Public social science & community involvement
A number of SOSA graduate students are engaged in public social science and working in communities.
Growing out of volunteer involvement with the Irish Catholic community in Halifax, graduate student Paul Armstrong was the lead organizer of a successful SSHRC partnership development grant to examine the social, economic and cultural impact of Irish migrants buried in Halifax’s Holy Cross Cemetery. Professor Mark McGowan of St. Michael’s College Toronto has been recruited as Project Director for the project, which was funded with a total budget of $255,000 over one year, and includes 17 researchers from three countries (Ireland, Scotland, Canada). Paul will work closely with this team, which includes three researchers who are among the leading scholars of the Antigonish Movement.
Diana Campbell also has an interest and commitment to community. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Atlantic Aboriginal Health Research Program, an initiative that was funded by CIHR through 2014 and is a key source in tracking First Nations health in the region.
K-Lee Fraser is working for the Halifax Regional Municipality through their new Internship Bridging Program. As a Special Project Researcher Intern for 2013, K-Lee’s role focuses on various social research proj-ects that are necessary for service delivery policies supporting the African Nova Scotian Affairs Integration Office.
Katie Harris has been involved in a number of community development and social justice groups in Prince Edward Island in a voluntary capacity. She organized and spoke at a number of community events and she worked on formalizing an organizational structure, participated in community learning and sharing activities, and provided training and support to members of local organizations in practices of group governance, events planning and engagement with government.
Robert Wright has been appointed by the Premier of Nova Scotia to set terms of reference for a panel that will review allegations of abuse at the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children. His appointment reflects his past wealth of experience in counselling survivors of abuse and work with the African Canadian community.
