- The Person and Society
- Technology, Industry, and the Environment
The Person and Society
Cluster 1: The Person and Society
1. Development and Well-being across the Lifespan and across Life Domains
2. Identity, Expression, and Culture
3. Human Systems in a Global World
1. Development and Well-being across the Lifespan and across Life Domains
Human well-being and quality of life is predicated upon a balance of such factors as health, the ability to learn, and the ability to function in society. The importance of learning, behaviour, and health across the human lifespan are of inherent importance to us as individuals and as members of a global, information-driven society facing unprecedented population expansion and transformation. Optimizing the performance and well-being of humans across different life domains, such as education, work, sports and exercise, family, financial welfare, and consumer domains, is crucial to the health of Canadian society.
Learning and cognitive science
As the global economy becomes more knowledge oriented and technologically advanced, we face an increasingly urgent demand for a better educated workforce with more varied skills. Concordia has a critical mass of nationally and internationally recognized researchers in such learning and performance areas as language and literacy, early childhood education, art education, and the development of educational technology and tools. Research on the psychology of human development and behaviour are established areas of focus, while cognitive science with applications in language, linguistics, finance, and marketing are exciting emerging areas of interest. Studies in preference formation and the effects of cognitive biases, as well as research into consumer behaviour and how people manage their financial interests can inform us on the importance of consumer education, information, decision-making, and debt management.
Neurobehavioural and therapeutic sciences
Improving the population’s health is a major priority for the public in Québec and the rest of Canada. Research into exercise science as well as behavioural medicine and its potential for therapeutic applications holds great promise both for athletes and ’at-risk’ populations alike. For its part, Concordia has concentrated its efforts in two areas. One priority area focuses on clinical studies in neuroscience that expand our understanding of how the brain functions and contributes to developing breakthrough discoveries in such areas as behaviour, drug dependence, sexual function and dysfunction, appetite and obesity. Another priority area is creative arts therapies with its culturally specific applications for the therapeutic use of creative expression, particularly for youth and populations with special needs. Research into the role of marketing and its impact on lifestyle choices on health and well-being is another area of inquiry.
Molecular and cellular sciences
Advances in human health research are often built upon work done at the level of molecular and cellular science. Research activities at Concordia treat such topics as the ageing process, neuromuscular physiology during exercise, diagnostic approaches to human diseases and disorders, sub-cellular organization and protein transport in disease processes, and pharmaceutical therapies. Concordia enjoys an international reputation in cellular and molecular biology, as well as bioinorganic and computational chemistry, and is highly regarded for its research conducted at the interface of chemistry and biology.
2. Identity, Expression, and Culture
Understanding human diversity and identity, as well as the many expressions thereof, are critical in a multicultural world. New information and communication technologies in particular are rapidly and continuously transforming our lives, reshaping how we interact and express ourselves, and affecting how we represent the world around us. Communication studies, cultural production and analysis, and gender and sexuality studies are areas of research and creativity at Concordia well known for cross-faculty collaboration and social impact. Analysis,creation,production,andsocialengagement activities characterize the diverse range of knowledge generation, co-generation, and transfer in this thematic area.
Creative expression
Concordia has a well-established reputation for leadership in studio arts, cinema, creative writing, and the visual and performing arts. Indeed, the University plays a significant role in shaping Québec’s and Canada’s international profile and cultural exports in many of these areas of activity. Concordia artists, researchers and trained graduates are recognized at the highest professional levels for high quality literary, performance, and cinematic production, as well as cultural analysis and experimentation. As co-founder and champion of the Hexagram Institute for Research/Creation in Media Arts and Technologies, Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts is attracting high profile artist-researchers in interactive media, computation arts, new performance, and digital gaming from around the world. In the area of design arts, the focus is on environmentally sound product design, while researchers and research-creators in the highly respected Communication Studies program have broadened the scope of the Hexagram Institute.
