Professor: Ryan Katz-Rosene
Unit: School of Political Studies
Number of Students: 4
Language of course: English (assignments in English only)

Research Description

How might climate change affect the everyday costs of life later this century? This research project, titled “What if Costs Go Up as the Climate Breaks Down? Between the Everyday and Global Political Economies of ‘Climateflation’”, explores the potential impacts of climate change on key areas of daily life, including food, energy, transport, housing, insurance, and care work. Beyond assessing costs, the project seeks to map the wider social, political, and economic consequences, including effects on inequality, governance, and societal stability.

For decades, natural scientists have modeled the physical impacts of climate change, while economists have examined costs, benefits, and potential inflationary effects. More recently, literature on the ‘Polycrisis’ highlights how climate-driven shocks may cascade across social, economic, and political systems, amplifying everyday costs and straining institutional resilience.

This project aims to move beyond aggregate GDP or generalized projections, offering a nuanced, contextual, and holistic understanding of how people across society are likely to experience and respond to the pressures of climate breakdown.

Key Learning Activities

• Mid-term Project Evaluation: Annotated Reading List [30%]
  Students select one focus area (food, energy, transport, housing, insurance, or care work) and compile an annotated list of 25–50 key scholarly sources relating to climate-driven changes in costs (“Climateflation”).

• Evaluation of Final Project: Research Support Brief [40%]
  Students produce a 15–25 page Research Support Brief identifying key facets of their focus area. For example: How are everyday prices affected by climate change or climate policy? How are social groups and political actors responding? What future trends can be projected? This brief supports the broader research data collection and literature review.

• Self-Reflection Exercise [20%]
  A 2–3 page reflection on how participation in the research project enhanced skills or knowledge in relation to the course objectives.

• Engagement and Participation [10%]
  Active involvement in course meetings, engagement with materials, and collaboration with the professor and peers.

Professor: Samantha Kempe
Unit: School of Psychology
Number of Students: 2
Language of course: English (assignments can be submitted in English or French)

Research Description

This course engages students in a meta-analytic research project examining the pathways linking childhood abuse—physical, emotional, and sexual—to disordered eating and eating disorders in youth. Special emphasis is placed on the mediating roles of emotion dysregulation and body image.

Students will gain hands-on experience conducting systematic reviews and Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modeling (MASEM), learning how to synthesize empirical evidence and translate findings into prevention and intervention strategies for at-risk populations.

Key Learning Activities

• Experiential Learning
  Contribute directly to a meta-analytic research project exploring the pathways from childhood abuse to disordered eating in youth.

• Professional Capacity and Autonomy
  Develop independence in research through tasks such as literature searching, screening, coding, and engaging in team discussions.

• Research Methodologies
  Gain knowledge of systematic review procedures, basic meta-analytic techniques, and the key steps involved in planning and conducting a meta-analytic study.

• Critical Assessment and Scientific Communication
  Learn to evaluate empirical research rigorously and communicate findings clearly and accurately in both written and verbal formats.

Professor: Patti Lenard
Unit: Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (Conflict Studies and Human Rights)
Number of Students: 3
Language of the course: English (assignments can be submitted in English or French)

Research Description

Homosexuality remains illegal in at least 67 countries, and at least nine others criminalize gender expression targeting transgender individuals. LGBTQ+ people in these contexts may face violence, persecution, and restrictions that prevent them from living safely.

This research project explores transnational solidarity networks that support LGBTQ+ refugees seeking asylum, including both formal organizations and informal connections, particularly those that link to Canada—a country that grants asylum and resettles LGBTQ+ refugees. Students will engage with academic and popular literature, collect online primary data, and conduct interviews with individuals working within these networks.

The project aims to deepen understanding of transnational solidarity-driven activism, human rights advocacy, and the theoretical foundations of solidarity motivating these networks.

Key Learning Activities

• Group Collaboration and Presentations
  Work collectively to advance research, present progress, and receive feedback.

• Annotated Bibliography
  Compile and analyze key academic and popular literature on LGBTQ+ refugee networks.

• Primary Source Analysis
  Examine online and interview-based primary data to understand network structures and practices.

• Theoretical and Historical Analysis
  Study theories of solidarity and the history of the queer refugee movement to contextualize findings.

• Critical Reflection
  Reflect on research insights, methodological choices, and implications for human rights activism globally.

Professor: Emily Wills
Unit: School of Political Studies
Number of Students: 4
Language of the course: English (assignments can be submitted in English or French)

Research Description

Canada is among a small group of countries that grant asylum to individuals who have faced violence or oppression based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, and that resettles LGBTQ+ refugees. However, the evolution of these policies, the actors involved, and the processes through which they became part of Canada’s international identity remain underexplored.

