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(Re)Searching for Canadian Studies (CanSearch)

The CanSearch project, based at York University, is inviting doctoral students interested in Canadian Studies, who are located both in Canada and abroad, to participate in the 2nd Critical Canadian Studies Summer School. In-person summer school to be held at York University’s Glendon campus in Toronto, 23–27 June 2025.

You will find more details on the poster.

Click HERE to apply for the Summer School.


Main Funder: SSHRC Partnership Development Grant (2022-2025)
Project Email: casearch@yorku.ca

Project Description

This project aims to assess how Canadian Studies is researched and taught outside of Canada, and to foster stronger connections between domestic and international networks in Canadian Studies. Since the federal government stopped funding Canadian Studies abroad in 2012, the main questions guiding this project are:

  • What has been the pedagogy of Canadian Studies abroad over the last 10 years; and
  • how does it connect to the evolution of the country around selected themes?

Canadian Studies as an academic field has evolved distinctly within Canada and abroad, especially in regions and countries dependent on federal funding. The team will map topics of interest in Canadian Studies abroad, examine key similarities and differences by country or region, and bridge Canadian Studies scholarship with other contributions relevant to the study of Canada, around key themes: colonialism and transformative reconciliation; environmental justice and the climate crisis; language activism and revitalization; and racial equity and knowledge democracy.

The project has five objectives:

  1. to document how Canadian Studies is researched and taught internationally;
  2. to analyze the differences in how Canada is portrayed, notably between domestic and international scholarship;
  3. to assess representational gaps about Canada around selected themes;
  4. to strengthen an existing international network of Canadian Studies; and
  5. to produce open-access pedagogical resources for various audiences.

Among the outputs, already accomplished as well as still in preparation, the following can be found:

  • Three special issues of academic journals
  • 2024 Canadian Studies Summit
  • 2024 Canadian Studies Summer School, followed by annual Summer Schools
  • Handouts on research about Canada
  • Online platform and search engine available as a repository of open-access sources for Canadianists as well as students
  • A series of podcasts and video content based on CanSearch-related research and networks
  • Art e-book and teaching guide available for the community of Canadianists
  • Expert database
  • Undergraduate conferences

Partnership

This project proposes a partnership to address some of the challenges in constantly incorporating contemporary scholarship to the study of Canada and provide additional resources for Canadian Studies specialists from around the world. The main academic partners are the following:

  • the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies and Glendon College at York University;
  • the Frost Centre for Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies at Trent University;
  • the Centre for Canadian Studies at Mount Allison University;
  • the Université Saint-Boniface will support this project; and
  • the Chair in Canadian Studies at the University of British Columbia.

This project will also rely on a partnership with:

  • the Art Canada Institute; and
  • the International Council for Canadian Studies.

Research Team

Principal Investigator:

  • Jean Michel Montsion, York University

Co-applicants:

  • Andrea Beverley, Mount Allison University
  • Sarah Blacker, York University
  • Alexandre Brassard, Université de Saint-Boniface
  • Colin Coates York University
  • Eve Haque, York University
  • Heather Nicol, Trent University, and
  • Minelle Mahtani, University of British Columbia
  • Sharifa Patel, independent researcher

Collaborators:

  • Elisabeth Abergel, UQÀM
  • Yann Allard-Tremblay, McGill University
  • Andrew Dawson, York University
  • Geoffrey Ewen, York University
  • Ann Kim, York University
  • Marcel Martel, York University
  • Paul Morris, Université de Saint-Boniface
  • Sarah Parsons, York University
  • Carolyn Podruchny, York University
  • Étienne Rivard, Université de Saint-Boniface
  • Tameka Samuels-Jones, York University
  • Aparna Mishra Tarc, York University

Lead Project Manager:

  • Dominik Formanowicz, York University

Doctoral and Graduate Research Assistants:

  • Christiane Marie Canillo, York University
  • William Fisher, York University
  • Hannah Laginski, Trent University
  • Sara McCleary, York University
  • Riya Trikha, York University

Undergraduate Research Assistants:

  • Bianca Anderson, Glendon College, York University
  • Andrea Barreto, Glendon College, York University
  • Wilson Bazambanza, Glendon College, York Univeristy
  • Natasha Hameed, Glendon College, York University.
  • Miriam Kathleen Hicks, Mount Allison University
  • Qurratulain Husnain, Glendon College, York University
  • Lauren Ashley Killam, Mount Allison University
  • Michelle Kumar, York University
  • Samuel Nieva, Glendon College, York University
  • Lucy Isabel Rae, Mount Allison University
  • Breanna Ross, Mount Allison University
  • Elif Tuyner, Glendon College, York University

Regards sur les études canadiennes 

Ce projet cherche à comprendre comment le Canada est représenté et enseigné dans les cercles académiques à l’extérieur du pays, depuis que le gouvernement fédéral a cessé de financer les études canadiennes à l’étranger en 2012. L’objectif à long terme est de favoriser la création de liens plus solides entre les réseaux d’études canadiennes au Canada et à l’international. Les principales questions qui guident ce projet visent la pédagogie utilisée pour enseigner sur le Canada depuis les 10 dernières années et les stratégies de recherche employées par les chercheurs canadianistes établis à l’étranger. Notre équipe de recherche établira une cartographie des sujets d’intérêt de ces enseignants et chercheurs et elle examinera les principales similitudes et différences par pays ou région. L’équipe s’intéressera notamment aux sujets suivants : le colonialisme et la réconciliation transformatrice, la justice environnementale et la crise climatique, l’activisme linguistique et l’équité raciale. Pour plus de détails en français, veuillez écrire à casearch@yorku.ca