About
Hi! My name is Marika Kunnas. I am a PhD candidate at York University and a secondary school teacher certified to teach French, Drama, and Senior Social Studies. I am a second generation Canadian Black woman. My first language is English and my second language is French. I became bilingual through the Core French program and university studies. I have always loved French and language learning in general.
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I love getting involved and community-building. In 2021-2022, I served on the student council in my department as one of the co-coordinators of the Graduate Student Conference and as the Community and Professional Development Coordinator for the student body. In the 2022 - 2023 school year, I am the co-chair within my department's student council.
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I like to read, write, and do arts and crafts and costuming for fun. Sometimes I still find time to do so!
Research Interests
I am interested in how race and other identities (particularly, linguistic, gender, and social class) intersect with French programs. After completing my master's thesis project, I was left wondering most about race and French immersion since it was barely discussed within the documents of my study.
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In my PhD, I continued to investigate French immersion programming in Ontario. I focus more explicitly on race in French immersion and working with French immersion students and stakeholders instead of policies and documents.
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​My research question is: what are the experiences of racially minoritized French immersion students?
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This study used Playbuilding and autoethnographic monologue creation to represent racially minoritized French immersion students' experiences related to race and racism in French immersion programs across the province. I hope to discover more about how race intersects with and manifests itself in French immersion programs. This study also aims to discover programmatic needs for racially minoritized students in immersion. Stories, monologues, and program needs were developed by participants and are hosted online here: https://mkunnas.wixsite.com/race-in-fi.
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I am also keenly interested in teacher preparation programs, specifically in how they prepare FSL teachers to teach diverse cultures, to be culturally responsive, and anti-racist.
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Education
2020-Present
York University. Doctorate of Philosophy.
Ph.D. Candidate (ABD).
Dissertation study: Racialized experiences in French immersion programs.
2019
University of Toronto. Master of Arts.
Thesis: Inequalities in Black et Blanc: Textual Constructions of the French immersion Student.
2016
York University.
Bachelor of Education.
Bachelor of Arts (Honours).
French & Drama Major.
Awards, Scholarships and Grants
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Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Doctoral Scholarships, SSHRC, 2021
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Ontario Graduate Scholarship (awarded but not held), York University, 2021
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York University Graduate Fellowship (awarded, replaced by SSHRC 2021 onward), 2020