P. Whitney Lackenbauer
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in the Study of the Canadian North Professor, School for the Study of Canada
B.A. (St. Jerome’s/Waterloo), M.A./ Ph.D. (Calgary)
Research interests:
Modern Canadian and circumpolar history; political studies; military history / war and society; and Indigenous-state relations in Canada
Contact:
Office: 205 Kerr House, Traill College
Phone: 705-748-1011 ext. 7390
Email: pwhitneylackenbauer@trentu.ca
Website: www.lackenbauer.ca
Faculty Profile
One of Canada’s foremost experts on Arctic history and contemporary Northern policy, Professor Lackenbauer’s research explores the evolution of Canada’s domestic strategies for the North and its international relationships with other Arctic and non-Arctic states. Together with his team, he is also investigating how northern communities have shaped, and been shaped by, different understandings of the region. Prof. Lackenbauer and his team want to shed light on the role that northern and Indigenous stakeholders should play in these discussions to better reflect community interests. Ultimately, they hope to encourage evidence-based policy-making that transcends traditional academic boundaries and disciplines and is animated by a strong commitment to social justice.
“My research throughout the Canadian North has profoundly shaped my understanding of our country and my role as a scholar. What excites me most about the CRC role is being able to offer similar opportunities to Trent students.”
Prof. Lackenbauer strives to teach students to think critically, to ask good questions and to measure evidence and interpretation. He continuously mentors promising undergraduate and graduate students in advanced research techniques and considers research assistantships an integral part of his teaching responsibilities, with research assistants often co-authoring papers with him.
His external funding that supports Trent student involvement includes the Canada Research Chair program; the North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network (NAADSN) (Department of National Defence Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security Collaborative Network Grant) and SSHRC-funded projects on Youth Resilience and Community Resilience in Canada’s Northern Territories: Measuring the Success of the Junior Canadian Rangers; and Capacity-Building for Community-Based Maritime and Coastal Search and Rescue and Emergency Response in Nunavut.
