Responses to the Shooting in Nova Scotia
Welcome.
Thank you for taking the time to visit this page. My name is Dr. Karen Blair and I am a social psychologist who studies relationships, prejudice, discrimination, violence and health. Over the past few years, I have collected responses from people around the globe in the aftermath of tragic shootings, including the Pulse Shooting, Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting, and the Christchurch Mosque shootings. I never thought that I would be gathering similar responses from my own friends, neighbours and fellow Nova Scotians, but in the days following the April 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia, I thought it was important to document the collective responses to this shooting, just as it has been in the past for other tragic events. Documenting the response to violent/targeted shootings was not always an area of research interest for me, but following the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, it became clear that the processes of collective and global grief that occur after mass shootings need to be documented, catalogued and preserved. Many participants from past surveys have noted that they appreciated the opportunity to reflect on their thoughts and record their experiences.
As we approach the one-year anniversary of this tragic event that occurred in the midst of a global pandemic, we have collected some of the quotes from participants reflecting on what it felt like in the days and weeks immediately following the shooting. Even one year later, we are still collectively struggling with the pandemic and many regions are still faced with mandatory lockdowns and social distancing. Nova Scotia has fared well, by comparison, during the pandemic, but for many, the continued necessity of social distancing on this anniversary may further complicate the healing and grieving process.
In their own words…
In the days and weeks following the shooting of April 18th and 19th , 2020, we collected responses from participants in two different studies. Some participants were already completing daily diaries about their experiences related to the pandemic and recorded their reactions to the shooting spontaneously as the news unfolded. Other participants joined a specific study focused on responses to the shooting in Nova Scotia and specifically answered questions about how the pandemic altered their ability to cope with the shooting or vice versa.
Have questions?
Send an email to kblair@stfx.ca if you have any questions about participating in this study!
This study has been approved by the Research Ethics Boards of St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
We are looking for individuals willing to share with us their responses to the shooting in Nova Scotia that took place on April 18th and 19th, 2020. The study is open to anyone over the age of 18.
