Steffanie Ling

Sociology master's student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

I am a student, cultural worker and guest living on the unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations.

For fun, I run a few study groups over Discord, and design and co-edit a pamphlet reflecting on all types of cinema called, STILLS: moving image tract. I like printed matter practices, such as pamphlets and political ephemera, and thinking about it within a social history. I have written and published a few creative works of writing, including NASCAR (Blank Cheque, 2016), which are a collection of some short stories about smoking, a set of minimal poems, CUTS OF THIN MEAT (Spare Room, 2015), and an upcoming chapbook of anti-work poems, MIXED MARTIAL ARTS (House House Press, 2022).

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO COME TO SFU?

I chose to come to SFU I am interested in working with a department and faculty member related to the Morgan Centre for Labour Research. I wanted to approach to researching labour and land exploitation with a better grasp on the practicalities of developing a sociological method, as well as be in dialogue with a range of political histories and theory.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH OR YOUR PROGRAM TO A FAMILY MEMBER?

My research is incited by intersections of political formation, cultural production, cinema, and material analysis. Recently, I have been looking at a post-war history of political study and exchange China and Black and Indigenous political groups in the West Coast. This semester, I will be focusing more on national cultural agendas and extractivism in the international area of contemporary art.

WHAT ARE YOU PARTICULARLY ENJOYING ABOUT YOUR STUDIES/RESEARCH AT SFU?

I'm enjoying working as a TA/TM in Labour Studies and reading the students' perspectives on how labour is represented in popular and news media. I learn a lot from the students, so I hope I can meaningfully encourage and support their critical writing and analytical skills in my role. It's also very cool to receive support and health benefits as a member of the Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) who do really great work throughout the campus.

HAVE YOU BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF ANY MAJOR OR DONOR-FUNDED AWARDS? IF SO, PLEASE TELL US WHICH ONES AND A LITTLE ABOUT HOW THE AWARDS HAVE IMPACTED YOUR STUDIES AND/OR RESEARCH.

British Columbia Graduate Scholarship and Deans’ Graduate Fellowship

Additional Links 

• Personal Website