Skip to content
CIFAR header logo
fr
menu_mobile_logo_alt
  • News
  • Events
    • Public Events
    • Invitation-only Meetings
  • Programs
    • Research Programs
    • Pan-Canadian AI Strategy
    • Next Generation Initiatives
    • Global Call for Ideas
  • People
    • Fellows & Advisors
    • CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars
    • Canada CIFAR AI Chairs
    • AI Strategy Leadership
    • Solution Network Members
    • Leadership
  • Support Us
  • About
    • Our Story
    • CIFAR 40
    • Awards
    • Partnerships
    • Publications & Reports
    • Careers
    • Staff Directory
    • Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
  • fr

Follow Us

  • Home
  • research-programs
  • Boundaries, Membership & Belonging

Boundaries, Membership & Belonging

smaller line
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.

 

RESEARCH AND SOCIETAL IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

Can appeals to human dignity motivate more altruistic attitudes towards vulnerable groups?

The concept of human dignity — that all humans are inherently valuable, deserve respect, and ought not to suffer undue humiliation — was enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and appears in over 160 national constitutions. In recent years, it has also become an increasingly common term in politics and ordinary discourse. Program Co-Director Will Kymlicka and Fellow Evan Lieberman (MIT) are exploring whether reminding citizens of the core value of human dignity will carry sufficient political weight to affect individual attitudes and behaviours and expand the scope of political communities.

Understanding the relationship between COVID-19 and membership

Program members explore the tension between universal humanitarianism and group belonging. Several members are working on pandemic-related projects, such as examining how COVID-19 has affected membership bonds, and how pre-existing notions of membership exacerbated — or in a few cases, mitigated — the impact of COVID-19.

Exploring the public perception of minority populations

Program Co-Director Will Kymlicka (Queen’s University), Advisor Keith Banting (Queen’s University), and Fellow Allison Harell (Université du Québec à Montréal) have written a paper distinguishing three bases on which inclusion within redistributive schemes can be conceptualized. It explores how these various dimensions help explain how the public views the inclusion of immigrants within the welfare state, why a range of minorities are often seen as lacking a commitment to the larger society, and how this affects perceptions of whether they are deserving of social rights.

Highlighting the exclusionary nature of nationalism

Fellow Prerna Singh (Brown University) published an article in Nationalities Papers that highlights the negative consequences of exclusionary nationalistic appeals for both societies and individuals. The paper underscores the dual nature of nationalism as an ideology that can lead to terrible exclusions toward targeted out-groups but can also result in positive collective action and psychological support. Engaging with policymaking at the international level
Program members engaged with two special rapporteurs working on behalf of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Through their participation at a program meeting, they gained insights on issues of human rights, international solidarity, and minority issues. This initial engagement will inform future directions for the program’s emerging impact strategy.

Founded

2019

Supporters

BMO Financial Group

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Political science
Law
Psychology
Sociology
Economics
History
Philosophy

CIFAR Contact

Kate Geddie

Fellows & Advisors

Program Directors

Irene Bloemraad

Irene Bloemraad

Program Co-Director

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
University of California Berkeley
United States
Will Kymlicka

Will Kymlicka

Program Co-Director

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Queen's University
Canada

Fellows

Yasmeen Abu-Laban

Yasmeen Abu-Laban

Fellow

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
University of Alberta
Canada
Victoria Esses

Victoria Esses

Fellow

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Western University
Canada
Allison Harell

Allison Harell

Fellow

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Université du Québec à Montréal
Canada
Evan Lieberman

Evan Lieberman

Fellow

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
United States
Audrey Macklin

Audrey Macklin

Fellow

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
University of Toronto
Canada
Nathan Nunn

Nathan Nunn

Fellow

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Harvard University
United States
Stephen David Reicher

Stephen David Reicher

Fellow

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
University of St. Andrews
United Kingdom
Ayelet Shachar

Ayelet Shachar

Associate Fellow

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
University of Toronto
Canada
Prerna Singh

Prerna Singh

Fellow

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Successful Societies
Brown University
United States
Andreas Wimmer

Andreas Wimmer

Fellow

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Columbia University
United States

Advisors

Keith Banting

Keith Banting

Advisor

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Queen's University
Canada
Catherine Dauvergne

Catherine Dauvergne

Advisor

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Simon Fraser University
Canada
Hazel Markus

Hazel Markus

Advisor

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Successful Societies
Stanford University
United States
Vijayendra Rao

Vijayendra Rao

Advisory Committee Chair
Advisor

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Successful Societies
World Bank
United States

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars

Ellora Derenoncourt

Ellora Derenoncourt

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
Princeton University
United States
Michael Muthukrishna

Michael Muthukrishna

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
London School of Economics and Political Science
United Kingdom
Yang-Yang Zhou

Yang-Yang Zhou

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023

Boundaries Membership & Belonging
University of British Columbia
Canada

Related News

The Walrus Talks Logo

Boundaries, Membership & Belonging

CIFAR Presents: The Walrus Talks Boundaries

Watch CIFAR fellows explain how divisions shape our lives, what lies between borders, and what membership means now.

October 09, 2019
Boundaries, Membership & Belonging Illustration

Advances

Hope for an inclusive future

A Q&A with Boundaries, Membership & Belonging co-director Will Kymlicka

September 03, 2019
  • Follow Us

Support Us

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.

Donate Now
CIFAR header logo

MaRS Centre, West Tower
661 University Ave., Suite 505
Toronto, ON M5G 1M1 Canada

Contact Us
Media
Careers
Accessibility Policies
Supporters
Financial Reports
Subscribe

  • © Copyright 2023 CIFAR. All Rights Reserved.
  • Charitable Registration Number: 11921 9251 RR0001
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap

Subscribe

Stay up to date on news & ideas from CIFAR.

This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to collect information about how you interact with our website and allow us to remember you. We use this information in order to improve and customize your browsing experience and for analytics and metrics about our visitors both on this website and other media. To find out more about the cookies we use, see our Privacy Policy.
Accept Learn more