ARCHIVED - Fourth round of successful Kanishka Project counter-terrorism research proposals

The Kanishka Project Contribution Program is a multi-year investment in terrorism-focused research funded by the Government of Canada. On June 23, 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the Kanishka Project, an initiative named after the Air India Flight 182 plane that was bombed on June 23, 1985, killing 329 people, most of them Canadians. This initiative invests in research on pressing questions for Canada on terrorism and counter-terrorism. Research supported by the project will increase our knowledge of the recruitment methods and tactics of terrorists, which will help produce more effective policies, tools and resources for law enforcement and people on the front lines.

The project's primary focus is on research, but it also supports other activities necessary to build knowledge and create a network of researchers and students that spans disciplines and universities. The research funded by the project will improve Canada's ability to counter terrorism and violent extremism at home and abroad.

Funding in the amount of $1.3 million has been awarded in this fourth round for the following projects. The fifth call for proposals will close on November 29, 2013.

Identity and Resilience:  From Attitudes to Behaviour in Response to Security, Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism
(Association for Canadian Studies, Jack Jedwab, lead contact)

This project involves the monitoring and analysis of the evolution of public views around security, terrorism and counter-terrorism through survey data. The study aims to help explain how specific events influence shifts in public views. The Department will contribute up to $120,000 over two years.

The Somali Experience in Alberta
(Sandra Bucerius and Sara Thompson, with support from the University of Alberta)

The proposed research will look at the challenges faced by Somali communities in Edmonton, compare factors that foster positive community involvement versus those that lead to involvement in violent subcultures, and examine the strategies that the police and their relevant community partners deploy to bolster resilience and reduce the risk of violence and violent extremism. The Department will contribute up to $225,537 over three years.

Counter Narrative Resources for Education Professionals
(Trialogue Educational Trust, Rachel Briggs, lead researcher)

This project will create educational resources for the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism, including short films and online materials for educational professionals in both formal settings (schools/colleges) and informal ones (youth/community organizations).  The Department will contribute up to $332,500 over two years.

Securitizing Minority Canadians: Evaluating the Impact of Counter-Terrorism, National Security and Immigration Policies since 9/11
(University of Ottawa, Wesley Wark and Patti Lenard, lead researchers)

The project will explore the evolving nature of Canadian ‘majority' or public views of minority populations in Canada, in terms of terrorism events and narratives from 9/11 to the present. The study will also examine the impacts of counter-terrorism, national security and immigration policies on Canadian minority communities. The Department will contribute up to $286,000 over three years.
 
The Syria Conflict: the Evolution of al Qaeda and other Militant Movements after the Arab Spring
(King's College London, Shiraz Maher, lead contact)

Utilizing the conflict in Syria as a case study, the project will explore the local conditions that have given rise to the conflict; the nature and identity of militant groups, what they believe, their modus operandi, as well as the participation of Western “foreign fighters”, and wider implications for the security of Western countries, including Canada. The Department will contribute up to $205,539 over two years.

The Impact of Narratives of Conflict, Security and Co-Existence on Muslim Communities in Canada
(McGill University, Anila Asghar, lead researcher)

The project will bring together researchers, government officials, policy-makers, activists, educators, as well as diverse religious and ethnic communities to develop concrete means to understand and address existing sources of tension, intolerance and potential violence, by promoting community co-existence and collaborative civic participation. The Department will contribute up to $138,653 over two fiscal years.

For further information:
Jean-Christophe de Le Rue
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
613-991-2924

Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
media@ps-sp.gc.ca

Date modified:

2015-11-26