We express deep sadness and grief at the discovery of the 751 unmarked graves outside the former Marieval Indian Residential School at Cowesses First Nation, and the discovery of 215 children in the unmarked burial site at the former Kamloops Residential school.

Moving forward we would like to express our support as educators and individuals, and in the strongest language possible, for the following:

i) acknowledging and accepting the knowledge of survivors and their life experiences;

ii) for the investigation of all past residential schools sites for additional graves;

iii) the fulfillment of each of the Calls to Action identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, as well as each of the Calls for Justice identified by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls;

iv) support for the principles and values of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ​to which Canada is a signatory.

We stand in solidarity with and support of our Indigenous students, colleagues, friends, family members and communities and commit to learning from our shared history, and showing respect for those who were there, as well as those who came before us.

Susan was a dedicated member of the Department of Sociology. Her 35-year career as a Sessional Lecturer began in 1986.  Over the years, she held a number of elected positions on the executive of CUPE 3297, the union local representing sessional lecturers on campus. 

In her capacity as Research Associate, Dr. Robertson was an active researcher on numerous sociology projects. She was highly respected by her colleagues, putting in endless hours to support all of those in the Department.  

Susan was born in Quill Lake on October 14, 1955. In 1965, she and her family moved to Saskatoon, where she attended school at Brevoort Park, Walter Murray Collegiate and the University of Saskatchewan. She received her B.A. (1978), M.A. (1989) and Ph.D. in Sociology in 2002. 

Dr. Susan Robertson will be remembered for her enduring passion for knowledge and education and her dedication to her students and colleagues. 

Dr. Susan Robertson Memorial Book Fund 

This fund supports the work of sessional lecturers within the Department of Sociology. Dr. Susan Robertson was an avid reader and this fund, established in her name, will allow sociology’s sessional lecturers to draw upon the fund in order to purchase books of their choice.

The Brighter future fund is established in the memory of our friend Dr. Nancy Poon, EFS SK has created a transitional micro grant for female identified individuals from Saskatchewan who are integrating back into community after incarceration. This funding stream will assist clients with either supplementary housing assistance or costs associated with furthering education. Criteria is that the individual has secured housing or schooling and is looking for financial assistance with the costs of transitional needs. Examples include, but not limited too; Furniture & housing supplies, schooling costs, work clothing/supplies, or familial needs.

What is Sociology?

“…the study of individuals and society. What makes it unique among academic disciplines is its focus from a myriad of angles, on the linkages between our individual experience and the context of the wider society in which we live. Investigating the social ties between individual and society, between our private realm and the public sphere, and between freedom and constraint – these are the heart of Sociology. Adopting this way of seeing – C. Wright Mills called it “the sociological imagination” – helps us understand how powerfully the world in which we live shapes what we do and how we do it.”

A degree in Sociology gives you the skills needed to see society and human interactions in a different way. You will learn qualitative and quantitative methodologies, along with gaining a theoretical base. The skills learned from your degree will benefit you in future job positions or academic pursuits in a graduate program or applied college.

What can you do with a Sociology degree?

With a BA in Sociology, many opportunities open up to you. You can decide to continue on into graduate studies, working towards a MA and a PhD. From there you can focus on teaching, researching, or both. You can also leave the University after the completion of your BA or your completed graduate degrees and join the broader workforce. Many Sociology graduates find themselves in unique and fulfilling jobs, in areas such as politics; teaching and education; administration, business, and communication; corrections and law; public relations; community affairs; and research. You could find yourself working with the federal government or with a non-profit organization. Maybe you'll be writing policy, or advocating for human rights. The possibilities are endless because with a BA in Sociology, you are given the tools to think critically, apply problem solving strategies using your acquired researching tools, and communicate your ideas both written and orally in an organized fashion.  

Sociology at the U of S

The Department of Sociology is committed to linking the aims of the discipline with the mission of the University of Saskatchewan. Sociology is oriented to teach students to think critically about society, to collect and analyze information about social issues, and to provide training for career opportunities and scholarly pursuits among diverse student bodies. At the University of Saskatchewan, the Department of Sociology has a multitude of programs for undergraduate students, with an array of topics to explore. As a graduate student in the department, you can take your topic interests even farther working with one of our faculty members towards a MA or PhD.

We acknowledge that we are on Treaty 6 territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

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