Congratulations to Dr. Jaffer Sheyholislami (School of Linguistics and Language Studies) on the completion of The Oxford Handbook of Kurdish Linguistics, the first-ever comprehensive resource on the Kurdish language.

The handbook brings together contributors with connections to and across Kurdistan and the Kurdish diaspora, representing a wide range of linguistic traditions, from structural and applied linguistics to literary, cultural, and historical perspectives.

The Oxford Handbook of Kurdish Linguistics will be published as an open access title, free to read and download as of Jan. 18, 2027. Hardcover versions of the handbook are now available for purchase on the website.

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Congratulations to the following FASS faculty members who were awarded Connection Grants in the November 2025 competition:

• Monica Patterson (Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies) received outreach stream funding for an international project titled “Building Democracy.” Patterson and her team, members of the SSHRC Partnership Grant “Thinking Through the Museum,” will organize a week-long Winter Camp for Curators for 20 South African children (aged 12-14), which will culminate in an exhibition to be held in July 2026 in South Africa and at partner universities in Canada. The children’s exhibition will also be a focus of a 5-day workshop in South Africa comprised of the Partnership Grant team. The project will produce meaningful dialogue between scholars, museum professionals, child members of the Children’s Movement (an NGO) and the broader public to address how traditional museums have been slow to transform into representative institutions that can serve multicultural societies.

• Émilie Urbain (Department of French) received event stream funding for the conference “Language Policy and Planning: From Talk to Action” to be held in Ottawa in June 2026. This international conference will bring together researchers in linguistics, political science, education, sociology and beyond as well as policymakers and practitioners in the field to discuss issues in language policy and planning, including language assessment, language rights, Indigenous languages, heritage languages, official bilingualism, language acquisition, language discrimination and transnational language policies.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) supports events and outreach activities geared towards short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives.��

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Congratulations to��Anna Hoefnagels��(Music)��on receiving��a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)��Partnership Engage Grant��(PEG)��in the��September��2025��competition.��

In “Kanien’keha:ka��(Mohawk) Cultural Resurgence and Akwesasne Community Renewal: Narratives, Initiatives and Impacts of The Native North American Travelling College,”��Hoefnagels��will��examine how storytelling, traditional teaching, and social song and dance have been used the Native North American Travelling College��to promote and transmit traditional��Kanien’keha:ka��(Mohawk)��knowledge and language within and beyond the Akwesasne Mohawk community.��

Through consultation and interviews with current and past staff members, cultural educators, and community members,��complemented��with archival analysis,��the project examines how the College’s activities and teachings affected shifts in the valuation of cultural knowledge and��practices, and��impacted��political and social conditions for community members.����

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Congratulations to Kevin Nunes (Psychology) on receiving a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Engage Grant in the June 2025 competition. The project, titled “Are Violent Attitudes Relevant for Forensic Psychiatric Patients?”, will work with members of the Forensic Psychiatry Program at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton to test the reliability and validity of violent attitude measures with forensic psychiatric patients and explore the relevance of violent attitudes for violent behaviour. The results will provide initial evidence about whether and how violent attitudes could be incorporated into research, assessment and practice to reduce violent behaviour.   

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Congratulations to the following FASS faculty members who were awarded Connection Grants in the May 2025 competition: 

Patricia Ballamingie (Geography and Environmental Studies) and a team of eight co-applicants and collaborators (including Peter Andrée from Political Science and Irena Knezevic from the School of Journalism and Communication) received outreach stream funding for “Mobilizing Knowledge from Food Movement Elders: Building a Digital Library of Actionable Wisdom.” This initiative preserves and makes accessible the experience of leaders in food justice, governance, and systems transformation. Using research interviews with these leaders, the team will create a digital library of textual and audiovisual material to ensure that past knowledge, successes, and lessons learned will be remembered, built upon, and re-interpreted as new food system challenges arise.  

Jennifer Evans (History), along with co-applicant Sandra Robinson (School of Journalism and Communication), received outreach stream funding for “Hate, Conspiracy Theories, and the Challenge to Democracy.” Bringing together students, junior and senior scholars, and community stakeholders, this project explores the historical, psychological social and political dimensions of conspiratorial thinking across time. The team will hold a workshop to explore a series of related case studies out of which will come academic publications, a public lecture, policy briefs, teaching modules and resources, and social media content to build capacity that organizations, universities, government and community can draw upon to address the threats conspiracy theories pose today.  

