What the Truck? Polarization and Politics in Canada and Beyond
From Fiona MacDonald
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*Originally recorded March 18, 2022*
Dr. John Scott Matthews
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science
Memorial University
Dr. Fiona MacDonald
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science
University of Northern British Columbia
Abstract: It is a commonplace that the politics of many established democracies have become increasingly polarized. But what does polarization really mean, and what do we know about its sources and effects? Most importantly, can we get beyond polarized politics? In this talk, we will briefly review evidence of polarization in Canada and other Western Democracies and then focus on theory and research that points to conditions that seem to limit, and may even counteract, the trend toward political polarization.
Speaker's Bio: Scott Matthews (Ph.D., UBC) is an associate professor of political science at Memorial University. He studies public opinion and voting behaviour in Canada, the United States, and other established democracies. Matthews has particular expertise in regards to public policy attitudes and political persuasion and has published widely on these topics in leading political science journals, including the American Journal of Political Science and the British Journal of Political Science. He was a collaborator on the 2011 and 2015 Canadian Election Studies and is an academic co-applicant on the Consortium on Electoral Democracy (C-Dem). Matthews is a past director of the Canadian Opinion Research Archive data centre at Queen’s University (2011-2016) and has held the Fulbright Visiting Research Chair at Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN) and a Humboldt Research Fellowship at the University of Mannheim (Germany). His first faculty appointment was as an assistant professor at Queen’s University, where he was tenured and promoted to associate professor.
Dr. Fiona MacDonald (PhD UBC) is an Assistant Professor specializing in Gender Politics. Dr. MacDonald co-edited the Finding Feminisms special issue of the Canadian Journal of Political Science (June 2017) which includes her article, “Knocking Down Walls in Political Science: In Defense of an Expansionist Feminist Agenda.” Her other publications can be found in the journals Hypatia, Citizenship Studies, Constellations, and Canadian Public Administration. Her article “Indigenous Peoples and Neoliberal ‘Privatization’ in Canada: Opportunities, Cautions and Constraints” won the 2012 John McMenemy Prize for the best article published in volume 44 of the Canadian Journal of Political Science. Her co-edited book, Turbulent Times, Transformational Opportunities? Gender and Politics Today and Tomorrow, was published with University of Toronto Press, Spring 2020. She is currently working on research related to the impact(s) of apology following medical error or mistreatment and a co-edited book titled, Feministing in Political Science: A Manifesta for Change.
Dr. John Scott Matthews
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science
Memorial University
Dr. Fiona MacDonald
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science
University of Northern British Columbia
Abstract: It is a commonplace that the politics of many established democracies have become increasingly polarized. But what does polarization really mean, and what do we know about its sources and effects? Most importantly, can we get beyond polarized politics? In this talk, we will briefly review evidence of polarization in Canada and other Western Democracies and then focus on theory and research that points to conditions that seem to limit, and may even counteract, the trend toward political polarization.
Speaker's Bio: Scott Matthews (Ph.D., UBC) is an associate professor of political science at Memorial University. He studies public opinion and voting behaviour in Canada, the United States, and other established democracies. Matthews has particular expertise in regards to public policy attitudes and political persuasion and has published widely on these topics in leading political science journals, including the American Journal of Political Science and the British Journal of Political Science. He was a collaborator on the 2011 and 2015 Canadian Election Studies and is an academic co-applicant on the Consortium on Electoral Democracy (C-Dem). Matthews is a past director of the Canadian Opinion Research Archive data centre at Queen’s University (2011-2016) and has held the Fulbright Visiting Research Chair at Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN) and a Humboldt Research Fellowship at the University of Mannheim (Germany). His first faculty appointment was as an assistant professor at Queen’s University, where he was tenured and promoted to associate professor.
Dr. Fiona MacDonald (PhD UBC) is an Assistant Professor specializing in Gender Politics. Dr. MacDonald co-edited the Finding Feminisms special issue of the Canadian Journal of Political Science (June 2017) which includes her article, “Knocking Down Walls in Political Science: In Defense of an Expansionist Feminist Agenda.” Her other publications can be found in the journals Hypatia, Citizenship Studies, Constellations, and Canadian Public Administration. Her article “Indigenous Peoples and Neoliberal ‘Privatization’ in Canada: Opportunities, Cautions and Constraints” won the 2012 John McMenemy Prize for the best article published in volume 44 of the Canadian Journal of Political Science. Her co-edited book, Turbulent Times, Transformational Opportunities? Gender and Politics Today and Tomorrow, was published with University of Toronto Press, Spring 2020. She is currently working on research related to the impact(s) of apology following medical error or mistreatment and a co-edited book titled, Feministing in Political Science: A Manifesta for Change.
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