CV

Stewart Prest, B.Sc., B.A., M.A., PhD

Political Science Educator (2015-Present)

For nearly a decade I have worked as a political scientist in the Vancouver area, including most recently as Lecturer in political science at the University of British Columbia. For three years prior to that, I worked as a lecturer with the Department of Political Science at Simon Fraser University.

Responsibilities include the design and implementation of a wide variety of undergraduate classes related to multiple aspects of political science, including international relations, comparative politics, Canadian politics, and policy.

Lecturer University of British Columbia, Vancouver B.C., 2023-

Courses taught:

  • POLI 100: Introduction to Politics (Fall 2023)
  • POL 132: From Dictatorships to Democracies (Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020)
  • POLI 328B: Comparative Insurgencies, UBC, (Winter 2017)
  • POLI 348A: Political Theory and Policy, UBC (Spring 2021)
  • POLI 360: International Security, UBC (Summer 2015)
  • POLI 370D: International Conflict Management (Winter 2023)
  • POLI 464G: Comparative Insurgencies, UBC (Spring 2020)
  • POLI 464J: Weapons of the Weak States: International Politics of the Globally Disadvantaged

Lecturer Simon Fraser University, Burnaby B.C., 2019-2023

Courses taught:

  • POL 100: Introduction to Politics (Fall 2021, Spring 2022)
  • POL 121: Political Engagement (Spring 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Summer 2022)
  • POL 132: From Dictatorships to Democracies (Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020)
  • POL 151: Justice and Law (Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Summer 2020, Spring 2021, Summer 2021, Summer 2022)
  • POL 200W: Investigating Politics: Research Design and Qualitative Methods (Summer 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022)
  • POL 221: Introduction to Canadian Government (Summer 2020)
  • POL 232: US Politics (Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Fall 2020)
  • POL 321: The Canadian Federal System (Fall 2018, Summer 2019, Summer 2021)
  • POL 322: Canadian Political Parties (Fall 2018, Summer 2019)
  • POL 347: Canadian Foreign Policy (Fall 2019)
  • POL 448: Comparative Study of Resistance and Rebellion (Spring 2020)

Faculty, Quest University Canada, Squamish B.C., 2022-2023

Courses taught:

  • IND 2100: Cornerstone: What is Knowledge (Fall 2022)
  • SOC 2200: Democracy and Justice (Fall 2022)
  • SOC 2300: Global Perspectives (Fall 2022)
  • SOC 3008: Resistance and Rebellion: The Study of Unconventional Politics (Spring 2023)
  • SOC 3009: For the People? The Study of Contemporary Populism Around the World (Spring 2023)

Instructor, Various Institutions, Vancouver B.C.

Selected Courses Taught:

  • Multiple sections of Introduction to Politics, Introduction to Global Studies, and Introduction to Canadian Politics (Various institutions)
  • POLI 1140: Introduction to International Relations, Langara College (Fall 2023)
  • POLI 2240: International Political Economy, Langara College (Winter 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2022, Fall 2023)
  • POLI 2245: Canadian International Relations, Langara College (Winter 2018)

Education and Fellowships

  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2016-2017
    • Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA), Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario
  • PhD in Political Science, 2016
    • Department of Political Science, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, British Columbia
    • Dissertation title: “Rough peace: Understanding the absence of civil conflict in Bolivia”
    • Comprehensive exams in International Relations (International Security and International Political Economy) and Comparative Politics (State-Society Relations); additional studies in political theory, democracy and democratization, and quantitative and qualitative research methodology
  • Master of Arts in International Affairs, 2006
    • NPSIA, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario
  • Bachelor of Arts, with Great Distinction, 2001; Bachelor of Science, with Great Distinction, 2000
    • Augustana University College (AUC); now Augustana Faculty, University of Alberta, Camrose, Alberta
    • Concentrations in History and Philosophy; and mathematics and physics

 

Selected Awards and Scholarships

  • Newsmaker of the Year, Simon Fraser University (2019)
  • SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship, NPSIA ($81,000; 2016-2017) [Originally awarded to Study at Yale University]
  • IDRC Doctoral Research Award, International Development Research Centre (IDRC) ($15,750; 2011)
  • Security and Defence Forum Doctoral Dissertation Fieldwork Research Award, UBC ($4,000; 2011)
  • Consular Corps of BC Graduate Scholarship in International Relations, UBC ($4,000; 2010)
  • Liu Scholar, Liu Institute for Global Issues, UBC
  • -Armand Bombardier Doctoral Canada Government Scholarship (CGS), SSHRC ($105,000; 2008-2011)
  • Governor General’s Academic Medal, AUC (2001), Camrose Composite High School (1996)

 

Professional Consulting and Policy Experience (2006-Present)

Selected projects:

Projects with the Samara Centre for Democracy:

