The COHDS was founded in 2006 thanks to substantial funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Concordia University. We moved into our permanent facilities in 2007. COHDS is equipped with cutting edge audio and video recording equipment and several dozen computer workstations. There is a video-conference room, a training lab, an interview room, and archive. There are also special projects spaces. COHDS has been home to several large-scale research projects including the Montreal Life Stories project, a community-university research alliance funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Located on Concordia’s busy downtown Montreal campus, the Centre has brought together hundreds of researchers, artists, students, educators and community-based organizations. Our community of practice bridges disciplinary and community-university divides. COHDS offers regular workshops, seminars, roundtables, “study days,” and organizes frequent international conferences. In addition to their research publications, affiliated members have produced a wide variety of multi-media outcomes ranging from online digital stories and memoryscapes to audio walks, live performances, radio programs, films, art installations, museum exhibitions, pedagogical resources and so on. Many of these public outcomes are featured on this website.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Co-Director Cynthia Hammond or Emma Harake Coordinator and Community Facilitator.