Department of Political Science welcomes new faculty member Wilson Prichard
June 28, 2010
On July 1, the Department of Political Science welcomes Wilson Prichard, an Assistant Professor jointly appointed to the Department and the School of Global Affairs. Wilson Prichard holds a PhD and MPhil from the Institute of Development Studies and a B.A. from Harvard University. His broad research focus is in international development, with a particular […]
Richard Simeon receives major APSA award
June 16, 2010
Richard Simeon, who retires from the faculty of the Department of Political Science in June, has been honoured with the Daniel Elazar Distinguished Scholar Award in recognition of his lifetime contribution to the study of federalism and intergovernmental relations. A list of previous winners of this award is available on the APSA website. The award […]
Russian intelligentsia shocked by Harlequin romances, says Aurel Braun
June 16, 2010
There are all kinds of things musicians say you can’t do with love — buy it, hurry it or stop from fallin’ in it. But you can apparently turn it into a viable export commodity. And that’s what Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. is doing. The global leader in romance literature for women is continuing with its […]
Give Iranian dissidents hope, writes Ramin Jahanbegloo in the Bangkok Post
June 14, 2010
As necessary as sanctions may be in thwarting Iran’s nuclear programme, they are a secondary issue. Challenging the moral and political legitimacy of violence by the Iranian state against its own citizens ought to be the urgent priority of the international community. After enduring a year of extraordinary cruelty, solidarity with those struggling for democracy […]
The Department of Political Science bids farewell to three retiring faculty members
June 14, 2010
On May 31, the Department of Political Science held a lunch for faculty and staff to celebrate the end of the academic year and to recognize three faculty members who are retiring: Don Forbes, Richard Simeon, and Peter Solomon. Three members of the faculty gave speeches to recognize each retiree, and these are reprinted below. […]
Professor Ed Schatz honoured by APSA
June 8, 2010
The American Political Science Association have selected Professor Ed Schatz as the co-recipient of the Giovanni Sartori Book Award for his work, Political Ethnography: What Immersion Contributes to the Study of Power. The book, a collection of original essays edited by Professor Schatz, demonstrates how ethnography is uniquely suited for illuminating political science. The Giovanni […]
Patricia McCarney hopes to keep cities database in Toronto
June 7, 2010
Do cities that have the most police officers have the least violent crime? What’s the typical voter turnout for city elections around the world? Do cities with high densities have high transit ridership? Don’t know? It was hard to find out until a unique project housed at the University of Toronto began to build a […]
Two studies by U of T political scientists suggest shift in Canadians' attitude to war
June 7, 2010
War casualties in Afghanistan could actually boost support for the mission and the federal Conservative government, two new academic studies reveal. In fact, the image of flag-draped coffins — long seen as a potential political liability for any government — could make Canadians more hawkish about the Afghan war in general and less likely to […]
John Kirton and his summit scholars gear up for G20
June 5, 2010
The first picture you see on John Kirton’s office wall is a small reminder of how much the world has changed in two decades of watching G8 summits. In it, the curly haired political science professor is shaking hands with former Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kirton has just helped him pull off the 2006 G8 […]
Former student Kristin Good wins 2010 Donald Smiley Prize
June 4, 2010
Kristin Good has won the 2010 Donald Smiley Prize for her book, Municipalities and Multiculturalism: The Politics of Immigration in Toronto and Vancouver. In the words of the prize jury, “This book will contribute to the renewal of urban policy studies in Canada. By combining a critical questioning of multiculturalism with an in-depth examination of […]