  • Research and writing of a report to the Privy Council Office of Canada—Democratic Institutions, “Designing National Action for Civic Literacy in Canada” in cooperation with Samara staff. July-December 2017.
    • This project analyzed the current state of Canada’s civic literacy platforms across governments and the non-governmental sector, recommending an avenues for the transformation of governmental institutional support for the delivery of robust, multifaceted forms of civic literacy education to meet the needs of Canada’s evolving population and informational challenges.
    • Responsibilities include research and co-writing of a private public submitted to the Privy Council Democratic Institutions Secretariat, as well as a public version of the report, “Towards a Civic Literacy Community of Practice” in cooperation with Samara staff. July-September 2018.
    • Link to public version of final report here: https://www.samaracanada.com/research/active-citizenship/investing-in-canadians%27-civic-literacy
  • Research and writing of an accessible electoral reform primer, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Electoral Reform” in cooperation with Samara staff. June-August 2016.
    • Commissioned by Samara in support of federal government discussions regarding electoral reform following the 2015 electoral promise. This project was intended to provide a readable and highly accessible yet nuanced source of information for Canadians breaking down the complexities, highlighting meaningful trade-offs in support of an informed citizen discussion of the topic.
    • Link to the primer here: https://www.samaracanada.com/samara-in-the-classroom/electoral-reform

Project with World Food Programme:

  • Design and facilitation of a two-day workshop focusing on principles of early warning for mission-relevant events. Workshop provided 17-18 July 2012 in Rome.
    • Project supported an institutional shift towards greater awareness of and sensitivity to political instability that could prove disruptive to delivery of WFP programming

Project with Pearson Peacekeeping Centre / Pearson Centre (PPC) (now defunct):

  • Business Assessment Project: Design produce a series of 15 country/organization reports describing current and future areas of focus and assessing potential for working relationships. Jan-March 2012.
  • With PPC and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): Research and development of a five-day workshop on Early Warning/Early Response to conflict; Co-facilitation of workshop at Hiroshima, Japan, 27-31 March 2006.

Project with United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Ukraine, Crimean Integration and Development program:

  • Co-provision of methodological training and support to local researchers; development and facilitation of capacity-building course for local analysts, advisors, and members of the UNDP mission’s Human Security Council, provided 3-7 December 2007.
    • Project involved multiple visits and was intended to support the institutional development of a local capacity for conflict warning and response planning in the region

Projects with the Country Indicators for Foreign Policy Project (CIFP), a policy-research centre based at Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School for International Affairs (NPSIA), Ottawa, Ontario (2004-2008)

  • General responsibilities as senior researcher and project manager: operate as senior researcher and project manager, including management of multiple teams of research analysts and coordination research publications and projects; co-author and editor of major project articles, papers, and other documents; spin-off research as opportunities arose
  • Projects included:
  • With Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Policy Branch: Fragile States Monitoring and Assessment Project
    • Design and support the onboarding of a suite of evidence-based decision support tools to aid Canadian development decisions in fragile political contexts.
    • Briefings to country and policy desks throughout the agency.
  • With CIDA Office for Democratic Governance (ODG): Democratic Processes and Governance Assessment Project
    • Support CIDA programming decisions related to democratization and governance via enhanced understanding of democratic processes in a selected countries.
    • Briefings to Director General at CIDA, and policy teams throughout the agency.
  • With Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC, an agency within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)) Strategic Early Warning System Pilot Project
    • Research regarding causal linkages between organized crime and social, political, economic, environmental, demographic and conflict-related factors; Examination of transmission mechanisms for transnational crime
    • Creation of a research methodology template to guide CISC monitoring of strategic developments in organized criminal activity. Briefing to senior officials at CISC.
    • Pilot project: in-depth research into sources of crime and conflict in Haiti, with specific attention paid to implications for Canada; results intended to support an institutional transition towards greater strategic awareness of changing trends in criminal activity, in order to support more effective allocation of resources

Publications

Selected Published Articles, Chapters, and Books (Peer Reviewed)

