Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC; French: Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada, CRSH), often colloquially pronounced 'shirk' (/ʃɜːrk/) is a Canadian federal research-funding agency that promotes and supports post-secondary research and training in the humanities and social sciences.[2] It is one of three major federal granting agencies (the others being the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Canadian Institutes for Health Research) that together are referred to as the "Tri-Council"[3] or "Tri-Agency.[4]

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada
Agency overview
Formed1977
JurisdictionGovernment of Canada
Headquarters125 Zaida Eddy Private, 2nd Floor, Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 0E3 Canada
45°25′14.5″N 75°43′02.1″W / 45.420694°N 75.717250°W / 45.420694; -75.717250
Annual budgetC$ 543.8 m (2021-22; Program Investments)[1]
Minister responsible
Agency executive
  • Ted Hewitt, President
Parent departmentInnovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Websitehttp://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/

History edit

Created by an act of the Parliament of Canada in 1977, SSHRC reports to Parliament through the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development. SSHRC came into existence on 1 May 1978 under the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Act which was passed in an omnibus manner by the government of Pierre Elliot Trudeau.[5]

Governance edit

SSHRC creates policy, plans budgets, and directs priorities through a council established by the federal government. The appointed members are a mix of academics and representatives from the industry.[6] They have the role of advising the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development on research policy in the areas of research and scholarship in the social sciences and humanities, with the goal of representing the interests of academic, public and private sectors.[6] Council committees[7] create and oversee SSHRC's programs, determine the distribution of funds and handles the strategies for enacting the councils policies.

President edit

Past presidents include André Fortier (1977–?), William E. Taylor (also, William Ewart Taylor Jr), Paule Leduc (June 1988 to March 1994), Lynn Penrod (1994–1997), Marc Renaud (1997–2005), and Chad Gaffield (2006–2014).[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Ted Hewitt was appointed president of SSHRC in March 2015, and continues to serve as President.[17]

Programs edit

SSHRC funding opportunities[18] are available through three programs: Talent, Insight and Connection.

Talent program edit

The Talent program[19] is to support students and postdoctoral candidates to become researchers and leaders across society, both within academia and across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

The program promotes research skills and assists in the training of highly qualified personnel in the social sciences and humanities. In this way, SSHRC fosters the development of talented and creative people who will become leaders across campuses and communities.

Insight program edit

The Insight program[20] is to build knowledge and understanding about people, societies and the world by supporting research excellence in all subject areas eligible for funding from SSHRC. Research and training in the social sciences and humanities provide the foundation for a vibrant, healthy and prosperous society. They build knowledge and understanding about individuals, groups and societies.

The program aims to support and foster excellence in social sciences and humanities research intended to deepen, widen and increase collective understanding of individuals and societies, as well as to inform the search for solutions to societal challenges.

Connection program edit

The Connection program[21] is to realize the potential of social sciences and humanities research for intellectual, cultural, social and economic influence, benefit and impact on and beyond the campus by supporting specific activities and tools that facilitate the flow and exchange of research knowledge.

Knowledge mobilization in the social sciences and humanities facilitates the multidirectional flow of research knowledge across academia and society as a whole, in order to inform Canadian and international research, debate, decisions and actions. Those who can benefit from publicly funded research results in the humanities and social sciences - diverse groups of researchers, policy-makers, business leaders, community groups, educators and the media. The program aims to support knowledge mobilization activities such as networking, disseminating, exchanging and co-creating research-based knowledge as an important element of publicly engaged scholarship, and as a means of strengthening research agendas. SSHRC also recognizes that rapidly evolving information and communications technologies provide new opportunities to engage a variety of audiences with an interest and/or involvement in social sciences and humanities scholarship.

A program entitled Canada 150 Connection has been set up for the 150th anniversary of Canada to support activities by post-secondary institutions and researchers that explore the contributions of social sciences and humanities research to Canadian society.[22]

Notable past SSHRC Scholars and Fellows include edit

Future challenge areas edit

In June 2013, SSHRC's governing council endorsed six future challenge areas[23] developed during its Imagining Canada's Future[24] initiative, with a goal of addressing Canada's future societal challenges and meeting future opportunities through social sciences and humanities research.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "SSHRC's Investments interactive dashboard".
  2. ^ Council, Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Government of Canada, Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics (1 April 2019). "Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans – TCPS 2 (2018)". ethics.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  4. ^ Government of Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (18 December 2019). "NSERC - Inter-Agency, Tri-Agency Financial Administration". www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  5. ^ 1976-77, c. 24, s. 2
  6. ^ a b Council, Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Council, Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Kondro, Wayne (11 April 1997). "Funding council hopes plan offers port in political storm". Science. 276 (5310): 195–196. doi:10.1126/science.276.5310.195. S2CID 144222639.
  9. ^ "Daily Bulletin, Friday, June 24, 1994". University of Waterloo. 24 June 1994.
  10. ^ Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  11. ^ "marc.renaud | Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation". www.trudeaufoundation.ca. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Chad Gaffield resigning as president of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". ottawacitizen. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  13. ^ Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Evaluation in the social sciences: the strategic context". Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  15. ^ Abu-Laban, Baha; Rule, Brendan Gail (1988). The Human Sciences: Their Contribution to Society and Future Research Needs. University of Alberta. ISBN 978-0-88864-134-2.
  16. ^ "William Ewart Taylor Jr | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  17. ^ Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  18. ^ Council, Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Council, Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ Council, Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Council, Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "Grants help grow Canada 150 events and outreach - SFU News - Simon Fraser University". SFU News. Simon Fraser University. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  23. ^ Council, Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ Council, Government of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research (11 May 2012). "Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council". www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links edit