Brandon University is proud to recognize Dr. Jonathan Allan for completing his second and final term as a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC), marking more than a decade of nationally distinguished scholarship, prolific publication, and far-reaching academic collaboration.
Dr. Bernadette Ardelli (left) and Dr. Jonathan Allan (right)
Originally appointed in 2014, Dr. Allan has leveraged the Canada Research Chair program to explore bold and timely questions across a wide range of topics, from circumcision and infertility, to literature and photography, to censorship, obscenity, and the taboo. His research has made significant contributions to the evolving field of Masculinity Studies, especially as he advocated for interdisciplinary approaches that bring together the humanities and social sciences. His work has engaged deeply with issues of equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization and Indigenization, and men's mental, sexual, and reproductive health, both locally and globally.
Reflecting on this decade of research, Dr. Allan wrote:
"In 2014, I was honoured to receive a Canada Research Chair, which enabled me to do lots of research, to follow my ideas where they went, to think critically and creatively about all sorts of issues... I have worked with colleagues nationally and internationally, hosting the conference At the Boundaries of Ourselves: Decoloniality and Masculinity, which sought to Indigenize and decolonize Men's Studies, as well as conferences in the UK and the United States that sought to think through and about bodies and sexuality. I look back with gratitude and thankfulness, and look forward to what will come."
Throughout his tenure as CRC (2014-2025), his research outputs span peer-reviewed articles, monographs, collections of essays, and bibliographies. He also delivered more than 60 academic and public lectures. Throughout his career, he has secured both local grants, such as the Brandon University Research Committee grant, as well as multiple grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and served on national and international review committees.
Dr. Allan has also been actively involved in collaboration and mentorship at Brandon University. He has been involved in numerous collaborative projects at Brandon University, such as, his work with Dr. Candice Waddell-Henowitch and Dr. Rachel Herron, on rural and Indigenous men's mental health and wellness funded by SSHRC. As well as a project on sexting with Dr. Mihelakis that was funded through Research Manitoba.
"Dr. Allan's work exemplifies the powerful combination of scholarly excellence and social relevance," said Dr. Bernadette Ardelli, Vice-President (Research and Graduate Studies) at Brandon University. "His interdisciplinary, collaborative approach has led to meaningful dialogue and important discoveries. We are deeply proud of the research legacy he has built here."
Dr. Allan's academic leadership includes service on the editorial boards of every major journal in Critical Studies of Men and Masculinities. He co-founded the Journal of Bodies, Sexualities, and Masculinities, currently in its fifth volume, and was recently named interim editor of Boyhood Studies. In 2024, he received the Carl Bode Award for Outstanding Article from the Popular Culture Association for his article, "Reading anti-circumcision activism in Clothed with the Sun: The Quarterly Journal of Clothes-Optional Living."
"Dr. Allan has established himself as a leading researcher in his field, and a leading scholar in our faculty" said Dr. Gregory Kennedy, Dean of Arts. "The legacy of this body of work achieved during the CRC will be far-reaching, and Dr. Allan's continuing engagement in leadership and research will shape the next generation of students to follow. I am particularly inspired by Dr. Allan's thoughtful, conscientious, and interdisciplinary approach, which emphasizes research that directly contribute to better health and wellbeing outcomes for men, and to a better understanding of evolving notions of masculinity in our society. This is exactly the kind of powerful, applied work that makes the Faculty of Arts a driver of positive change and a destination of choice for those open to innovative, interdisciplinary methods."
Dr. Allan concludes his CRC appointment with a continued commitment to teaching, research, and mentorship at Brandon University.
Brandon University extends its heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Allan on this milestone and looks forward to his ongoing contributions to scholarly inquiry and academic life on campus.
