INTRODUCTION
The China Insights Fund (CIF) at the York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR) is made possible through the generous support of the Asian Business and Management Program (ABMP). Established in 2019 and launched as the Canada-China Initiatives Fund, the CIF has been envisioned to refocus on, stimulate and support research activity as well as foster engagement between China and the world. In the context of this funding opportunity, the term “China” is inclusive of all Chinese-speaking economies.
ELIGIBILITY AND SCOPE
This fund supports short-term projects and initiatives with a keen interest in themes related to:
- Imperial, modern and contemporary China
- China and its relationships with the global community, including Canada
- China and the Indo-Pacific area as a region
- Chinese Diaspora in Canada
| Activities | Who is Eligible |
| Workshop, Symposium, or Conference | · York University faculty members · Full-time, domestic or international graduate students enrolled at York University · YCAR Associates |
| Research Projects | · York University faculty members · YCAR Associates |
| International Research/ Teaching Collaborations | · York University faculty members · Full-time, domestic or international graduate students enrolled at York University · YCAR Associates |
| Graduate Student Field Research | · Full-time, domestic or international graduate students enrolled at York University |
For all opportunities, an applicant may apply once every three years.
FUNDING AND APPLICATION PROCESS:
The CIF-YCAR Committee is responsible for the Fund and adjudicates applications. Annually, up to two applications will be funded for a minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $20,000 per application, depending on the type of application and the project budget.
REPORTING AND PRESENTATION:
Successful applicants will be required to submit a comprehensive report at the end of the one-year funding period as well as present their findings and experiences, offering a platform for knowledge dissemination and fostering a community of collaborative scholarship.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The CIF is offered annually and we are now accepting applications for the Monday, 12 May 2025 deadline. All applicants will be informed of the adjudication results within one month.
Let’s build bridges of knowledge and collaboration together.
Queries or requests for additional information: ycar@yorku.ca
Application and Budget Template links:
- Workshop, Symposium or Conference
- Research Project
- International Research/Teaching Collaboration
- Graduate Student Field Research
The launch of the CIF was featured in YFile and Education News Canada
Recipients:
2023
Shaping the Future of AI: Generative AI Governance in China and Canada
Workshop
Muyang Li, Department of Sociology
2022
Writing Chinese: Diasporic Entanglements in Chinese Canadian English Prose Fiction
Graduate Student Research
Monique Attrux, Graduate Programme in English
CROSSING TIME ZONES China-Canada-Australia Young Artists Communication Exhibition
Virtual Event
Joel Ong, Department of Computational Arts
Negotiating Belongingness through Digital Media: Identity Negotiation of Chinese International Students in Canada amidst the Pandemic
Graduate Student Research
Yuxi Zhao, Graduate Programme in Communication and Culture
Dr. Norman Bethune’s Image in China and Canada
Graduate Student Research
Chengjiao Zhang, Comparative Literature
Toronto’s Chinese Orchestras: History, Performance, and Community in the Canadian Chinese Diaspora
Graduate Student Research
Yao Cui, Graduate Programme in Music
Is There Racial Profiling among Canadian University Professors of Chinese Descent? What Could Be the Consequences for the Canadian Research Community and Canada-China Research Collaboration?
Research Project
Qiang Zha, Faculty of Education
2021
Who Drinks Bubble-Tea? High-Rise Student Gated Communities in Toronto’s West Chinatown
Graduate Student Research
Corals Zheng, Environmental Studies
The Long Term Effects of Migrant Rights’ Campaigns on Vulnerability to Forced Labour in Hong Kong
Research Project
Margaret Boittin, Osgoode Hall Law School
When Chinese Propaganda Goes Global: Understanding China’s Overseas Information Campaigns
Research project
Muyang Li, Sociology
Chinese Canadian’s Awareness of Indigenous Peoples & their History in Canada —Mapping Knowledge Gaps & Finding Solutions
Research Project
Rick Sin, School of Social Work
2020
Chinese-Canadian Emigration and the China Rust Belt
Graduate Student Research
Liu Xin, Cinema and Media Arts
Chinese Urbanization in Global Urban Age: A Scenic Approach
Research Project
Cary Wu, Sociology
Woman and Urbanization in China: Building a Transformative Knowledge Network
Workshop
Linda Peake, Social Science
Making Gender in China: Third Biannual Conference of the China Academic Network on Gender
Conference
Christopher Vogel, History
Substantiable Urbanization in China and Canada: Comparative Perspectives
Workshop
Cary Wu, Sociology
The Redress Express: A Community Retrospective
Virtual Event
Lorne Foster, School of Public Policy & Administration
Platform Politics: China Tech Companies & Global Geopolitics
Research Project
Tokunbo Ojo, Communication Studies
姐姐,弟弟 Sister, Brother: Son Preference and Daughter Discrimination Among Chinese Canadians
Virtual Event
Sharada Srinivasan, YCAR Research Associate; Sociology and Anthropology, University of Guelph
Anti-Asian Racism during COVID-19: An Interdisciplinary Approach
Virtual Event
Xiao Alvin Yang, YCAR Visiting Graduate Associate; PhD candidate, Universität Kassel
Looking Back and Forward: Perspectives on Canada-China Higher Education Relations (a blended seminar marking the 50th anniversary of Canada-China diplomatic relationship)
Virtual Event
Qiang Zha, Education
2019
Marxist Perspectives on Economy, Business and Society in China
Workshop
Raju Das, Department of Geography
International Tax Disputes Among Belt & Road Countries: Can There Be One Mechanism that Works for All (Big and Small)?
Research project
Jinyan Li, Osgoode Hall Law School
From the 2019 Hong Kong Protests to the World’s Tomorrow: The Power of Disobedience, Discourse and Creative Dissent
Exhibition and event series
Wendy S. Wong, Department of Design