Communication and culture
Communication media are a fundamental component of cultural production and signifying systems, and therefore critical reflection on them is essential. Concordia’s communication and film studies programs have a long established reputation for communication theory focused on the analysis of feature film, television production, alternative and community-based art centre productions, documentary, and popular music.
The University is also a major hub for multi-disciplinary research on broadcasting and digital history and is an emerging leader in the field of new media studies. Researchers from several disciplines in the humanities, social sciences and fine arts have established Concordia as a leading centre of research in media studies, journalism theory and practice, literary analysis, translation theory, art history, and film studies.
Identity, gender, and sexuality
Contemporary culture has been, and continues to be, shaped by the advent of changing norms in gender and sexuality – also foundations of human identity. Concordia’s innovative work in the field of gender perspectives has also long been recognized. Key areas of examination in this field include feminist and postcolonial theories of gender, as well as analyses of artistic and cultural representations, and the historic meanings of gender identity, orientation and sex-based social status. In art history, the focus on women’s art throughout history is a vibrant, unique area of research. Fine Arts and Arts and Science researchers from numerous disciplines are also examining such critical social phenomena as AIDS/HIV prevention, the sex trade industry, as well as gay, lesbian and transgender representations in the media.
3. Human Systems in a Global World
Uncertainty, complexity, conflict, resilience, and adaptive capacity are central considerations in understanding and responding to change in the context of today’s globalenvironment. These themes are relevant to the development of sustainable social, cultural, political, financial, economic, and geo-physical systems. Understanding the financing of technological change, and how business, financial, technological and environmental risk is valued, is critical to the success of many organizations. The impact of such factors on industry and technological innovation has far-reaching implications for all sectors of the economy. The ability to respond effectively to such global driving forces is important to society at the local, national, and international levels.
Social and environmental change and human adaptation
Researchers in this area conduct extensive investigations in such fields as social and ecological sustainability, rural economy, population ageing, society and culture, and public history. Concordia has developed considerable expertise in understanding interactions between human activity, natural ecosystems, and environmental change. Drawing on natural science, social science and design perspectives, research foci include conservation and management of biodiversity, environmental impact assessment, global governance systems, product development and design, urban transport and urban sprawl, and human and environmental security. Aspects of social and religious identity are explored extensively at Concordia. Genocide and post-conflict studies is a particularly strong area of research with Concordia very much at the forefront in the areas of comparative genocide studies, oral history, and research on ethnography and exhibitions.
Social and economic entrepreneurship
Concordia’s presence is felt locally, nationally, and internationally through research being done on political economy, community economic development, public affairs, the new rural economy, as well as small business and entrepreneurship. Questions of social and economic justice, equity, participatory citizenship and democracy, and cultural pluralism are explored within the context of social theory and public policy. The John Molson School of Business houses centres in business and process innovation, family businesses, small business and entrepreneurship, community and entrepreneurship, and development. Researchers are examining the types of tools and strategies needed by financial institutions to remain competitive, while fostering the growth of small and medium-size businesses. Faculty members actively conduct research and consult with stakeholders in the local community and undertake research for social and economic development in aboriginal, black, ethnic and immigrant communities.
Corporate environment and organization
Concordia’s John Molson School of Business uses its corporate and organizational expertise to perform research into human interactions in the workplace, absenteeism and presenteeism, business process innovations, as well as research in the area of ethics and governance in public and private institutions. In the area of finance, researchers are investigating the cost of capital throughout the life of a firm as well as the financing of new and existing enterprises, including research on venture capital, private placements, and new equity offerings. Methods and models coming from decision and management sciences and information systems are used, designed and implemented to optimize product and service designs and business processes, support managerial decision-making, enhance domain-specific decision support, and provide efficient mechanisms and aids for the participants of electronic markets and supply chains. Research in derivative and financial markets, and carbon emission credit trading in particular, are emerging areas of research activity. Strong links with the local business community as well as international partnerships underscore the School’s vision of building capacity in business leadership and responsible global citizenry.
