Culture reflects, informs and celebrates our human experience, shifting with time and evolving within social and territorial groups. As societies grapple with expanding norms and ideological division, Laurier research contributes to the formation, adaptation and preservation of communities.
Learn more in the Laurier Strategic Research Plan 2025-2030.
The Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada facilitates original research about the expansive, evolving and contested interpretations of Canada.
The Centre for Leading Research in Education encourages the development of thoughtful, balanced and creative approaches to educational research in a changing world.
The Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa fosters knowledge production and timely discourse about issues affecting Continental Africa and its diaspora.
Researchers foster meaningful partnerships with communities, as well as the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, to co-create knowledge and address shared challenges. Rooted in commitments to social justice, reciprocity and shared ownership of data and outputs, this research prioritizes community-identified needs and values diverse forms of knowledge.
The field of cultural analysis explores historical and contemporary cultural phenomena, interpreting cultural representations and practices within local, national and global contexts. It also examines the social, political and economic frameworks that shape and reflect both dominant and marginalized cultures over time.
This research area emphasizes the importance of cultural awareness and active engagement in the learning process and the individual needs of learners and instructors. It explores how diverse cultural perspectives can be integrated into educational practices to create inclusive and dynamic learning environments.
Researchers delve into the transformative effects of digital innovations on everyday life, social structures and global interactions, investigating complex and often negative impacts, such as the role of algorithmic bias in social media and generative AI-driven content.
This research area explores how social institutions, governance structures, cultural practices and symbolic systems evolve over time, examining the impacts of these changes on the resilience of social groups and systems.
Researchers explore intersections of power and individuality, generative AI, issues related to anthropocentrism and the Anthropocene, and broader ecological concerns, seeking to comprehend the past and shape the future of both human and non-human existence in a rapidly evolving world.
Scholars generate and disseminate insights and discussions on matters impacting continental Africa and its diasporas across the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
This interdisciplinary field integrates historical and contemporary perspectives to reflect the profound impacts of globalization and shifting international dynamics on individuals and societies.
Researchers examine the social, cultural and lasting societal effects of war, including peacekeeping initiatives and collective remembrance of past conflicts.
This research delves into the diverse and multifaceted aspects of North America, with a special emphasis on Canada’s unique position on the continent. It encompasses a broad array of topics, including culture and identity, Indigenous peoples, business and economy, and public policy.
Key areas of study include the tools and structures for transmitting and receiving information and the broader impact of communication practices, technologies, policies, institutions, infrastructure and industries on shaping societies and cultures.
The storytelling research area focuses on the art and science of storytelling, cultural translation and meaning making within diverse communities. It serves as both a methodology and an output, employing narrative techniques to engage, inform and connect with communities.
This area of study focuses on innovative programming that integrates real-world learning opportunities, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings.
Using tools from the five fields of anthropology, researchers analyze and challenge existing understandings of cultural dynamics. The cornerstone of this field is ethnography, which involves detailed, holistic descriptions that synthesize complex data from immersive fieldwork.
This strength encompasses the creation of new music, performance practices, and the interpretation of both pre-existing and newly composed works.
By investigating how scientific endeavours are shaped by and, in turn, shape societal values, norms and power structures, researchers aim to provide a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between science and society.
This research area bridges the study of Islamic textual sources with the social contexts and diverse experiences of Muslim individuals and communities.
Heritage Studies is an interdisciplinary field that combines history and archaeology to study and preserve records of the past, providing insights into the present.
This research area encompasses disability justice and critical disability theory, focusing on the intersections of disability with race, Indigeneity, gender, sexuality and class. It addresses antiableism and anti-eugenics, exploring disability cultures, histories and politics.
