifications? Radio Interview with Anne Legace Dowson, CJAD [Live Radio Interview].
Shariff, S. (2013, September). Will Quebec’s Proposed Charter of Values Increase Bullying in Schools? Radio Interview with Tommy Schnurmacher, CJAD [Live Radio Interview].
Shariff, S. (2013, August). Implications of Cyber Safety Act, Nova Scotia. [Taped Radio Interview with Allison Crawford]. The House, CBC Radio 2. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/thehouse/2013/08/03/this-week-on- the-house-8/
Shariff, S. (2013, August). Marketplace Tech. U.S.A. criminalizing cyberbullying [Taped Radio Interview] with Ben Johnson. Retrieved from http://www.marketplace.org/topics/tech/what-happens-when-you-make- cyberbullying-crime.
Shariff, S. (2012, October). CBC The National with Peter Mansbridge. [Taped Television Interview]. Reporter Ioanna Remeliotis. Aired on provincial broadcasts nationally.
Shariff S. (2012, October). Amanda Todd Case and legal issues. Global Television, Montreal, with Jamie Orchard. [Live Television Interview].
Shariff, S. (2012, October). Proposed National Strategy and Laws against Cyberbullying. Homerun. CBC Radio. [Live Radio Interview].
Shariff, S. (2012, October). Cyberbullying: The Supreme Court speaks, but are parents listening?. Podcast interview with James Mennie. The Gazette. [Live Phone Interview].
Shariff, S. (2012, September 4). Cyberbullying live on-line blog. Global News.
Shariff, S. (2012, May 30). Cyberbullying: Issues and concerns. Connect with Mark Kelly. CBC National Live Television Broadcast [Live Television Interview].
Shariff, S. (2012, January 27). SiriusXM’s doctor radio, child psychology and parenting show with Alexandra Barzvi, Ph.D. and Lori Evans, Ph.D. (affiliated with NYU Child Study Centre in New York). Retrieved from www.siriusxm.com/doctorradio.
Selected Print-media Interviews and Cited Reports of My Scholarship
[Legend: INT = Print-media interview; REP = Report of scholarly work]
Curtis, C. (March 3, 2000). Mohawks face online threats, hate as protest continues. Montreal Gazette, Montreal, Q.C.
Mour, C. (2016, November 1,). Demanteler la culture du voil. Actualités Le Délit français, McGill University.
Porter, I. (2016, October 31). La reaction des tetes dirigeantes est primordiales selon une chercheuse. Le Devoir. Retrieved from http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/education/482902/la-reaction-des-tetes- dirigeantes-est-primordiale-selon-une-chercheuse
Charest-Sigouin, V. (2014, April, 18). Culture du «bitchage»: les femmes sont-elles leurs pires ennemies?
Krashinsky, S. (2014, 18 March). Zero-tolerance and Sexting. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com /news/national/education/zero-tolerance [link no longer accessible]
Cuoto, M. & McMurty, A. (2014, January 31). Teens who sext can be considered child pornographers. Capital News. Retrieved from http://www.capitalnews.ca/index.php/news/b.c.-court-rules-that-sexting-t... -considered-child-pornographers
Myer, A. (2013, November 27). Bill C-13 needs “better understanding” of how young people think: Cyberbullying Bill won’t stop online taunts, critics say. [CBC Print-media Interview, Posted Online]. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/cyberbullying-bill-won-t-stop-online-t...
LeClaire, A. (2013, November 21). The Lavel 10: Perilous or Paltry? Swept. Retrieved from http://sweptmedia.ca/2013/11/21/laval-10-perilous-paltry/
Siedman, K. (2013, November 21). Tougher laws not the answer to cyberbullying, conference told. The Gazette. Retreived from http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Tougher+laws+answer+cyberbullying+co... +told/9191607/story.html
Siedman, K. (2013, November 16). Child pornography laws “too harsh” to deal with minors sexting photos without consent, experts say. National Post, Postmedia News. Retrieved from http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/11/16/child-pornography-laws-too-harsh... -photos-without-consent-experts-say/
Beeston, L. (2013, August 22). Searching for an effective way to fight bullying. The Gazette. Retrieved from http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Searching+effective+fight+bullying/8...
Valiante, G. (2013, August 21). Quebec’s proposed ban of religious symbols in public buildings provokes defiant reaction. QMI Agency.
Seideman, K. (2012, September 27). McGill professor lauds Supreme Court for cyberbullying decision. The Gazette.
Montgomery, S. (2012, August 4,). Cyberspace feuds finding way into court: Criminal activity: It’s not only children who are bullies on the Internet. The Montreal Gazette, A3.
The Honourable Senator Mobina Jaffer (2012, May). A new perspective on cyberbullying, Professor Shaheen Shariff. [Senator Jaffer,Chair, Standing Committee on Human Rights]. Retrieved from http://www.mobinajaffer.ca/a-new-perspective-on-cyberbullying-professor-.... Canada.com (no author named). (2012, April 30). Laws won’t stop cyberbullying, experts tell Senate committee. Retrieved from http://www.canada.com/life/Laws+stop+cyberbullying+experts+tell+Senate+c...
Recent Awards and Nominations
- The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) World of Difference Award (2020) for contributing to women's economic empowerment.
- James McGill Professor, DISE, Faculty of Education, McGill University (2018-2024)
- Finalist for McGill Principal’s Prize for Public Outreach Through Media (2016-17)
- Nominated for Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Impact Award (2015).
- Received Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (November, 2012).
- Received Facebook’s Inaugural Award on Digital Citizenship (May, 2012).
- 2019 Full Professor, Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE), Faculty of Education, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
- 2018 James McGill Professor, DISE, Faculty of Education, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
- 2015 - Associate Member, McGill Faculty of Law.
- 2008- 2018 Associate Professor, DISE, Faculty of Education, McGill University.
- 2012 - Affiliate Scholar, Centre for Internet and Society, Stanford Law.
- 2013 - Executive Member, Institute for Human Development and Well-Being, Faculty of Education, McGill University.
- 2006 - Associate Member, Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, McGill Faculty of Law.
- 2003 - 2008. Assistant Professor, DISE, McGill University.