Kevin Nunes (Psychology) received event stream funding for “Violent Thoughts: Constructs, Measures, Interventions and Synthesis” and will hold a meeting of experts of violent cognitions to clarify and refine our understandings of the nature of these conditions, distinctions/overlap between them, how to measure them, and how to change them for the better. There is little evidence on whether violent cognitions have a causal effect on violent behaviour; this event will enable diverse perspectives to facilitate advances in theory, research, knowledge transition and practice, which will ultimately permit more effective and efficient efforts to reduce violence.  

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) supports events and outreach activities geared towards short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives. 

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The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is delighted to share that two of our faculty members have been elected in recognition of the high level of excellence and impact they have achieved in their careers.����

Dr. Jennifer Evans (History) is an internationally renowned scholar of contemporary European history. Her foundational texts in the history of sexuality, gender, fascism and memory studies have set research agendas across the globe, providing new frameworks for thinking through the relationship of citizens to the state. Her explorations into legacies of hate and the resilience of queer and trans persons have sparked public debates and cultural interventions in Canada, Germany, and beyond.����

Dr. Carmen Robertson holds the in North American Indigenous Visual and Material Culture and is considered the foremost expert on Anishinaabe artist Norval Morrisseau. Her decolonial approaches challenge the conventional bounds of art history and foreground the rich artistic practices of Indigenous peoples. Prioritizing the process of art making alongside the resulting artistic object, Robertson’s award-winning scholarship and curatorial practices have made Indigenous art more accessible to broad audiences.��

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Congratulations to the following FASS researchers, who were awarded National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grants in the November 2024 competition! 

Elyn Humphreys (DGES) received funding for “Canada’s Changing Northern Terrestrial Carbon Cycle.” There is more soil organic carbon in frozen soils of circumpolar Arctic and boreal region than anywhere else on the planet, and as these soils warm and thaw, carbon that took millennia to accumulate could be emitted into the atmosphere. Using a cluster of eddy covariance flux towers, Humphreys and her team will measure carbon, energy, and water exchange between tundra and the atmosphere, including carbon pathways neglected in current models. This work will help us better understand the carbon budget of the low Arctic to build models that better predict future regional and global climate change. 

Cassandra Morrison (Psychology) received funding for “Understanding the Neural Basis of Cognitive Performance and Variability through EEG Studies of Memory and Executive Functioning.” Morrison aims develop models using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) measures that predict cognitive and neural changes at the individual level. By grounding cognitive theories in neurobiological evidence, this work will strengthen the theoretical foundations of cognitive science. 

supports ongoing programs of research with long-term goals rather than a single short-term project or collection of projects. These grants recognize the creativity and innovation that are at the heart of all research advances. 

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Congratulations to the following FASS researchers who were awarded Insight Grants by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) in the October 2024 competition! 

Sarah Brouillette (English Language and Literature) will examine the gendering of work in publishing, which has intensified as social media platforms have become central to the industry. Brouillette pinpoints two areas for investigation: the transformation of authors into care workers and entrepreneurs and the transformation of readers into unpaid marketers and scouts. Brouillette aims to explore how contemporary economic conditions – in which the work of producing culture has been cheapened – shapes the kinds of texts written and circulated today.  

Lorna Clark (English Language and Literature) will produce a scholarly edition of Frances Burney’s last and most controversial novel, The Wanderer. An early English woman writer, Burney’s reputation has been transformed into canonical writer and important cultural figure whose fiction influenced the development of the novel. While her journals, letters, and plays have been published in recent years, her fiction has lagged. Clark seeks to rectify this omission by participating in publishing a seven-volume set of Burney’s novels through Cambridge University Press. This will not only introduce Burney’s fiction to a new generation of readers but will also expand our knowledge of early women’s fiction.  

Robert Coplan (Psychology) will focus on the developmental progression of the characteristics and implications of solitude from childhood to young adulthood. Global experiences of lockdowns and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of understanding the positive and negative meanings and implications of solitude. A series of studies will assess and validate assessments of solitary experiences that are developmentally appropriate, examine developmental differences in the characteristics and implications of solitude from childhood to young adulthood, and explore how daily experiences of solitude might contribute to positive or negative outcomes. The results could assist parents and educators in facilitating best practices for solitude and how best to intervene with youth who may be suffering from spending too much time alone.  

