HONOURS PROFILE: KAMRAN HOULE

Essay: Whiteness, Housing, and the Great Replacement: Conspiratorial Knowledge in Canadian Anti-Immigration Discourses

Kamran Houle graduated from Simon Fraser University in June 2025 with a BA in Joint Majors- Sociology & Anthropology (Honours with Distinction) and completed his honours project under the supervision of Dr. Kyle Willmott.

He is also a recipient of the prestigious 2025 Outstanding Sociology & Anthropology Graduand Award. The Outstanding Anthropology, Sociology, and Sociology/Anthropology Graduand awards are awarded to students who have attained the highest CGPA amongst graduands for that academic year in their respective programs.

We spoke with Kamran in detail to learn more about the focus of his project, what went into his research for the essay and his advice for students who are considering essay-based honours path. 

1. What did you focus on for your honours project?

My honours project is an analysis of the Great Replacement conspiracy theory through the lens of epistemology (the study of knowledge), as derived facts (similar to scientific theories). I look at posts and comments on Canadian Reddit forums that engage with Great Replacement themes, and examine the way that the “fact” of the Great Replacement is simultaneously established and served as a form of interpretation for world events.

This isn’t to say that conspiracy theories are actually valid to believe, especially racist ones like the Great Replacement, but that they are used to interpret the world and give it meaning and sense in the way that scientific theories and other theories of reality and phenomena do. Conspiracism is simply a style of engagement with information and facts. I think it’s important to acknowledge that when assessing conspiracy theories’ dangers and impacts on the current politics and society.

2. How did you decide on your topic? What sparked your interest in it?

I have been interested in conspiracy theories and alternative knowledge structures since high school. Through some roundabout paths, this led me to study sociology and anthropology, a theme I keep revisiting throughout my work. The ability of people to believe and operate in a world with explanations that is completely counter to the otherwise consensus reality and more robust fact-making is fundamentally a social question.

Conspiracy theories are also becoming more relevant as time goes by, and that fringe image of the conspiracist with the cork-board and red string continues to prove itself inadequate for understanding the phenomena. Specifically for the topic of Great Replacement and online conspiracy theories, I have a lot of personal concerns regarding the attitudes surrounding immigration.

The Great Replacement is one of the most infectious conspiracy approaches towards immigration. It has a large influence within even mainstream political discourse. This makes it a useful model for conspiracy theories as a whole.

3. What motivated you to pursue the honours program in Sociology?

There is nothing I love more than sociological/anthropological thinking ­— the specific dynamics of social life and being. To be able to apply this thinking outside a formal classroom setting and towards novel research was something that I had been wanting to do for a while. To be able to produce something new, fundamentally proving the value of your own perspective and approach towards the field, is a rare privilege indeed. The honours program also served as a space where I could see if I enjoyed the type of work that constitutes graduate studies or even a career in social sciences.

4. What was the most challenging part of writing your honours essay, and how did you overcome it?

I struggle a lot with deadlines and quality of work, something that really came to a head during my honours project. Learning how to properly manage my time, and communicate where I was with my supervisor, was an experience that took me a lot of time to sink into.

I was lucky to have the support to overcome these issues, and produce some of my best works ever. Towards the end, I had to be confident in my own material towards my novel work, instead of evaluating against a specific rubric or outside text.

Doing a project like this means, becoming an expert in a specific phenomenon or a topic, and having trust in your own expertise. It can be difficult. But once it is achieved, you feel liberated.

5. What was it like working with your faculty supervisor, Dr. Kyle Willmott, on your project?

Kyle and I get along really well, and I don’t think I would have done the honours program without his support and encouragement. We have similar concerns and interests regarding sociology and Canadian society. He was really good at pointing me towards the texts and the sources that helped me to build my arguments and refine my project.

It was a privilege to be working with someone who respects you both as a scholar and a student, has a great wealth of knowledge and experience, and who is fundamentally invested and interested in your project. I really hope to maintain this relationship as I continue my scholarly pursuits.

6. What skills or perspectives gained through your honours program that you think will stay with you?

Majority of the program was a refinement of the already existing skills between a number of courses (essay writing, library and field research, structuring and refining an argument etc.) that I had mostly used in isolation, putting them together towards the largest project I had ever worked on.

I think what I really learned the most was managing a project like this, especially time management and structuring my ideas. I think now I have a better insight on how long researching and writing something like this will take, and how to avoid some of the pitfalls that made this project more time consuming than it really was.

I was also pushed towards writing a more detailed outline as well as simplify and structure my arguments so that they were clearer and easier to communicate and reference.

7. What advice would you give to students considering the essay-based honours path?

Come in ready to adapt, and learn as you go. I started with a really big idea that I intended to take from a lot of angles but had to shave down and specify more towards my project with time.  

It’s difficult to assess the scope, because it incorporates a lot of different skills that you probably already have, but have never used in totality for something which is vast. Don’t be afraid to lean on your friends, your supervisor, your peers, and your family for support. It’s supposed to be a learning and growing experience, and you will produce good work. You just need to let yourself get there as you go.