Robyn Schwarz
PhD Candidate in History | Western University
London, ON, CANADA
Providing historical context for issues relating to Canadian women, marriage/divorce law, welfare programs, motherhood and post-1945 Canada.
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Biography
Robyn is a PhD Candidate in the Department of History at Western University, where she researches and teaches Canadian history. Her areas of expertise include Canadian women's history and post-war Canada. Her dissertation examines single mothers in Ontario from 1945 to 1980, focusing on how different government institutions and social programs viewed single mothers as "problem women." She is currently completing archival research in local, provincial, and federal archives for this project. Some of the sources she examines include divorce case files, government records in the areas of health and social welfare, records from children's aid societies, maternity homes, and different religious groups. Robyn's research seeks to provide historical context for the inadequacies single mothers continue to face today in Canadian society.
Outside of her own research, she works as a feminist historian to promote greater understanding of a variety of women's issues. She organizes a monthly session for female graduate students and professors to get together and discuss different challenges facing women in higher education. She regularly speaks out on reproductive rights issues in Canada and the United States, particularly around abortion access. She is a member of the Reproductive Activism and Abortion Research Network.
Industry Expertise (3)
Women
Research
Writing and Editing
Areas of Expertise (9)
Canadian History
Women's History
Reproductive Rights
Abortion
Welfare Policies
Divorce Law
Marriage & Family History
Political History
Feminism
Education (3)
Western University: PhD, History
In Progress
Western University: Master of Arts, American Studies - Canadian American Relations 2013
University of British Columbia: Bachelor of Arts, Honours History, English 2012
Affiliations (4)
- Canadian Historical Association
- Canadian Committee on Women's History - Comité canadien de l'histoire des femmes
- Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History
- Reproductive Activism and Abortion Research Network
Languages (1)
- English
Research Grants (1)
Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Doctoral Scholarship
Social Science and Humanities Research Council $105,000
2015-09-01
The Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) Doctoral Scholarships aims to develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of scholarly achievement in undergraduate and graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities. This funding opportunity from the Canadian government aims to help train Canada’s researchers and leaders of tomorrow.
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