UBC professors received $4.7 million in funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to lead projects to examine terrorism and democracy.
Mark Warren, a professor in the Department of Political Science, was awarded $2.5 million over five years for the Participedia Project that will map and develop data for new democratic innovations around the world. Dan Hiebert, a professor in the Department of Geography, was awarded $2.2 million over seven years for the Canadian Network For Research on Terrorism, Security and Society. The funding comes from the SSHRC Partnership Grants program.
“This funding allows our professors to develop important academic and research partnerships with colleagues here in Canada and internationally,” said John Hepburn, vice president, research and international. “These collaborations are critical for advancing our understanding of economic, social, and cultural issues.”
The SSHRC Partnership Grants bring together academics, businesses and non-governmental organizations to advance knowledge and understanding on critical intellectual, social, economic and cultural issues. Both of UBC’s successful applications were supported through UBC’s Support Programs to Advance Research Capacity (SPARC) office.
UBC’s SSHRC Partnership Grant awards:
The Participedia Project is an international partnership that will develop information about new participatory political innovations in order to map this emerging domain and to assess its contributions to democracy and good governance. Warren will lead a multidisciplinary team from 22 universities, including seven Canadian universities, and four NGOs devoted to improving democratic processes. More information here.
The Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security and Society is an independent organization, led by UBC and a consortium of Canadian universities, which provides a platform for academics and government officials to examine the changing relationship between cultural diversity, human rights, and national security. It is based on the ethos of providing sound evidence to facilitate the development of better social policies, and engages in a variety of research projects, holds frequent policy-research workshops and seminars, and hosts a summer training academy for graduate students and junior policy officials. More information here.