Two UWindsor law professors have won support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for research collaborations exploring issues of public concern.

Sujith Xavier is co-investigator alongside University College London political science professor Kate Cronin-Furman on “Paths to Justice: International Legal Strategies for Accountability,” which will investigate legal strategies for paths to international accountability in post-conflict jurisdictions.

“We are thrilled to embark on this project with the help of two students from Windsor Law’s JD and LLM program," says Prof. Xavier.

Tess Sheldon will investigate the experience of persons with disabilities during the pandemic in a study entitled “COVID-19 and Access to Justice for People with Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Legal Analysis of the Barriers, Risks and Responses in Ontario's Congregate Care Settings,” with law professor Ruby Dhand of Thompson Rivers University.

“We are delighted to contribute to the creation of disability-informed policy and law reform recommendations to COVID-19,” says Prof. Sheldon.

Both projects received Partnership Engage Grants, which are meant to respond to immediate needs and time constraints facing organizations in non-academic sectors. They provide short-term and timely support for partnered research activities that will inform decision-making at a single partner organization from the public, private, or not-for-profit sector.

In addressing an organization-specific need, challenge, or opportunity, these partnerships let non-academic organizations and postsecondary researchers access each other’s unique knowledge, expertise, and capabilities on topics of mutual interest.