Research Funding

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Centres, Institutes, and Groups

The Department’s faculty members lead some of the top centres, institutes, and research groups in the university. Our collaborative organizations cover a broad range of subjects, from specific geopolitical areas to innovative and practical research concerns. We also pursue interdisciplinary research through three flourishing research groups. Western ranks as one of the top 10 research-intensive universities in Canada. Social Science at Western transcends disciplinary boundaries while recognizing the excellence of individual scholars and research groups who work in more narrowly defined areas.

Event Sponsors

The Political Science Department at Western University hosts a wide variety of events throughout the academic year, including lectures from our own faculty and visiting speakers from universities around the world. These events are often sponsored by the research centres and research groups located across campus, including:


Economic Policy Research Institute 

Image of Dr. Todd StinebricknerThe Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRI) was founded in 2001 and is sponsored by the Department of Economics and the Department of Political Science at Western University. The EPRI hosts activities such as seminar series, conferences, and a working paper series. The Institute also helps facilitate knowledge mobilization of the policy-related research at Western University via outreach efforts to policy-makers and the public. Pictured is Todd Stinebrickner, Director of the Economic Policy Research Institute.





Centre for the Study of Political Behaviour

Cameron-Anderson-headshot.jpgLaura-Stephenson-Headshot.jpgThe goal of the Centre for the Study of Political Behaviour (CSPB) is to promote scholarship in all aspects of political behaviour; such as public opinion and voting in elections, through collaboration, discussion and dissemination. The CSPB is co-directed by two faculty members from the Department of Political Science at Western University - Dr. Cameron Anderson (left) and Dr. Laura Stephenson (right).




Political Inquiry Colloquium 

UC_01.pngThe Political Inquiry Colloquium is supported by the Department of Political Science at Western University. We gratefully acknowledge their generous contributions, which allow us to host various seminars throughout the academic year, such as 'Catalyzing Political Pathways to Decarbonization,' which was presented by Dr. Matthew Hoffmann from the University of Toronto in 2015.






Moral, Political, and Legal Philosophy Research Group

download.jpgThe Moral, Political, and Legal Philosophy Research Group at Western University is a research area that examines contemporary and historical normative and applied ethics, political philosophy, and the philosophy of law. Experts within the field study topics such as criminal responsibility, consent and capacity, and the nature of well-being.







The Centre for Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction 

download.jpgThe Centre for Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction is one of the eight governing research centres that encompass the Network for Economic and Social Trends (NEST). Established in 2009, The Centre for Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction examines complex issues such as human rights, criminal accountability, democratization, and more.





The Centre for Urban Policy and Local Governance (CUP-LG)

download.jpgThe Centre for Urban Policy and Local Governance (CUP-LG) was founded in 2017 in response to emerging challenges that affect local governments and urban policymakers at all levels. The CUP-LG encourages interdisciplinary collaboration between academic researchers and students across Canada to examine these pressing issues and communicate the results of their research to the general public. 






The Centre for Computational and Quantitative Social Science (CCQSS)

images.jpgThe Centre for Computational and Quantitative Social Science is one of the eight governing research centres that encompass the Network for Economic and Social Trends (NEST). The Centre for Computational and Quantitative Social Science (CCQSS) aims to develop a national centre of research excellence to develop quantitative social science methodology.






The Program in American Studies 

images.jpgThe Program in American Studies at Western University was created to promote a broader understanding of the culture, history, and politics in the United States. In association with the Program in American Studies, Western University faculty and students have attended various conferences in the United States. 


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