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News Release

June 15, 2006

Arts, Social Sciences Get Federal Support

Research in the arts, humanities and social sciences at the University of Guelph received a $900,000 boost today.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) announced it's investing nearly $81 million in research projects at 94 universities and colleges. U of G's share is for 12 projects. These projects range from the history of Canada’s health food stores to the earnings and employment outcomes of post-secondary graduates to comparing and understanding the differences between aboriginal traditional and western science knowledge systems.

“I was very pleased to learn that my study had received funding from SSHRC,” said integrative biology professor Steve Crawford.

He received $189,963 to support his effort to improve communication between aboriginal and western science knowledge systems. The award will allow Crawford to develop a model to represent the structure and function of both knowledge systems. “This model should be a very practical tool to compare and contrast aboriginal traditional knowledge and western science in a neutral environment,” he said.

Anthropology professor Renée Sylvain received $70,973 to study human rights and social justice from the perspective of marginalized indigenous San living in remote areas of three southern African countries.

“I'm quite pleased because this is an opportunity to contribute to research capacity-building among San, publicize human rights issues that don't get a great deal of attention internationally, and promote networks between the academics at the University of Guelph and southern African scholars,” said Sylvain.

History professor Catherine Carstairs received $43,009 for research on the history of Canada’s health food stores. She’s conducting interviews with 30 of Canada’s health food leaders and examining health magazines to trace the history and trends of the industry.

Other professors who received SSHRC funding are:

• James Amegashie, Economics, $35,401 to study revenge and third-party intervention in conflicts.

• Rob de Loë, Geography, $97,030 for a study of water allocation in Alberta and in New South Wales, Australia

• Michael Hoy, Economics, $38,900 to research the effectiveness of private and social insurance policy options

• Ric Knowles, English and Theatre Studies, $68,258 for a study of how Toronto’s multiculturalism is reflected in its performance arts

• Jesse Palsetia, History, $107,022 to examine the public career of Indian businessman Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy

• Troy Riddell, Political Science, $65,842 for a study of the federal judicial appointment process

• Norman Smith, History, $75,015 to research Chinese narratives of alcohol and opiate addiction in the popular culture of Manchuria from 1900 to the 1940s

• Henry Thille, Economics, $47,377 to explore the link between the size of firms in a market and
the use of inventories to smooth prices

• David Walters, Sociology and Anthropology, $54,772 for a study on the earnings and employment outcomes of post-secondary graduates.