Dr. Trevor Harrison, leading researcher in the study of populism, named winner of Speaker Research Award
Recognized as one of Canada’s leading sociologists, Dr. Trevor Harrison is renowned for his interdisciplinary approach to research that delves into many of today’s vital issues related to globalization, populism, immigration and political economy. The University of Lethbridge is proud to name Harrison as the winner of the 2022 Speaker Research Award.
“Dr. Harrison is well known for his work thanks to his unique ability and willingness to share his insights on key societal issues through public platforms including speaking events and media engagement,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, the University’s vice-president (research). “The research he shares in the public spotlight, connecting economics, history, politics and sociology, is unparalleled and sets him apart from his peers. He brings this diligent approach to the classroom and his students, who are encouraged to think deeply and critically about today’s issues.”
Harrison will be presented with the Speaker Research Award at Spring 2022 Convocation Ceremony IV, Thursday, June 2, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness.
Dr. Trevor Harrison
While Dr. Trevor Harrison is identified as a sociologist, his interdisciplinary research work displays a remarkable breadth of study that spans many of today’s vital issues related to globalization, populism, nationalism, and political economy.
Harrison grew up in Edmonton but later completed a bachelor of sociology at the University of Winnipeg. He subsequently earned a masters of sociology at the University of Calgary before returning to Edmonton for his doctoral studies at the University of Alberta. His PhD thesis, Of Passionate Intensity: Right Wing Populism and the Reform Party of Canada, was later published by the University of Toronto Press and laid the foundation for much of his subsequent work as a leading researcher in the study of populism in Canada and elsewhere.
Harrison was a founding member of the Parkland Institute in 1996, a think tank located at the University of Alberta that studies public policy in Alberta. He joined the University of Lethbridge as an associate professor in the Department of Sociology in 2002.
In 2007, he was named interim director of the fledgling Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy, one of the University of Lethbridge’s first research institutes, a position he held until 2009. While continuing as a ULethbridge professor, in 2011 he was appointed director of the Parkland Institute, a position he held until 2021.
Harrison’s research connects economics, history, politics, and sociology. He has consistently been at the forefront in identifying societal and political trends. His ability and willingness to share his insights make him a talented educator and much sought-after public speaker and media commentator able to unpack the complexities of today’s most volatile issues for a variety of audiences.
Harrison has contributed extensively to the sociological, political, and public policy literature. Besides five co-edited books, he has written three solo books and co-written, with John Friesen, a fourth, Canadian Society in the 21st Century: A Historical Sociological Approach, now in its fourth edition.
To view online: https://www.ulethbridge.ca/unews/article/dr-trevor-harrison-leading-researcher-study-populism-named-winner-speaker-research-award
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