Established in 2026, the School of Social, Political and Historical Research brings together multiple disciplines that collectively seek to understand societal experiences and impacts in their particular and specific contexts.
The School continues to offer the full range of undergraduate and graduate programs available prior to July 2026, including:
News
Now hiring: Assistant Professor, International Relations
The Political Science program within the School of Social, Political, and Historical Research (SSPHR) in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Waterloo is seeking an exceptional scholar and researcher for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in International Relations beginning 1 July 2027.
Congratulations Andrew Fenton Cooper of Political Science
Dr. Andrew Fenton Cooper is Waterloo's new Royal Society of Canada Fellow.
Welcome Talia Bettcher!
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Talia Bettcher has been awarded the new inaugural Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair. Dr. Bettcher will work in the Gender and Social Justice and Philosophy areas within the new School of Social, Political and Historical Research (SSPHR). Bettcher is internationally recognized as a foundational figure in trans philosophy, helping shape a field that was once represented by only a handful of scholars.
For more than three decades, her research and community engagement has helped advance trans community resilience through the development and application of “hermeneutic resources” — concepts and frameworks that help people better understand and communicate lived trans experiences while fostering more meaningful dialogue and education. Her scholarship has influenced research, public discourse and policy recommendations across disciplines, including sociology, psychology, public health and computer science.
Events
Bodies, Bones, and Burials
The School of Social, Political and Historical Research is honoured to present this special lecture by Dr. Douglas Stenton, CM, lead researcher in a series of breakthrough discoveries related to the ill-fated 1845 Franklin Northwest Passage Expedition.