Critical Humanities Commons
Rooted in care. Driven by ideas.
The Critical Humanities Commons is a space where interdisciplinary scholarship unfolds through creativity, conversation, and commitment to social justice. Located at the heart of the Faculty of Humanities, the Commons brings people together to think, learn, and teach across disciplines to create new approaches for public dialogue. Four pillars animate the Commons mission:
Collectively, the Commons is directed by three guiding principles:
- EQUITY: reject extractive research practices and center marginalized epistemologies. Integrate undergraduate and graduate students as co-organizers, researchers, and decision makers, rather than passive learners.
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ACCESSIBILITY: uphold disability justice as a core dimension of social integrity and to foster inclusive participation, particularly for community members whose knowledge contributions are undervalued.
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COMMUNITY: include non-academic collaborators as co-creators and partners in knowledge production.
Our space
Located on the third floor of the Clearihue Building, the Commons evokes the spirit of its original architectural design as the heart of the Faculty of Humanities. The space is split into the Commons Hub (collective area) and Commons Lab (collaborative space) and the Director’s office.
Commons Hub
A welcoming collective area designed for informal social gatherings, open dialogue, and interdisciplinary exchange. The Hub is a flexible, inclusive space where faculty, students, and visitors can meet causally, host drop-in conversations, or engage in spontaneous collaborations for teaching, research, creative, or community. Comfortable seating, communal tables, and accessible resources make the Hub a dynamic social and intellectual crossroads in Humanities.
Commons Lab
A dedicated collaborative for focused scholarly work and innovation. The Critical Encounter speaker series will be hosted here, as well as other Commons programming to be rolled out over the year. This includes the Collaborative Syllabus Workshops and the Humanities Collective, an initiative for faculty and students to convene around shared project themes, exchange drafts, provide feedback, and experiment with new ideas in a supportive, structured environment. Through the Humanities Collective and Collaborative Syllabus Workshops, faculty and students convene around shared project themes, exchanging drafts, providing feedback, and experimenting with new ideas in a supportive, structured environment. The Lab encourages sustained partnership and mentorship through the Collective, guiding approaches for creating radical transdisciplinary outputs for collective knowledge-building.
Click here to reserve the Lab for a collaborative workshop or meeting.
Critical Encounters
A free monthly speaker series curating encounters that apply humanistic thinking beyond the academy. The aim is to underscore the public relevance of the humanities in responding to uncertainty and possibility, through programming that appeals to a broad range of interests on campus and community. These events will be accompanied with modest refreshments to foster informal exchange.
The 2025-2026 schedule:
Public Humanities Grants
Public Humanities Grants
The Critical Humanities Commons is pleased to announce the 2026 cycle for its competitive Public Humanities Grants, which support collaborative initiatives that bring humanistic research and creative work into the public sphere. These grants are intended to foster meaningful engagement through exhibits, events, digital platforms, performances, artistic work, or publications.
Aligned with the Commons’ mission to address the pressing issues of our time, these grants are designed for supporting projects that create space for public dialogue, reflection, and action beyond the university.
Grants will be awarded in two categories:
Seed Project Grants
up to $750 (4 grants available)
These grants provide small-scale funding for exploratory or pilot initiatives. They are ideal for researchers seeking to convene collaborators and develop early-stage public programming, multimedia, or digital projects with potential for growth. Projects must include tangible early outcomes (e.g. prototypes, pilot programs, draft exhibit) and present a clear vision for future development and growth.
Alan Marcus Grants
up to $2,500 (2 grants available)
Named for a generous donor to the Critical Humanities Commons, these grants support public-facing projects with significant potential for impact and engagement. Proposals should include a detailed plan for implementation, dissemination, and long-term sustainability. Successful applications will clearly demonstrate how the project advances the Commons’ mission to make humanistic research accessible and relevant to broad audiences.
Application Guidelines
Proposals that present a realistic, actionable plan for competition will receive priority in the selection process. Strong proposals will articulate both the public significance of the work and how it will be effectively executed within the proposed timeline and budget. Successful applications may be expected to showcase the project at a Commons exhibit and/or deliver a talk in the Critical Encounters speaker series.
Humanities faculty and PhD students are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: November 17, 2025
Notification of Awards: December 12, 2025
2026 Application Form can be found here.
The Director
Jaipreet Virdi (she/her/hers) is a historian of science, technology, and medicine who specializes in disability. As a scholar activist, she uses research as a tool for influencing public discourse and policy and has produced numerous interdisciplinary works in public humanities. As a deaf person with chronic pain, she relies on her service dog, Lizzie, who loves to meet new people. Stop by and say hello!
Contact
Courier or in-person address:
CHC - Critical Humanities Commons
University of Victoria
Clearihue C305
3800 Finnerty Rd.
Victoria BC V8P 5C2
Mailing address:
CHC - Critical Humanities Commons
University of Victoria
PO Box 1700 STN CSC
Victoria BC V8W 2Y2
Canada