News from the social sciences and humanities

Blog
January 13, 2012

Milena Stanoeva
Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Registration for the 2012 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, hosted by Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo from May 26 to June 2, is now open! Special early registration prices are available until April 1st, so don’t delay! Information on featured events, including Big Thinkers like Margaret Atwood, is available here.

Co-founder and director of Britain’s New College of the Humanities Matthew Batstone took to The Guardian this week to argue for the importance of the humanities to Britain’s business and political leadership, most of whom have humanities degrees. Though Batstone frames his argument as a defence, it is actually a good reminder that the humanities should be celebrated for their contribution to all levels of civil life.

The Government of Ontario is cutting $66-million in funding for research grants. The grants were targeted at applied research projects in the social sciences, arts and humanities programs, as well as the Research Excellence programs.

Moira Farr of University Affairs wrote about what universities, particularly Carleton University, are doing to help students with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) adjust to university life and excel. According to Farr, universities, especially in Ottawa, are welcoming increasing numbers of students with AS. Because of this, it’s imperative for universities to prepare both faculty and students with AS to work together.

Yesterday, CBC’s The Current interviewed Jessica Ball, a SSHRC-funded professor at the University of Victoria’s School of Child and Youth Care, who studies Aboriginal men who grew up without fathers, and what they are doing to make sure their own children don’t grow up fatherless as well.