News

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.

Dr. Locksley Edmondson, the first Black professor at Waterloo, died on August 18, 2026 in Ithaca, New York, at age 92.

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. 

Congratulations to the five researchers receiving Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grants to develop solutions for a more resilient and equitable future.

Mature Arts students from Philosophy and Liberal Studies share the different perspectives of learning later in life in this WatNews Article: Keeping Curiosity Alive

The Canadian Philosophical Association held its annual congress at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from June 6 to 9, 2026. Waterloo Philosophy was very well represented with research talks by Professor Lindo and Professor Marino, and essay presentations by six of our PhD students. 

Congratulations to Karmvir Padda on her nomination for the 2026 Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal in recognition of her outstanding research on online misogyny and extremism.

Political Science recently hosted the Experiences in Political Science Poster Symposium, a vibrant showcase of undergraduate student research and experiential learning. The event served as the culmination of PSCI 424, a Student-Led Individually-Created Course (SLICC) designed to bridge the gap between abstract political theory and real-world application.