We acknowledge and respect the Ləkʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands and the Ləkʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.
Mission & Philosophy of the Critical Geographies Research Collaboratory
The Critical Geographies Research Collaboratory is a space that brings together critical human geographers working on a diverse range of geographical research projects, including the cultural politics of place-making, geographies of graffiti, food security, geopoetics, the financialization of social housing, critical media studies, geographies of beer, digital geographies, virtual reality, alternative economies, environmental politics, landscapes of injustice, tourism, the history of urban planning, neoliberal urbanism, and the geographies of decolonization, among other themes.
In all of the research that lab members conduct, we are committed to critically examining the interrelations of space, knowledge, and power in society and within the academy. As critical geographers, we view the production of geographical knowledge as an inherently value-laden process since we do not stand perched at a God’s eye view above the fray of social and political life simply observing the affairs of the world as neutral bystanders. In a world of extreme inequalities and profound injustices, scholarly neutrality has the effect of legitimizing the status quo and reinforcing unequal power relations in society. We therefore believe that critical scholars have an ethical obligation to develop scholarly knowledge that can contribute toward improving the lives of marginalized communities rather than further entrenching oppressive social hierarchies.
History
The Critical Geographies Research Collaboratory was co-founded by Reuben Rose-Redwood and Simon Springer in 2016. Reuben and Simon served as Co-Directors of the lab until Simon relocated to the University of Newcastle in 2019, and Reuben has continued on as the lab's Director.
Joining the Critical Geographies Research Collaboratory
If you are interested in joining the Critical Geographies Research Collaboratory as a graduate student, please consult information on how to apply to the UVic Geography Department graduate program by clicking here, and also contact the Director of the Critical Geographies Research Collaboratory, Dr. Reuben Rose-Redwood (redwood@uvic.ca), about possibly joining the lab. [Note: Dr. Rose-Redwood is not taking on any new students for supervision at the present time.]