Our Centre is named after a former Ontario Premier (1961-1971), the Hon. John P. Robarts, QC, who always had a strong connection to our university, serving as Chancellor after his retirement from active politics.
The Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies at York University has a large concentration of Canadian specialists and a long history of supporting faculty and graduate students in the research and study of Canada. You will find here a brief thematic history of such support.
Our key principles:
The Robarts Centre is home to multiple research clusters covering a diverse range of topics that contribute to the field of Canadian studies. Current research clusters include:
Black Canada provides a space for an integrated examination of the historical, cultural and various expressive productions of people of African descent in the Americas through the lens of Black Canada and four specific humanities and fine arts approaches: cultural studies, history, literature and music.
The Borealis Council provides leadership on scholarly Northern research and educational activities occurring within/at York University. The council focuses on “northern” regions, particularly those in the Canadian Arctic and Subarctic; to foster and facilitate northern scholarship and research through mentoring and supporting external research grant applications.
CIVIS: Urban Governance & Citizenship
Bringing together scholars and members of the community who are actively engaged in the consideration of urban governance in Canada.
Critical Perspectives on Mental Health (CPM)
CPM mobilizes and facilitates York research that critically examines mental health using social justice paradigms.
CYPIRN (Children and Young People Interdisciplinary Research Network)
We bring together scholars and members of the community who are actively engaged in research and scholarship with and pertaining to young people in Canada.
Providing a forum for students and faculty at York University studying aspects of the Canadian environment from a broad range of disciplinary perspectives including sciences, social sciences, humanities, fine arts, health, and engineering.