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
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.
Political Science founding Professor, and Waterloo's first Black Professor passes
Dr. Locksley Edmondson, the first Black professor at Waterloo, died on August 18, 2026 in Ithaca, New York, at age 92.
History faculty and student co-authored publication
Creating and Contesting “Universal” Penal Norms: The United Nations, Decolonization, and Global Visions of the Prison. Published in Critical Criminology, this article brings together global history of crime and punishment, including critical prison studies and the trajectory and impact of the UN Congress meetings over a 40 years timeline.