Shawna Dolansky (College of the Humanities) will document the lives of ancient women between 4^th millennium BCE and 1^st century CE in graphic format. Women of the Ancient World (WOAW) will feature a website with graphic reconstructions of women’s lives, a data repository of the artifacts and texts on which these reconstructions rely, and a print series of volumes of individual ancient women. Dolansky seeks to both expand knowledge of ancient women’s often obscured lives and render transparent the historiographical process. Where data is lacking, scholars traditionally make assumptions to fill in the gaps; Dolansky’s approach explicitly explains why and how those gaps have been filled and links to the data used to inform those decisions. In this way, WOAW pioneer new methods of investigating and educating about ancient women.  

Laura Horak (Film Studies) will investigate how arts institutions have supported trans filmmaking from the 1990s to today. In Canada and the United States, mainstream films and media often overlook trans people, or portray them in negative ways as tragic figures, deceptive characters, or objects of ridicule. This exists alongside the harsh realities many trans people face, including poverty, violence, discrimination and an alarming rise in targeted attacks. Despite these challenges, trans creators have produced ground-breaking films. This project explores how film festivals, funders and distributors have helped trans filmmakers navigate a difficult landscape and what changes need to happen to better support trans filmmakers and other marginalized artists going forward to create more equitable arts communities.   

Yan Liu (Psychology) will conduct three inter-related studies to investigate how school disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have affected secondary school students’ academic performance and well-being. Using large datasets, Liu will examine trends across globally, including gender gaps and disparities between marginalized students and their peers. Leveraging techniques from psychology, education, sociology, statistics and computer science, this research will generate urgently needed empirical data to provide a more generalized understanding of lockdowns and identify factors that can mitigate growing educational and well-being disparities, particularly for marginalized groups. The findings will enable researchers and educators to provide faster, more coordinated, and more robust responses in future crises.  

Kirk Luther (Psychology) will develop a set of evidence-based, trauma-informed interviewing guidelines for the justice system. Victims often hold crucial information for solving crimes; however, the trauma they experience can significantly impact their ability to provide accurate and complete accounts to the police. While trauma-informed training is available, there is a lack of standardization and alignment with empirically validated best practices. Through five interconnected studies, this project will analyze the complex relationship between trauma, memory and reporting; gather insights from victim support workers and police investigators; and systematically analyze existing training guidelines to identify areas for improvement and inform the development of interviewing guidelines. Through a trauma-informed approach to justice, these guidelines will enhance the quality of investigations, support victim well-being, and contribute to safer communities.  

Dominique Marshall (History) will produce the first monograph of the history of Oxfam in Canada. One of the largest and oldest aid organizations in Canada, Oxfam’s history presents a unique way to understand the apparent contradictions and disjuncture in the thoughts and actions of the Canadian public concerning the Global South as Oxfam staff worked daily to find ways to enact the organization’s commitment to justice and self-government, assistance, and poverty reduction. In addition to the monograph, the project includes building a depository of Oxfam documents at �Ӱ�ԭ�� University and build connections between this collection and other existing collections to facilitate future research on the organization and transnational aid solidarity.  

Thuy Nguyen (Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies) aims to examine how young women and girls with disabilities in South Africa, India, and Vietnam can identify, facilitate, sustain and transform their decolonial learning networks to support disability justice and social change in the Global South. Through methods such as collective biography, digital storytelling, participatory artmaking, and oral history, her team aims to deepen our understanding of how these young women and girls can effectively use their networks and spaces, drawing on their collective memories, stories, strategies, and knowledge to become young leaders in their communities.   

Johanna Peetz (Psychology) will conduct research to identify ways to balance adherence to financial goals with relationship harmony. Confronted daily with self-control dilemmas requiring choices between temptations and goal-consistent decisions, people can employ self-control strategies to make goal-consistent choices easier, some of which may involve the help of a romantic partner. This could aid goal adherence but also spark conflict between partners. Across two pilot studies and one cross-sectional study, Peetz will test if proactive self-control strategies lead to less interpersonal conflict, and if financial stress has an impact on the strategies used.  

Michael Wohl (Psychology) will conduct timely research on different types of “strong leaders” and how support for them manifests from a social psychological perspective. His team seeks to understand how crises constructed through real and perceived existential threats to the nation and collective nostalgia may fuel growing displeasure with liberal democratic institutions and principles. The findings will assess previously neglected signals that predict support for the erosion of democratic principles. Given the growing challenge to democratic principles globally, Wohl’s research will fill a pressing need to understand the psychological mechanisms that lead people to support strong authoritarian leaders despite their tendency to undermine democratic institutions and remove power from the people.  

The supports research excellence in the social sciences and humanities, providing funding for both emerging and established scholars for research initiatives of two to five years. 

