Congratulations to researchers from the Faculty of Social Sciences on receiving Community-based Research Grants

Professors Christina Clark-Kazak, Irene Vitoroulis and Karine Vanthuyne, renowned for their innovative work and significant contributions to the social sciences, were recently awarded Community-based Research (CBR) grants by the University of Ottawa. Here is an overview of their respective community-based research projects.

Professor Christina Clark-Kazak

Christina Clark-Kazak is a professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. A specialist in international migration and development, she is known for her expertise in the field of forced migration. Before joining the University of Ottawa, she held key positions at York University and Saint Paul University, as well as with the federal government and the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers. Her dedication to refugee rights is evident in her roles as president of the Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, director of the York University Centre for Refugee Studies and associate dean (Research and Graduate Studies) at York’s bilingual Glendon campus. Her areas of research include forced migration, refugee rights and age discrimination in Canadian immigration policy.

Professor Clark-Kazak’s research project, titled “The Right to Housing for Refugee Claimants in Canada,” tackles the housing crisis facing refugee claimants in this country. In partnership with Matthew House Ottawa, a non-profit organization that provides housing and support to refugees, the research aims to map and analyze housing and integration services for this vulnerable population. Using a rights-based approach, the study examines the adequacy of existing services in relation to asylum seekers’ rights under Canadian and international law. Her co-researchers at the University of Ottawa are Delphine Nakache (Faculty of Law-Common Law) and Bantayehu Chanie (Faculty of Social Sciences).

The research aims to fill gaps in knowledge about the experiences of asylum seekers in the Canadian housing system, focusing on those facing homelessness. The results will inform policies and programs, and call for better support mechanisms and access to fundamental rights. The research findings will be disseminated through articles, briefing notes, presentations and meetings with government officials and asylum-seeker organizations.

Professor Irene Vitoroulis

Irene Vitoroulis is an assistant professor in developmental psychology at the School of Psychology. Her research program focuses on how social processes affect the well-being and psychosocial integration of young people from immigrant, refugee, ethnocultural and racialized backgrounds. This research focuses on the role of ethnocultural background and immigrant status in bullying, aggression, mental health and the influence of contextual factors on social outcomes. Her areas of expertise include developmental psychology, immigrant and refugee well-being, bullying and victimization, and youth mental health.

Professor Vitoroulis’ current research project, in partnership with Christie Lake Kids (CLK), a community-based organization that provides day camps for children from low-income families, aims to support the organization’s research needs and improve understanding of children’s strengths and needs. This collaborative project will use a participatory approach to co-design a grant proposal aimed at securing funding to support CLK programs.

Professor Vitoroulis’ research aims to improve the mental, physical and socio-emotional health of children from low-income backgrounds, with a particular focus on racialized/culturally diverse families. In partnership with CLK, the project aims to fill programming gaps and create more inclusive and culturally appropriate interventions.

Professor Karine Vanthuyne

Karine Vanthuyne is a professor of anthropology at the School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies. Her research focuses on Indigenous participation in Canada and Guatemala in so-called “transitional justice” and mining development projects, as well as calls for the decolonization of universities. As holder of the Chair in University Teaching since 2020, Professor Vanthuyne leads participatory action research aimed at identifying factors that contribute to a decolonizing Indigenization of university curricula. Her engagement in participatory and decolonial research processes sets apart her work in the field of anthropology.

Thanks to the support of Professor Vanthuyne, the Wìdòkodàdodà (Building Together) research project, led and directed by Mike Diabo and Mona Tolley, was able to secure Community-based Research Grant funding. Mike and Mona, both members of the Anishinabeg community of Kitigan Zibi, bring unique expertise to the University of Ottawa in the field of Indigenous education. Mike Diabo is a science teacher and outdoor activity leader who excels at building bridges between Western scientific approaches and traditional Anishinaabe wisdom. Mona Tolley is the Senior Indigenous Education Advisor in the Faculty of Social Sciences. She incorporates holistic Indigenous knowledge and practices into her work, drawing on over 20 years’ experience in education. Together, they support the work of the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Decolonization and Indigenization Committee, set up in 2018 by Karine Vanthuyne and colleagues in response to the Calls to Action issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Wìdòkodàdodà aims to identify how the University of Ottawa can contribute to the revitalization of the traditional knowledge systems of the Anicinapé, guardians of the territory where the institution is located, and thus continue to advance along the path of justice and decolonization. To that end, Mike Diabo and Mona Tolley will continue to consult extensively with members of their nation in order to determine what lessons should be included on an e-learning portal, how they should be presented, to whom they should be accessible, and how they should be accessed.

The Community-Based Research Granting Program is an initiative led by the Office of the Vice-President Research and Innovation to promote the involvement of the community in the research process. This CBR grants is in line with the University of Ottawa's Action Plan on EDI in Research and supports the University of Ottawa's Knowledge Mobilization Strategy.

You can learn more about the work of these three researchers and discover other influential research conducted at the Faculty of Social Sciences by visiting Collabzium.