2026
Generative Hope:Â Possibilities in Education Research
We find ourselves in a time of distress, disorder and disorientation. What can we do as scholars to right the tilts? This year’s conference theme is inspired by a sustainability ethos championed and embodied by some of the best advocates of hope: bell hooks, Paolo Freire, Rebecca Solnit and Jane Goodall, to name a few. Their pedagogies and theories of hope describe active engagement, not passive feeling. Our aim for the conference is to create a dynamic space where OISE graduate students can explore the intersectional and interdisciplinary nature of their various specializations as they contribute to the broader practice of hope, including collective radical hope. The collective radical hope we wish for all participants and attendees to embody is one that is holistic—encompassing critical explorations of our environmental sustainability, democracy, participation and community. These expressions of hope will include formats ranging from panel discussions, roundtables, online poster presentations and workshops.
Conference Dates & Times
Thursday, March 5, 2026: 10 AM – 3:30 PM
Friday, March 6, 2026: 10:30 AM – 8 PM
Saturday, March 7, 2026: 10 AM – 1:30 PM
More details on the conference schedule will be released soon.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the co-chairs at <oise.gsrc@utoronto.ca>.
Registration for the 2026 GSRC is now open!
We welcome all members of the University of Toronto community (students, faculty, alumni, and staff) to attend the 2026 OISE Graduate Student Research Conference (GSRC)! The deadline to register is Friday, February 20, 2026, 11:59 PM ET.