The murder of British Columbia teen Reena Virk shocked Canadians and provoked an outpouring of media commentary, academic explanation, plays, and novels. But while much attention was paid to the problem of violence and "girl bullying," race and related issues hardly figured in mainstream conversation. This collection aims to refocus the conversation about Reena Virk by considering how racism, colonialism, and hierarchies of gender, class, age, and sexuality figure in this crime and our understanding of it. The ten thoughtful chapters by both prominent and emerging scholars force us to grapple with the difficult and at times ugly implications of Reena Virk's murder for Canadian national identity.

Mythili Rajiva is Assistant Professor of Sociology and Criminology at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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Sheila Batacharya completed her doctoral studies at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. She has taught education, women’s and gender studies, criminology and sociology courses at several colleges and universities in southern Ontario. Sheila’s scholarship in embodiment and embodied learning is fueled by her experiences teaching yoga and her curiosity and concern with articulating and practicing attunement to social-sentient embodied experiences in formal education and community contexts.

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"This book is a commanding, eye-opening account of not just what happened to Reena Virk, but also what happens when a country is in denial about its racist past. Its significance cannot be overstated. It is a hugely important book, and one that is a most welcome addition to anti-racist, postcolonial, and gender studies. It is a book that should be required reading for all Canadians."— “Shauna Pomerantz, Brock University