Boundaries, Membership & Belonging
Is it possible to have a world without “us” and “them”?
All societies distinguish members from non-members. Indeed, evolutionary biology and psychology suggest that humans are predisposed to distinguish “us” from “them,” and the process can lead to increased trust and cooperation towards members. But it can also lead to prejudice, suspicion and injustice towards non-members.
The Boundaries, Membership & Belonging program explores ways to create and empower groups without falling back on ideas that produce pernicious divisions and hierarchies.
As migration and globalization weaken traditional boundaries around the world, many people are searching for a sense of belonging and are staking claims to membership. Recent political events show that if a new, inclusive sense of "we" is not developed, people may turn instead to appeals based on exclusionary boundaries of ethnicity, religion and class.
The program brings together leading social scientists and political and legal theorists who will collaborate to make sense of membership politics. They ask whether we can re-draw boundaries in a way that is inclusive without losing solidarity and the possibility of collective action. In short, why membership matters in a globalizing world.
Founded
2019
Supporters
BMO Financial Group, Koerner Foundation
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Political science
Law
Psychology
Sociology
Economics
History
Philosophy
CIFAR Contact
Fellows & Advisors
Program Directors
Irene Bloemraad
Program Co-Director
Will Kymlicka
Program Co-Director
Fellows
Yasmeen Abu-Laban
Fellow
Frederick Cooper
Fellow
Victoria Esses
Fellow
Allison Harell
Fellow
Evan Lieberman
Fellow
Audrey Macklin
Fellow
Nathan Nunn
Fellow
Stephen David Reicher
Fellow
Prerna Singh
Fellow
Successful Societies
Andreas Wimmer
Fellow
Advisors
Keith Banting
Advisor
Catherine Dauvergne
Advisor
Hazel Markus
Advisor
Successful Societies
Vijayendra Rao
Advisory Committee Chair
Advisor
Successful Societies
Ayelet Shachar
Advisor
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars
Ellora Derenoncourt
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023
Michael Muthukrishna
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023
Yang-Yang Zhou
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023
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CIFAR is a registered charitable organization supported by the governments of Canada, Alberta and Quebec, as well as foundations, individuals, corporations and Canadian and international partner organizations.