Knowledge Synthesis Grant: Shifting Dynamics of Privilege and Marginalization

Eligibility

Subject matter

Proposals can involve any disciplines, thematic areas, approaches or subject areas eligible for SSHRC funding. See the guidelines on subject matter eligibility for more information.

Projects whose primary objective is curriculum development are not eligible for funding under this funding opportunity.

Applicants

Applicants must be affiliated with an eligible Canadian institution before funding can be released. Researchers who maintain an affiliation with a Canadian post-secondary institution, but whose primary affiliation is with a non-Canadian post-secondary institution, are not eligible to be applicants.

Applicants who have received a SSHRC grant of any type but who have failed to submit an end of grant report by the deadline specified in their Notice of Award are not eligible to apply for this or any other SSHRC grant until they have submitted the report.

Postdoctoral researchers are eligible to be applicants if they have established a formal affiliation with an eligible institution at the time of application and maintain such an affiliation for the duration of the grant period.

Co-applicants

An individual (including postdoctoral researchers) is eligible to be a co-applicant if they are formally affiliated with any of the following:

• Canadian: Eligible post-secondary institutions; not-for-profit organizations; philanthropic foundations; think tanks; or municipal, territorial or provincial governments.
• International: Post-secondary institutions.

Collaborators

Any individual who makes a significant contribution to the project is eligible to be a collaborator. Collaborators do not need to be affiliated with an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution.

Individuals from the private sector or federal government can only participate as collaborators.

Summary

SSHRC is pleased to launch a Knowledge Synthesis Grants competition to mobilize, examine and synthesize social sciences and humanities research on the topic of shifting dynamics of privilege and marginalization. Genome Canada has joined SSHRC as a funding partner for this call and is seeking social sciences and humanities insights on issues related to genomics. The outcome of this knowledge synthesis grant will help to inform policy and decision-making across sectors and help to ensure a cohesive, equitable and just Canadian society.

Shifting Dynamics of Privilege and Marginalization is one of 16 global future challenges identified through SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative. These complex issues, identified in 2018 following an extensive foresight exercise, reflect key challenges that Canada is likely to face in an evolving global context over the coming decades. All the challenges cross multiple sectors and research disciplines and require broad collaboration to address. This Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunity is informed and shaped by cross-sectoral and diverse perspectives, including subject matter experts, policy leaders and community leaders and Genome Canada’s fall 2021 Future of Genomics dialogue series.

In the context of increasing global uncertainty and social volatility, the social, political, cultural and economic fabric of Canadian society is experiencing rapid, significant and diverse transformations. Concurrently, significant and rapid technological developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies, in genomics sciences, and in emerging biodigital convergence pose pressing and important questions about equity, diversity and inclusion, and about the possible combination of some of these technologies and their impacts on society, economies and ecosystems.

Our colonial past, racism and slavery continue to shape processes of marginalization and privilege today. More recent events such as the rise in polarized and illiberal political views, social movements around racism and decolonization, or demonstrations around climate change call into question the dynamics of power in different societies. The continued instability in the Middle East, the Russian invasion in Ukraine and the heightened geopolitical tensions in Southeast Asia have intensified discussions about power dynamics, the collapse of the liberal international order and what new world order lies ahead. The forced displacement of tens of millions of people within countries or across borders, exacerbated by migration due to climate change, calls into question hierarchies that exist among different communities of displaced people, how and why they are accepted, supported, welcomed or not, and the respective role of nations, communities and individuals in migration. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified inequalities between the marginalized and the privileged, and has contributed to the escalation of tensions between various groups in civil society and the polarization of political thought.

The social sciences, arts and humanities are well situated to address considerations associated with a volatile, uncertain and divided world. The risks associated with the widening of the gap between the privileged and the marginalized are multifold, and can reach far and wide into the fabric of society. The concepts of marginalization and privilege are experienced and expressed in a variety of ways at the societal and individual levels, and often have specific cultural significance that evolves over time. Further, an individual, group or community could find themselves at the intersection of multiple barriers, furthering their risk of experiencing the negative impacts of marginalization and exclusion. A deeper understanding of the many forms in which the world is being reshaped, at an individual, community and societal level, is necessary to navigate the shifting dynamics of privilege and marginalization.

SSHRC, with additional funding from Genome Canada to support key issues related to genomics, is launching this Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunity to foster a deeper understanding of the state of knowledge about the shifting dynamics of privilege and marginalization brought about by a variety of factors, such as old and recent socio-political events; new technologies, including genomics; the new mis/information age; and the COVID-19 pandemic. All have contributed to a more volatile and uncertain future. The resulting syntheses will identify roles that the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors could play in promoting a more cohesive and equitable environment, and can inform the development of effective tools and technologies, robust policies, and sustainable practices required to support the path toward a prosperous and equitable future for all Canadians.

