Strategic Areas of Research
Critical Health and Technology
FASS researchers have key strengths in health policy and the critical engagement of health and technology. A number of researchers engage issues of bioethics and the social determinants of health, governance, policy and comparative analysis of health outcomes, and relations between experts, practitioners and patients. Studies of the ethics of international development assistance and the provision of medical care figure prominently. Researchers also examine the relationship between science, technology and society, with core strengths in the social and cultural implications of artificial intelligence, ethical use of technology, robotics, digital tools, and conflict. This area aligns to the university’s signature cluster of Healthy People, Healthy Communities and Healthy Populations as well as the overarching focus on Big Data.
Culture and Identity
FASS researchers have made valuable contributions to the study of, and knowledge mobilization around, issues of culture and identity. The faculty hosts the Jean Monet European Centre of Excellence and Centre for European Studies, which examine issues of nationalism, migration, film and popular culture across Europe. Several nationally recognized FASS researchers have strengths in global migration and immigration and refugee issues in the Atlantic Region and Canada more broadly, and play a key role in analyzing equity, diversity and inclusion of racialized and colonized populations. Still others focus on Canadian society and culture as well as sports, culture and identity. FASS researchers in the performing arts work in the area of musicology and performance studies. This area aligns to the university’s signature culture of Culture, Society, and Community development but also contributes significantly to all other clusters.
Ethics and Social Justice
FASS has significant expertise in the areas of decolonization, racialization, human rights, Indigenous reconciliation, and gender and women's studies, and social and economic inequality. Within this area researchers likewise examine international and regional development, and environmental sustainability, and issues of animal rights. Researchers likewise analyze the political-economic implications of these issues in Canada and countries around the world. The faculty has a number of researchers who work with communities in the city, province, and other countries to pursue social justice, equity, and development. This area aligns to the university’s signature culture of Culture, Society, and Community Development as well as Healthy People, Healthy Communities and Healthy Populations but also contributes significantly to all other clusters.
Governance Security and Global Affairs
The faculty is well known for its commitment to engaging issues of global security, international affairs, governance (at the local, national and international levels), and public policy. Researchers in FASS have expertise in food security and sustainable agriculture. The Centre for the Study of Security and Development is a hub for research in the area as is the Romeo Dallaire Child Soldier Initiative. Researchers in this area have expertise in Canadian constitutional and intergovernmental policy, Canadian international policy, North America, Europe, Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and Latin America. This area aligns to the university’s signature culture of Culture, Society, and Community development as well as the overarching focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship and Big Data and also contributes significantly to all other clusters.