In this research project, students will review scholarly literature on LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers in Canada, conduct document analysis, and carry out interviews to better understand the history and development of these policies. Students will also create outputs designed for both scholarly and public audiences, including academic articles, blog posts, or historical exhibits.

Key Learning Activities

• Annotated Bibliographies
  Compile and analyze key academic sources on Canadian LGBTQ+ refugee policy.

• Document and Interview Analysis
  Collect, code, and transcribe textual and interview data to trace policy development.

• Scholarly and Public Outputs
  Contribute to an academic article and produce a knowledge dissemination piece for a general audience.

Professor: Daniel Stockemer
Unit: School of Political Studies
Number of Students: 4
Language of the course: English (assignments in course language only)

Research Description

FIFA World Cups have long been political, from host country selection to “sportswashing” efforts and the geopolitical controversies that arise during and after the tournament. Past events, such as the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar, highlight issues involving human rights, corruption, and international diplomacy.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be particularly political: it will be the largest ever, expanding from 32 to 48 teams and hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Even before the tournament begins, controversies have emerged over host city selection, human rights concerns, cross-border travel issues, and differing political landscapes in the three host nations.

Students in this research project will review literature on previous World Cups, analyze the political dimensions of international sporting events, and map potential political issues likely to emerge during the 2026 tournament.

Key Learning Activities

• Literature Synthesis
  Review and summarize scholarship on the political nature of previous FIFA World Cups.

• Hypothesis Formulation
  Develop research questions and hypotheses related to political dynamics in international sports events.

• Research Methodology Application
  Apply and evaluate political science research methods to real-world events.

• Applied Research Engagement
  Conduct analysis that connects theory to contemporary political developments surrounding the 2026 World Cup.

Professor: Catherine Dussault
Unit: School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies
Number of Students: 2
Language of the course: English (assignments can be submitted in English or French)

Research Description

In Nunavik (Arctic Québec), Inuit communities are experiencing rapid territorial transformations driven by climate change and expanding resource extraction linked to the global energy transition. These overlapping dynamics, referred to as “forced transitions,” disrupt traditional ways of inhabiting, using, and governing the land.

This research project examines how Inuit communities mobilize traditional knowledge and decision-making structures to assert sovereignty and articulate alternatives grounded in local values such as self-determination and saimatsianiq—a concept emphasizing balance, harmony, and peace.

At the intersection of Indigenous anti-colonial theory and anthropology of knowledge, the project critically reflects on decolonization within the context of forced transitions. It investigates how intensified extractivism, climate disruption, and neoliberal restructuring challenge Indigenous sovereignty, and explores alternative frameworks emerging from Inuit epistemologies to promote justice, ecological balance, and collective governance.

Key Learning Activities

• Documentary Research
  Review both academic and non-academic literature relevant to decolonization, climate justice, and resource extraction in Nunavik.

• Preliminary Field Investigation
  Conduct interviews or participate in research activities based on literature review, either individually or in teams, depending on student interests.

• Applied Research Practice
  Engage directly with ongoing research projects to develop skills in critical analysis, community-based inquiry, and applied anthropology.

Professor: Elke Winter
Unit: School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies
Number of Students: 3
Language of the course: Bilingual (assignments can be submitted in English or French)

Research Description

Political leaders from Nicolas Sarkozy to Donald Trump have expressed a preference for immigration choisie (chosen immigration) over immigration subie (endured immigration). In the global knowledge economy, human capital is a critical economic asset, and over 40% of UN member states aim to increase the intake of highly skilled migrants. Immigration policies have become less restrictive regarding scale and ethnicity, and more selective based on economic utility and social class.

This research project critically examines skilled migration as a tool of economic nationalism in Europe and North America, particularly in the context of rising social inequality and populism. Students will assist in collecting, categorizing, and analyzing data, including academic and grey literature and statistics, and will help produce country reports on economic migrants and how they are perceived by host populations.

Key Learning Activities

• Research Team Integration
  Become a full member of an existing research team, working independently while collaborating and meeting project goals and timelines.

• Literature Review and Analysis
  Collect, summarize, and critically evaluate academic and grey literature on skilled migration and social inequality.

• Data Collection and Cataloguing
  Identify, gather, and organize data and documents using reference management tools such as Zotero or Endnote.

• Research Output Production
  Write up research findings, identify limitations, and contribute to country-specific case studies on economic migration and social reception.

• Professional Development
  Gain first-hand experience executing a research project, strengthen graduate-level research skills, and develop expertise in immigration and social inequality issues.

