Canada’s approach to quantum in security and economics: feminist foreign policy or tokenizing #WomenInSTEM?

ABSTRACTThe Canadian government has released major strategy documents relating to quantum science, technology, and security in recent years. While these emerge within a broader context of self-styled "feminist" policymaking, this article represents the first study to assess the quantum strategy frameworks along the lines of feminist policymaking. After providing context to the quantum landscape in Canada, the article undertakes a close reading of the National Quantum Strategy and the DND/CAF Quantum S&T Strategy to highlight the neglect of substantive feminist considerations in formulating these policies. While the documents highlight the disruption that the development of quantum technologies will bring to society, the strategies ignore the potential for differential impacts of this disruption. This neglect of the gendered impacts of quantum disruption is especially damning for the Canadian quantum strategy given the substantial reliance on Canada's reputation and branding as an ethical actor in world politics. The article concludes with a discussion of future research that is necessary to remediate this strategic failure.KEYWORDS: Quantum technologyfeminist foreign policyGBA+quantum international relations Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [grant number Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship].Notes on contributorsMichael P.A. MurphyMichael P. A. Murphy is a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Political Studies and Centre for International and Defence Policy at Queen's University. He is the author of Quantum Social Theory for Critical International Relations Theorists (Palgrave, 2021), over thirty peer-reviewed articles, and numerous book reviews and chapters, receiving over 1500 citations. He serves as Editorial Assistant at Security Dialogue and Past President of the Education and Learning in International Affairs Section of the ISA. His work can be found at: http://bit.ly/37NJMkZ