Canadian Sociological Association

With the aim of promoting teaching, research and publication in the field of sociology which involves the study of structure, functioning and development of human society an association named Canadian Sociological Association was established in the year 1964.

Prior to 2012, office space for the CSA was located in Montreal, where the Association benefited from a longstanding history of support from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Concordia University. The association and the department were founded almost concurrently. The CSA journal, the Canadian Review of Sociology commenced publication in 1964, as the Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology. The Concordia Department of Sociology and Anthropology was founded in the same year, within the then-named Sir George Williams University. A year later, the Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association was founded, becoming the Canadian Sociology Association in 2007.

Meanwhile, the Association was in the midst of transforming itself from the Anthropology and Sociology chapter of the Canadian Political Science Association to a separate association. The first Annual meeting was held in 1966 at the Université de Sherbrooke. With about 50 of the 89 members attending the business meeting, the constitution was approved, sub-committees were established, and the first CSAA executive was elected. Those who created the Sociology and Anthropology department at Sir George Williams University—Harold Potter, Kurt Jonassohn, Hubert Guindon, and John Jackson—also played important roles in the early development of the CSAA and its journal, the Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology. Within the first 7 years Sir George was established as the administrative home for the Association and Concordia has generously followed that tradition to the present time. In fact, since 1971 the secretary treasurer (and then treasurer) has always been a member of the Sociology and Anthropology Department working closely with the Director who staffs the main office.