Professor: Nathalie Mondain
Unit: School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies
Number of Students: 4
Language of the course: French (assignments can be submitted in English or French)

Research Description

Multiple factors shape national identity in developed countries, particularly in Canada, including low fertility rates and an aging population, which migration policies have sought to address. This has resulted in increased population diversity, which presents both opportunities and challenges for integration.

This project examines the dynamics of immigrant participation in Canadian society. Successful participation is defined as “mutual engagement between the individual and society as a whole” (Gouvernement du Québec, 2016), involving both individual integration and societal facilitation. The research focuses on how individual trajectories and social, economic, and health characteristics interact with broader social contexts to shape the participation of immigrants in public life.

Key Learning Activities

• Critical Literature Review
  Conduct a review on the concept of participation and challenges faced by immigrants using intersectional and decolonial approaches.

• Qualitative Data Analysis
  Analyze a corpus of 24 in-depth interviews with immigrants of diverse backgrounds, considering gender and migratory characteristics.

• Community Engagement
  Engage with community and provincial organizations working with immigrant populations to understand practical dynamics of participation.

• Research Output
  Write a scientific article or research report intended for academic audiences or community organizations.

Professor: Karine Vanthuyne
Unit: School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies
Number of Students: 4
Language of the course: Bilingual (assignments can be submitted in English or French)

Research Description

Since 2009, Latin America has been the most violent continent in the world (UNDP, 2009). Human rights literature highlights violence perpetrated, encouraged, or tolerated by many Latin American states, including Guatemala, which allegedly targets citizens defending human, civil, political, and environmental rights through the growing criminalisation of collective action. Criminalisation often facilitates violence by framing defenders as “enemies” through new laws or reinterpretations of existing legislation.

In this course, students actively participate in a comparative, multidisciplinary study of five Latin American countries, contributing to literature reviews and documentary research focused on Guatemala. The project analyses accounts from criminalised defenders to examine the consequences of criminalisation:

1. For democracy and human rights: targeting committed citizens, especially Indigenous peoples, undermines democratic consolidation and respect for rights.

2. For security: state violence persists, and criminalisation may exacerbate it, with rising forced displacement of targeted communities.

Students’ research supports the analysis of firsthand accounts collected by the professor during a 2024 field survey in Guatemala, providing critical insights into the dynamics and impacts of criminalisation in the region.

Key Learning Activities

• Documentary Research and Literature Review
  Contribute to the collection, analysis, and synthesis of academic and grey literature relevant to criminalisation and human rights in Latin America.

The research activities for the FSS 4150 - Directed Research in Social Sciences course aim to:

• enrich your university education as well as learning experience and engagement;
• benefit from direct supervision with a faculty member;
• participate immersively in the acquisition of research knowledge and skills;
• enhance the interests and autonomy for higher education;
• increase knowledge of research methodologies and processes;
• become aware of the knowledge limitations inherent in any social sciences research;
• learn about scientific communication.

This course requires a minimum of three evaluations in line with the professor's guidelines and course outline. Work schedule, as well as research activities, shall be confirmed with the professor. The expected number of hours for the course is 120 to 150 hours.

All regulations and deadlines governing progress at the University apply in this case.

Students enrolled in their 4th year of a specialized program of study at the Faculty of Social Sciences that meet the following eligibility criteria are eligible. Please note that the selection process takes place in two parts: the first selection round is made by the Faculty according to the basic eligibility criteria, and the final selection is completed by the professor responsible for the chosen directed research.

Note: 3rd-year students with 51 credits and a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 9.0 can apply.

Basic eligibility criteria

• Have completed at least 81 credits.
• Have a CGPA of 8.0 or more.
• FSS 4150 may be repeated if the topic is different.

Additional evaluation criteria

• Justification of the relevance of the learning activities for your program of study and your career objectives;
• Letter of motivation: language quality, clarity, and coherence;

Only applications accepted by the Faculty and the professor will receive by e-mail an official confirmation of acceptance. We strongly encourage students to register for another course pending the official notification. You will be able to modify your registration within the applicable deadlines.

Please follow the steps below:

1. Submit One Application Form per Course
   Complete a separate application form for each course you are interested in.
2. Write a 200-Word Essay
   As part of your application, you must include a short essay (maximum 200 words) explaining how this research opportunity will:
   • Enhance your student experience
   • Support your professional development
   • Align with your career goals
3. Wait for Faculty Review
   The Faculty will review all applications based on eligibility criteria, academic progress, and course availability. If your application meets the requirements, it will be forwarded to the supervising professor, who will make the final selection. The Faculty will contact you with the outcome and next steps.

Important Notes:

• The application deadline is December 5th 2025. No decisions will be communicated before this date.
• This course will not have a set schedule, appear in uoZone, or be listed on Brightspace. Your research schedule will be developed in collaboration with your supervising professor.