The Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diasporas and its members aim to undertake research related to:
- histories of slavery and colonization
- study of pre-contact cultures
- histories of Africa and colonialism
- contemporary lives of African peoples and diasporic communities in Canada and abroad, and contemporary social justice issues including racism and exploitation; from a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspective covering the diversity of topics in the Social Sciences and Humanities, Environment, Health, Education, Fine Arts, and STEM
- other research that relates to lives of African peoples and diasporic communities in Canada and abroad.
In paying attention to the Canadian context, the goal is to bring to light anti-Black racism, to expose diversity within the Black community, and to inform policy at York and nationally.