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I am a Lecturer in political science at the University of British Columbia. I research, write, and teach about a variety of subjects related to the fields of international relations, comparative politics, and Canadian politics.

Particular areas of interest include democratic institutions, civil conflict, state and society, and civic literacy. A common theme in much of my work is the role of institutions in enabling (and constraining) effective decision-making in various contexts. I’m also interested in how, when and why underdogs sometimes come out on top.

Prior to my teaching career, I held a SSHRC postdoctoral fellowship at Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. My PhD in Political Science is from the University of British Columbia. My dissertation examined contentious politics in Bolivia, considering why the long-running conflict in the Chapare region of the country took the form it did—i.e. highly contentious, and yet largerly non-violent.

Beyond research, I comment on a range of issues in local, regional, national, and international media. Beyond the national and internataional headlines of the day, as a Vancouver-based political scientist I pay particular attention to provincial and municipal politics.

I am also a Dad, and partial to Dad jokes. You can also find me on the site formerly known as Twitter and a number of its successor sites using the handle @stewartprest.