Selected Published Articles, Chapters, and Books (Peer Reviewed)
Books
  • Forthcoming. Weapons of the Weak States. New York: Springer. (Volume editor; introductory chapter author; with Jan Lüdert).
  • 2010. Security, development and the fragile state: Bridging the gap between theory and policy. (With D. Carment and Y. Samy). Oxford: Routledge.
  • Articles
  • 2015. “Whose feedback? A multilevel analysis of student completion of end-of-term teaching evaluations.” (With Leah P. Macfadyen, Shane Dawson, and Dragan Gašević. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. 1-19.
  • 2011. “Substantial movements, substantive democracy: Recent comparative studies of Andean politics.” Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies. 35(70): 229-247.
  • 2011. “The Method Makes the Manuscript: Key Texts in the Theoretical and Methodological Advancement of the Study of Civil War.” (With G. Clayton, L. Gissel, L. Gomsrud, E. Leclerc Gagne, E. Paasche, J. Schaefer). Journal of Intervention and State Building.
  • 2009. “Jamaican and Haitian diasporas.” (With D. Carment, C. Dade, A. Harrington, and P. Unheim). Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self Knowledge. 7(4): 15-36.
  • 2008. “State fragility and implications for aid allocation: an empirical analysis.” (With D. Carment and Y. Samy). Conflict Management and Peace Science. 25(4): 349-373.
  • 2006. “The 2006 CIFP Country Indicators for Foreign Policy: Opportunities and challenges for the Canadian Government.” (With D. Carment, S. el-Achkar, and Y. Samy). Canadian Foreign Policy. 13(1): 1-35.
Book Chapters
  • Forthcoming. “Vancouver.” In Jack Lucas, Martin Horak, and Zachary Taylor, eds. City Politics in Canada. 2nd ed. (With Ian Bushfield)
  • 2011. “Determinants of state fragility and implications for aid allocation: An assessment based on the Country Indicators for Foreign Policy project.” (With D. Carment and Y. Samy). In Naudé, W.A., Santos-Paulino, A. and McGillivray, M. eds. Fragile States: Causes, Costs, and Responses. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • 2008. “Jamaica, Haiti, and the role of diasporas.” (With D. Carment, A. Harrington, and P. Unheim). D. Carment and D. Bercuson, eds. Canadian foreign policy and the new 3Ds: diaspora, demography and domestic politics. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press.
Selected Conference Papers and Presentations
  • 2019. “Transformation of Vancouver Municipal Politics in the 2018 Election.” Canadian Political Science Association. Vancouver, BC. 1-7 June. (With Ian Bushfield.)
  • 2019. “Seeing like a Dominion: Reinterpreting the Construction of the Early Canadian State.” Canadian Political Science Association. Vancouver, BC. 1-7 June.
  • 2019. “Weapons of the Weak States: Strategies of Resistance in Contemporary IR.” International Studies Association.Toronto 27-30 March 2019.
  • 2017. “Ostromian Communities and the Avoidance of Conflict.” International Studies Association. Baltimore 22-25 Feb.
  • 2017. “Weapons of the Weak States: Strategies of Resistance in Global Governance Regimes.” International Studies Association. Baltimore 22-25 February.
  • 2016. “Rough Peace: Ostromian Communities and the Avoidance of Armed Conflict in Bolivia.” Canadian Political Science Association. Calgary, AB. 31 May-2 June.
  • 2016. “United for Peace? Ostromian Communities and the Avoidance of Resource Conflict in Bolivia.” International Studies Association. Atlanta, 16-19 March.
  • 2016. “Rough Peace: Ostromian Communities and the Avoidance of Armed Conflict in Bolivia.” International Studies Association. Atlanta, 16-19 March.
  • 2013. “The view from the Mezzanine: Micro-level violence linking to macro-level conflict.” International Studies Association. San Francisco, California. 3-6 April.
Other Scholarly and Policy Papers
  • 2019. “Investing in Canadians’ Civic Literacy: A Cure for this Era of Fake News and Misinformation.” Toronto: The Samara Centre for Democracy. (With Michael Morden, Jane Hilderman, and Kendall Anderson.)
  • 2017. “Designing National Action for Civic Literacy in Canada.” Prepared in partnership with Samara Canada for the Privy Council Office of Canada—Democratic Institutions. (With Michael Morden, Jennifer Mussel, and Laura Pin. December.)
  • 2016. “What we Talk About When We Talk About Electoral Reform.” With Samara Canada. August.
  • 2014. “Compelled to err: Fieldwork as iterative experiential learning.” LASA Forum. 45(2): 6-8.
  • 2006. “Assessing the circumstances and forms of Canada’s involvement in fragile states: Towards a methodology of relevance and impact.” (With D. Carment, J. Gazo, T. Bell, and S. Houghton).  Human Security Bulletin. December.
  • 2005. “Failed and fragile states: A concept paper for the Canadian Government.” (With D. Carment, J. Gazo, and T. Bell). Prepared for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). December.
  • 2005. “Upheaval in Haiti: The criminal threat to Canada.” Background research document created for Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC) SENTINEL Strategic Early Warning Pilot Project. 2005.
Public political Commentator, 2014-Present
I provide a variety of public commentary on ongoing news of the day as part of an effort to support more informed public discourse on a variety of issues under debate, ranging from democratic reform, to municipal, provincial, and Canadian politics, to foreign policy and US politics. As part of this work I give public talks, write regular op-eds and, and give expert media interviews in local, regional, national, and international outlets, including print, audio, and video formats. Media appearances include, inter alia, the Vancouver Sun, CBC TV and Radio, CTV, Global TV, The Star, the Globe and Mail, the National Post, Al-Jazeera, Welt, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the BBC.
Selected list of expert commentary: