The Faculty of Arts at UBC brings together the best of quantitative research, humanistic inquiry, and artistic expression to advance a better world. Graduate students in the Faculty of Arts create and disseminate knowledge in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Creative and Performing Arts through teaching, research, professional practice, artistic production, and performance.

Arts has more than 25 academic departments, institutes, and schools as well as professional programs, more than 15 interdisciplinary programs, a gallery, a museum, theatres, concert venues, and a performing arts centre. Truly unique in its scope, the Faculty of Arts is a dynamic and thriving community of outstanding scholars – both faculty and students. 

Here, our students explore cutting-edge ideas that deepen our understanding of humanity in an age of scientific and technological discovery. Whether Arts scholars work with local communities, or tackle issues such as climate change, world music, or international development, their research has a deep impact on the local and international stage.

The disciplinary and multi-disciplinary approaches in our classrooms, labs, and cultural venues inspire students to apply their knowledge both to and beyond their specialization. Using innovation and collaborative learning, our graduate students create rich pathways to knowledge and real connections to global thought leaders.

 

Research Facilities

UBC Library has extensive collections, especially in Arts, and houses Canada’s greatest Asian language library. Arts graduate programs enjoy the use of state-of-the-art laboratories, the world-renowned Museum of Anthropology and the Belkin Contemporary Art Gallery (admission is free for our graduate students). World-class performance spaces include theatres, concert venues and a performing arts centre. 

Since 2001, the Belkin Art Gallery has trained young curators at the graduate level in the Critical and Curatorial Studies program in the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory. The Master of Arts program addresses the growing need for curators and critics who have theoretical knowledge and practical experience in analyzing institutions, preparing displays and communicating about contemporary art.

The MOA Centre for Cultural Research (CCR) undertakes research on world arts and cultures, and supports research activities and collaborative partnerships through a number of spaces, including research rooms for collections-based research, an Ethnology Lab, a Conservation Lab, an Oral History and Language Lab supporting audio recording and digitization, a library, an archive, and a Community Lounge for groups engaged in research activities. The CCR includes virtual services supporting collections-based research through the MOA CAT Collections Online site that provides access to the Museum’s collection of approximately 40,000 objects and 80,000 object images, and the Reciprocal Research Network (RRN) that brings together 430,000 object records and associated images from 19 institutions.
 

Research Highlights

The Faculty of Arts at UBC is internationally renowned for research in the social sciences, humanities, professional schools, and creative and performing arts.

As a research-intensive faculty, Arts is a leader in the creation and advancement of knowledge and understanding. Scholars in the Faculty of Arts form cross-disciplinary partnerships, engage in knowledge exchange, and apply their research locally and globally.

Arts faculty members have won Guggenheim Fellowships, Humboldt Fellowships, and major disciplinary awards. We have had 81 faculty members elected to the Royal Society of Canada, and several others win Killam Prizes, Killam Research Fellowships, Emmy Awards, and Order of Canada awards. In addition, Arts faculty members have won countless book prizes, national disciplinary awards, and international disciplinary awards. 

External funding also signifies the research success of our faculty. In the 2020-2021 fiscal year, the Faculty of Arts received $34.6 million through over 900 research projects. Of seven UBC SSHRC Partnership Grants awarded to-date, six are located in Arts, with a combined investment of $15 million over the term of the grants.

Since the 2011 introduction of the SSHRC Insight Grants and SSHRC Insight Development Grants programs, our faculty’s success rate has remained highly stable, and is consistently higher than the national success rate.

Graduate Degree Programs

Research Supervisors in Faculty

or browse the list of faculty members in various academic units. You may click each unit to view faculty members appointed in that unit. View the full faculty member directory for more search and filter options.
Name Academic Unit(s) Research Interests
Dierkes, Julian School of Public Policy and Global Affairs Sociology, n.e.c.; All other social sciences, n.e.c.; Sociology of education; Public Policy; Mongolia; policy communication; contemporary Japan; digital diplomacy; supplementary education; mining policy; Japanese education; Democratization
Dixon, Joy Department of History History of gender, sexuality, and the body, history of religion, history of the social and human sciences, history of empire
Doberstein, Carey Department of Political Science Political science and policy administration; Agencies and arms-length bodies in Canada; Public servant behavior in Canada; How citizens engage with government as part of local consultations and public engagement; Homelessness (politics, governance, policy); Local government or governance
Dollinger, Stefan Department of English Language and Literatures English language; Language Contact and Linguistic Changes; Linguistic Variation and Society; Lexicography and Dictionaries; Language Interactions; Language Rights and Policies; Bilingualism and Multilingualism
Donner, Simon Department of Geography, Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries Atmospheric sciences; Oceanography; Other media and communication; Climate Science; climate change impacts; Climate policy; Coastal Ecosystems; Marine Environment; Climate modelling and prediction; Science communication; Net-zero emissions; Coral reefs
Douglas, Jennifer School of Information Personal recordkeeping and archives; Community archives; Person-centred archival theory and practices; Grief and recordkeeping and archives; Emotions and recordkeeping and archives; Archival arrangement and description
Drelichman, Mauricio Vancouver School of Economics Economic history, Spain, Argentina
Drljaca, Igor Department of Theatre & Film Creative writing; Film, television and digital media; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Documentary FIlm; Film Production; Narrative Film; Screenwriting; Virtual Reality; Video and New Media
Ducharme, Michel Department of History Social Organization and Political Systems; Political Ideologies; Canadian History before Confederation; Quebec History; Liberalism and Nationalism in Canada and Quebec; Canada and the Atlantic World
Duffy, Kay Department of Asian Studies Asian history; Literary or Artistic Works Analysis; Literary or Artistic Work Dissemination or Reception Contexts; Social Determinants of Arts and Letters; Arts and Cultural Traditions; Early Medieval China; Premodern Chinese Literature; Sinographic Sphere
Dunn, Elizabeth Department of Psychology Happiness, money and spending decisions, self-knowledge
Earle, Bo Department of English Language and Literatures British Romanticism, Critical Theory, Philosophy and Literature
Echard, Sian Department of English Language and Literatures English language; Literary or Artistic Work Analysis; Literary or Artistic Work Dissemination or Reception Contexts; Modes and strategies of dissemination; Poetry; Media Types (Radio, Television, Written Press, etc.); Anglo-Latin literature; Arthurian literature; History of the Book; John Gower; Manuscript studies; Medieval literature
Effros, Bonnie Department of History Humanities and the arts; History of archaeology; Antiquarianism and collecting in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; Late antique and early medieval history and archaeology; Gender history and archaeology
Ellermann, Antje Department of Political Science Political science; Migrations, Populations, Cultural Exchanges; Migratory Flows; Public Policies; Identity and Transnationality; Role of Governments and Institutions; Comparative Public Policy; Migration and Citizenship
Emberson, Lauren Department of Psychology Learning, Perception (audition, vision, crossmodal or multisensory), Language development, Face/object perception, Impacts of premature birth, Neural connecitivty, fNIRS, Neonatal and Infant development , Early adversity / Risk and resilience , Increasing diversity and representation in the neurosciences , Naturalistic neuroimaging recordings
Enns, James Department of Psychology Behavioural neuroscience of reward and motivation; attention; action kinematics; social perception; perceptual development
Evenden, Matthew Department of Geography All other social sciences, n.e.c.; Historical studies; Environmental History; Historical geography; Rivers; Water; War and environment; Hydro-electricity
Everhart, Avery Department of Geography Health geography; Population geography; Geographic information system (GIS and GPS) applications; Health and community services; Bioinformatics, n.e.c.; Social and cultural geography; Sex and gender-based analysis; Ethical, legal, and social issues in health, health systems and health research; Gender and health relationship; Health information systems (including surveillance); Geographic Information Science; Medical Geography; Demography & Population Studies; Critical Data Studies, Critical GIS & Digital Geographies; Transgender Studies; Intersectionality in Empirical Social Science; Health Services Research & Access to Healthcare; Community-Based Participatory Research; Feminist & Queer Theories; Measuring & Combatting STructural Racism
Fabris, Michael Department of Geography Gender, Race, Class, Power, Colonialism, Justice, Indigenous jurisdiction within Canadian cities, Piikani Nation’s attempts to challenge the construction of the Oldman River Dam
Farinha Luz, Vitor Vancouver School of Economics Microeconomic Theory,
Fernandez Utrera, Maria Soledad Department of French, Hispanic & Italian Studies Peninsular contemporary literature and culture
Ferraz, Claudio Vancouver School of Economics governance and accountability in developing countries; how politics affect public service delivery; the effects of electoral rules on political selection; the role of the state in high crime and violence environments
Ferreira da Silva, Denise Institute for Gender, Race, Sex and Social Justice ethical questions of the global present and target the metaphysical and ontoepistemological dimensions of modern thought; Critical Racial and Ethnic Studies, Feminist Theory, Critical Legal Theory, Political Theory, Moral Philosophy, Postcolonial Studies, and Latin American & Caribbean Studies
Firkins, Jacqueline Department of Theatre & Film costume design

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Recent Publications

This is an incomplete sample of recent publications in chronological order by UBC faculty members with a primary appointment in the Faculty of Arts.

 

Publication: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
UBC Author(s): Samantha Dawson (Psychology / Faculty of Arts)
ISSN: 02654075
Volume: 41
Page Range: 1703-1726
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: Economic Journal
UBC Author(s): Felipe Valencia Caicedo (Economics / Faculty of Arts)
ISSN: 00130133
Volume: 134
Page Range: 2101-2140
Publication Date: 1 July 2024

View Publication
Publication: Social and Personality Psychology Compass
Volume: 18
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: Water Resources Research
UBC Author(s): Marwan Hassan (Geography / Faculty of Arts)
ISSN: 00431397
Volume: 60
Publication Date: July 2024

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Publication: Progress in Energy
UBC Author(s): Milind Kandlikar (School of Public Policy / Faculty of Arts)
Volume: 6
Publication Date: 1 July 2024

View Publication
Publication: Theatre Research in Canada-Recherches Theatrales au Canada
UBC Author(s): Siyuan Liu (Theatre and Film / Faculty of Arts)
ISSN: 11961198
Volume: 45
Page Range: 96-115
Publication Date: July 2024

View Publication
Publication: PNAS Nexus
UBC Author(s): Mark Schaller (Psychology / Faculty of Arts)
Volume: 3
Publication Date: 1 July 2024

View Publication
Publication: Sustainability Science
UBC Author(s): Frances Chen (Psychology / Faculty of Arts)
ISSN: 18624065
Volume: 19
Page Range: 1503-1517
Publication Date: July 2024

View Publication
Publication: Energy Economics
UBC Author(s): Tarun Khanna (School of Public Policy / Faculty of Arts)
ISSN: 01409883
Volume: 135
Publication Date: July 2024

View Publication
Publication: BMJ open
UBC Author(s): Noah Silverberg (Psychology / Faculty of Arts)
Volume: 14
Page Range: e086602
Publication Date: 1 July 2024

View Publication
Publication: Research in the Sociology of Organizations
UBC Author(s): Victoria Lemieux (School of Information / Faculty of Arts)
ISSN: 0733558X
Volume: 89
Page Range: 191-198
Publication Date: 1 July 2024

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Publication: Scandinavian Journal of Economics
UBC Author(s): Heather Sarsons (Economics / Faculty of Arts)
ISSN: 03470520
Volume: 126
Page Range: 419-439
Publication Date: July 2024

View Publication
Publication: The Behavioral and brain sciences
UBC Author(s): Jane Hamlin (Psychology / Faculty of Arts)
Volume: 47
Page Range: e130
Publication Date: 27 June 2024

View Publication
Publication: The Behavioral and brain sciences
UBC Author(s): Eric Margolis (Philosophy / Faculty of Arts)
Volume: 47
Page Range: e137
Publication Date: 27 June 2024

View Publication
Publication: Journal of behavioral addictions
UBC Author(s): Jason Rights (Psychology / Faculty of Arts)
Volume: 13
Page Range: 665-675
Publication Date: 26 June 2024

View Publication
Publication: One Earth
UBC Author(s): Pasang Sherpa (Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies / Faculty of Arts)
ISSN: 25903330
Volume: 7
Page Range: 1007-1021
Publication Date: 21 June 2024

View Publication
Publication: Environment Conservation Journal
UBC Author(s): Ramana Mani (School of Public Policy / Faculty of Arts)
ISSN: 09723099
Volume: 25
Page Range: 569-574
Publication Date: 21 June 2024

View Publication
Publication: Expertise: Philosophical Perspectives
UBC Author(s): Dominic Lopes (Philosophy / Faculty of Arts)
Page Range: 213-231
Publication Date: 20 June 2024

View Publication
Publication: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
UBC Author(s): Daniela Palombo (Psychology / Faculty of Arts)
Volume: 121
Publication Date: 18 June 2024

View Publication

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Recent Thesis Submissions

Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
Year Citation Program
2023 Dr. Takano explored how massive population movements around the turn of the fifteenth century influenced Chinese literature by analyzing the writings of Li Dongyang (1447-1516). He found that Li expressed a conflicted geographic identity as a descendant of migrants sandwiched between his ancestral hometown and his place of residence in Beijing. Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Studies (PhD)
2023 Dr. Jewell's research took place in Florida (2019-2020). They argue that everyday experiences of the climate crisis are tied up within cultures of denial and control that have historically served a white supremacist status quo. Responsibly mitigating climate impacts requires reckoning with this, lest they become part of a "new," horrific normal. Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PhD)
2023 Dr. van der List studies how the economy interacts with geographic space. She has shown that firms trade off labor-market power and productivity spillovers when choosing a location. Her research has implications for the design of government subsidies affecting specific locations. Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Li explored the dynamics of ocean extreme temperature events, Marine Heatwaves, and their ecological impacts. Her work improves our understanding of the historical and future changes in multiple novel heat stress characteristics globally, and also demonstrates the protective impacts of "training" heat stress conditions on global coral reefs. Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD)
2023 Dr. Soo examined the perception, recognition and encoding of pronunciation variants in an ongoing Cantonese sound change. Borrowing psycholinguistic paradigms from dialect/language variation, her work offers a contemporary perceptual account of the sound change, showing that listeners distinguish and flexibly map multiple pronunciations to a word. Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Desideri reflects on a set of artistic practices which, rather than creating objects, create the conditions for collaborative thinking and making, that is called study. Her Studio Practice proposes a novel approach to artmaking as study and to study as artmaking. Doctor of Philosophy in Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice (PhD)
2023 Dr. Roy examined Museum of Vancouver's reorientation to a public engagement focussed institution from 2006 to 2016. Despite resource limitations, museum staff developed new relationships with local community members and audiences. Dr. Roy reveals important insights into the challenges faced by city museums adopting participatory approaches. Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Markovic examined unchosen transformative experiences, particularly transformative grief, an experience that deeply alters a person's sense of what is significant in the world and calls on them to reorganize themselves as an agent. Her research links challenges to identity and agency in transformative grief with those of other major life events. Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy (PhD)
2023 Political rallies have become a large part of electoral campaigns worldwide. What role do rallies play in shaping elections? Dr. Jha estimates a novel structural model of political rallies and their outcomes. He finds rallies persuasive and electorally pivotal in U.S and that the rallies in India are much more persuasive than in U.S. Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD)
2023 Dr. Pauker's cross-disciplinary work sketches intertwining genealogies of philosophy and journalism. Advocating philosophical journalism as a mode of critical questioning in the present, Pauker disrupts normative configurations of truth and truth-telling in journalism, philosophy, and knowledge production in the western tradition, more broadly. Doctor of Philosophy in Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice (PhD)

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