From assisting refugees on the other side of the world to donating food to the homeless in our communities, at various times in our lives many of us will have in one way or another helped a stranger.  But why do we do it? The answer is not always obvious. We often help those that can pay us back in some way, but strangers are unable to do so.  In this talk, we will explore the act of helping strangers.  We will examine your own acts of doing good and use research in psychology and sociology to help us make sense of them. 

In keeping with Public Health pandemic restrictions, this program is being offered via Zoom. Pre-registration is required for access to the Zoom link information for our Tikkun Leyl Shavuot programs. To register, click here>>

David Zarnett is the Undergraduate Advisor and a Sessional Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto, where he has taught courses on global security, human rights, international cooperation, and war and peace. His research interests include the transnational dimensions of intra-state conflict, human rights activists, and international relations theory. His published works examine international institutions, human rights NGOs, transnational activism on the Israeli-Palestinian and Turkish-Kurdish conflicts, and realist theory. He has also written on a number of public policy issues for national outlets, including the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Maclean’s, and Policy Options.  He has worked in advocacy in support of children with disabilities, serving as Executive Director of Every Kid Counts.