PLEASE NOTE: Knowledge Synthesis Grants are not intended to support original research. Rather, they are intended to support the synthesis of existing research knowledge and the identification of knowledge gaps. This call is particularly focused on the state of research produced over the past 10 years.

Themes (see SSHRC website for more details)

The themes below illustrate some of the many interconnected issues that encompass the global challenge of Shifting Dynamics of Privilege and Marginalization. The themes are intended to provide guidance to applicants; proposals on other issues relevant to this future challenge are welcome.

Researchers are encouraged to consider the issues below through an intersectional lens to yield a better understanding of how this challenge can affect different people, communities and populations in a variety of environments. Knowledge syntheses related to First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities should be participatory and collaborative, prioritizing research completed by Indigenous communities and Indigenous-led organizations, and grounded in Indigenous worldviews and approaches to research.

1. Uncertain, divided world

2. Identities, privileges and opportunities

3. Accessibility

4. Sense making

5. Life sciences and genomics

Submission Process

1. Complete the APPLICATION form and SSHRC CV in the SSHRC online system
2. To initiate internal approvals, complete the Pre-Award record on the Research Management System (RMS) (RMS login at https://research.ucalgary.ca/rms). Please attach a PDF copy of your SSHRC application in RMS in order to initiate approvals. It will route electronically to your Department Head (if applicable) and Faculty Associate Dean (Research), and finally to Research Services for institutional approval. Research Services must receive the application and electronic approvals by noon, December 12, 2022. Your application must also be electronically submitted within the SSHRC system (click “submit” once verified as complete) by this deadline in order to enter our review and approval queue. 
3. As an optional service, if you wish to receive a detailed review, with the opportunity for feedback from a grants officer, please submit your complete and final application via the process above by 4:00pm on December 1, 2022.

Applications are submitted through the Research Management System (RMS) to initiate internal approvals.  Please note, when the RMS record finally reaches Research Services by the internal deadline, it should contain all the relevant Department and Faculty approvals, so please allow additional time for these steps.  Late applications will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances.  If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you will need to secure additional late approvals from your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) and the Executive Director, Research Services.  A link to RMS can be found here which includes training resources.

Resources

Guidelines and related support material

All applicants for SSHRC funding should consult the following guidelines while preparing their applications:

• the Guidelines for Effective Research Training, which may also be useful to reviewers and postsecondary institutions;
• SSHRC’s Indigenous Research Statement of Principles and Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research for applications involving Indigenous research;
• SSHRC’s definition of knowledge mobilization and Guidelines for Effective Knowledge Mobilization for guidance on connecting with research users to create impact; and
• SSHRC’s Definitions of Terms for terms used in the grant application process.

Successful applicants will be required to share the results of their project with SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR. These agencies will use this information to develop their policies and practices. They may also share this information with other interested sectors of the Government of Canada, as well as with other organizations. This does not in any way limit how researchers may otherwise publish or use the results of their research.

Application deadlines

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

Knowledge Synthesis Grants support researchers in producing knowledge synthesis reports and evidence briefs that:

• support the use of evidence in decision-making and the application of best practices; and
• assist in developing future research agendas.

Applicants must address the following three objectives in their proposals:

1. State of knowledge, strengths and gaps
   • critically assess the state of knowledge of the future challenge theme under consideration from a variety of sources, as appropriate;
   • identify knowledge strengths and gaps within the theme; and
   • identify the most promising policies and practices related to the theme.
2. Research data
   • assess the quality, accuracy and rigour (i.e., methodological approaches) of current work in the field; and
   • identify strengths and gaps in the quantitative and qualitative data available.
3. Knowledge mobilization
   • engage cross-sectoral stakeholders (academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors) and/or First Nations, Métis and Inuit rights-holders throughout the project to mobilize knowledge related to promising policies and practices; and
   • use effective knowledge mobilization methods to facilitate the sharing of research findings with cross-sectoral stakeholders and Indigenous rights-holders.

Researchers can include international comparisons and case studies in their proposal but must demonstrate how the research has the potential to inform policy issues in Canada.

This Knowledge Synthesis Grant funding opportunity is guided by the following perspectives:

1. Drawing on domestic, international and/or cross-sectoral evidence, what can Canadian researchers tell us about these issues?
2. How might the findings guide public policy, practice and research agendas for Canada and the world in the immediate and long term?

Knowledge Engagement can provide feedback on any stage of your Knowledge Mobilization Plan. Please email knowledge.engagement@ucalgary.ca and include: Summary of Proposal/Description, Knowledge Mobilization Plan, and Expected Outcomes.
Please allow a three business day turnaround. Consider seeking feedback early.