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Congratulations to the following FASS researchers who were awarded Insight Development Grants by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) in the February 2025 competition! 

Norhan Elsaadawy (Psychology) will examine the fundamental question of why people care about the impressions they make on others. Despite the abundant self-help advice to not care what others think, the human need to belong and maintain social bonds means that caring is likely the norm and that in day-to-day life, the average person is motivated to consider what others think of them. Little, however, is known about the underlying function of these meta-perceptual functions and when they come online. Elsaadawy will test a novel framework of the reasons people consider the impressions they make, proposing three functions: to navigate interpersonal relationships, monitor their social status and navigate social hierarchies, and resolve underlying issues about their own identity.  

Lori Jones (History) will use the predominant plague tract in premodern Europe – written by John of Burgundy c. 1365) – to test a research methodology that blends medical book history, manuscript studies, historical linguistics, and digital humanities. By identifying the textual and social relationships between extant copies of the tract and trace it’s geographic and “epistemic itinerary” between the 14^th and 17^th centuries, Jones will explore the factors that shaped where medical knowledge travelled and how it was altered as it moved. The project will not only contribute new knowledge about the text, but also about medicine, book trading routes, and knowledge exchange networks across premodern Europe.  

Laura Madokoro (History) will make innovative contributions to pressing discussions about the relationship between empire, displacement, and settler colonialism. When and how do people who have been displaced, as citizens or forced migrants, make claims to settler belonging? Using autoethnography, oral history, and multi-sited archival research, Madokoro will interrogate the processes that led to the internment of Japanese Canadians and German Jews in Canada during the Second World War, placing family histories alongside larger histories of empire, displacement and settlement. In doing so, the project will articulate how negotiating histories of internment and displacement simultaneously reinforce and complicate the ways in which people have laid claim to place and belonging.  

Fady Shanouda (Feminist Institute of Social Transformation) will lead an innovative research creation project to challenge exclusionary design paradigms and transform access to public life for fat individuals. Chairs are among the most common objects in public spaces, yet their design often excludes fat individuals. Societal narratives often blame individuals for their inability to conform to exclusionary modernist design limitations, perpetuating fatphobic ideologies instead of addressing systemic failures in design. This project investigates how “thickened design” can foster system change and transform access to public life for fat individuals by ultimately creating a community designed toolkit grounded in participant insights and apply it in the design build of a thickened chair.  

Nassim Tabri (Psychology) will explore the construct of collective anti-mattering – the perception that one’s group is insignificant or undervalued by other groups or society. Individual anti-mattering (the perception of individual insignificance) has been shown to harm well-being, but it’s group-level counterpart remains unexplored. With a focus on Black Americans and 2SLGBTQI+ communities, Tabri will investigate how collective anti-mattering shapes intergroup relations, individual well-being, and collective action. By introducing and validating a new construct and developing tools to measure collective anti-mattering, the findings will provide actionable insights for promoting inclusivity, representation, and equity.  

Michael Wohl (Psychology) will investigate how perceptions of defensiveness influence interpersonal interactions. Focusing on how attributions of defensiveness are formed, what factors influence them, and how they affect judgments and behaviours, this project will not only expand existing theories on perception and communication, but could have a wide variety of practical applications, including leadership training, counseling or mediation, and educators, healthcare providers and other organizational leaders seeking to foster clearer communication and stronger relationships.   

The supports research in its initial stages. It enables the development of new research questions, as well as experimentation with new methods, theoretical approaches and/or ideas. 

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Congratulations to Dr. John Anderson (Department of Cognitive Science), who, along with two co-investigators at the University of Ottawa and �Ӱ�ԭ�� Collaborator Imola MacPhee, has been awarded a . The research project, “Exploring Cognitive Reserve in Adults with Acute and Chronic Hearing Loss using Multi-Modal MRI,” aims to test evidence for three theories linking hearing loss with cognitive decline (the information degradation hypothesis, the sensory deprivation hypothesis, and the common cause hypothesis), using a novel multimodal approach. It seeks to identify the early fingerprints of hearing loss on crucial structures of the brain that, unabated, could cascade into cognitive decline.��

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Congratulations to Dr. Paul Nelles (History), who was in the November 2024 competition. Along with co-applicants and collaborations from the Université de Montréal and Queen Mary University of London, Nelles will organize an international workshop that rethinks the idea of world literature in the early modern period.����

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) is pleased to support events and outreach activities geared towards short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives. 

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