Loleen Berdahl is Professor of Political Studies at the University of Saskatchewan. She is the Executive Director of the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (2020-present) and the former Head of Political Studies (2016-2020).

After completing her PhD at the University of Calgary, she worked for ten years in the non-profit sector, returning to academia in 2008. Her research examines how institutional, cultural, and political factors shape individual attitudes and collaborative decision-making practices, with a focus on public attitudes regarding Canadian public policy, federalism, and regionalism. Drawing on her interest in teaching and educational leadership, her work also considers career mentorship, including the use of career skills training in the undergraduate classroom and graduate career mentorship. Her most recent books include Work Your Career: Get What You Want from Your Social Sciences or Humanities PhD (University of Toronto Press; with Jonathan Malloy) and Explorations: Conducting Empirical Research in Canadian Political Science (Oxford University Press; now in its 4th edition with Jason Roy). Loleen is also the author of University Affair’s Skills Agenda column and the popular Substack blog Academia Made Easier, which provides easy tips for teaching, productivity, and work-life balance in academia.

Loleen is the recipient of the University of Saskatchewan Provost’s Award for Outstanding New Teacher, the University of Saskatchewan Provost’s Award for Outstanding Teaching in the College of Arts and Science, Division of Social Science, the College of Arts and Science Teaching Excellence Award, Division of Social Sciences, the University of Saskatchewan Master Teacher Award, the Canadian Political Science Association Prize for Teaching Excellence, and the American Political Science Association Excellence in Mentoring Award. Loleen is also an active member of the Canadian political science community; she served on the Canadian Political Science Association board of directors (2014-17) and the Prairie Political Science Association board of directors (2013-2022).

Last updated November 2022 

[last updated 2017]

SELECTED RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS

(Please see additional teaching and learning publications listed under “Teaching” tab.)

Books

Berdahl, L., A. Juneau and C. Tuohy (eds.). 2015. State of the Federation 2012: Regions, Resources and Resiliency.  Kingston and Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press.

Berdahl, L. and R. Gibbins. 2014. Looking West: Regional Transformation and the Future of Canada. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Gibbins, R. and L. Berdahl.  2003.  Western Visions, Western Futures. Toronto: Broadview Press.

Journal Articles 

Walker, R., L. Berdahl, E. Lashta, D. Newhouse and Y. Belanger. 2017. “Public attitudes toward Indigeneity in Canadian prairie urbanism.” The Canadian Geographer (61:2), 212-223. DOI: 10.1111/cag.12360

Berdahl, L., M. Bourassa, S. Bell and J. Fried. 2016. “Exploring perceptions of credible science among policy stakeholder groups: results of focus group discussions about nuclear energy." Science Communication. 38 (3), 382-406.

Atkinson, M., S. White, L. Berdahl, and D. McGrane. 2016. “How Much Tolerance for Democracy? Stealth Democrats in Canada.” American Review of Canadian Studies. 46 (1), 55-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02722011.2016.1154880

McGrane, D., L. Berdahl and S. Bell. 2016. "Moving beyond the urban/rural cleavage: measuring values and policy preferences across residential zones in Canada." Journal of Urban Affairs. DOI: 10.1111/juaf.12294

Bourassa, M., K. Doraty, L. Berdahl, J. Fried, and S. Bell. 2016. “Support, Opposition, Emotion and Contentious Issue Risk Perception,” International Journal of Public Sector Management, 29 (2), 201-216.

McGrane, D., and L. Berdahl. 2015. “A Social Democratic Province?: An Examination of Saskatchewan Public Opinion in 2011-12.” Journal of Canadian Studies, 49(1), 95-127.

McGrane, D., K. Clavelle and L. Berdahl. 2015. “Priming the Voter: Assessing the Implications of Economic Perceptions in Provincial Elections.” Canadian Political Science Review 9 (1), 92-111.

Lashta, E., L. Berdahl, and R. Walker. 2015. “Interpersonal contact and attitudes towards indigenous peoples in Canada’s prairie cities.” Ethnic and Racial Studies. DOI: 10.1080/01419870.2015.1105989.

McGrane, D., and L. Berdahl. 2015. "Social Unionism, Public Relations, and Support for Unions: A Case Study of Public Opinion in Saskatchewan, Canada.” Global Labour Journal. 6(1), 62-78. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15173/glj.v6i1.2437.

Berdahl, L., S. White, D. McGrane, and M. Atkinson. 2014. "Symbols, Self-Interest, and Labour Policy Attitudes: Evidence from Saskatchewan.” Industrial Relations. 69(4), 665-686.

Berdahl, L. 2013. “(Sub)National Economic Union: Institutions, Ideas, and Internal Trade Policy in Canada.” Publius: The Journal of Federalism 43(2): 251-274.

McGrane, D., and L. Berdahl. 2013. “‘Small Worlds’ No More: Reconsidering Provincial Political Cultures in Canada.” Regional and Federal Studies 23 (4), 479-493.

McGrane, D., S. White, L. Berdahl, and M. Atkinson. 2013. "Leadership, Partisan Loyalty, and Issue Salience:  The 2011 Provincial Election in Saskatchewan.” Canadian Political Science Review 7 (1), 1-12.

Beatty, B., L. Berdahl and G. Poelzer. 2012. “Blended Aboriginal Political Culture in Northern Saskatchewan.” Canadian Journal of Native Studies XXXII (2): 121-139.

Berdahl, L., G. Poelzer and B. Beatty. 2012. “Aboriginal Voter Turnout in Northern Saskatchewan.” aboriginal policy studies. 2(1), 26-41. 

Berdahl, L. 2011. “The New West? Western Canadian Region-Building in the 2000s.” Journal of Canadian Studies 45 (3), 1-24.

Berdahl, L. 2011. “Region-building: Western Canadian joint cabinet meetings in the 2000s.” Canadian Public Administration 54 (2), June, 255-275.

Raney, T. and L. Berdahl. 2011. “Shifting Sands? Citizens’ National Identities and Pride in Social Security in Canada.” American Review of Canadian Studies 41 (3), 259-273.

Berdahl, L., B. Beatty, and G. Poelzer. 2011. “Developing Communities in Northern Saskatchewan: Women and Youth in Aboriginal Community Development.” Journal of Aboriginal Economic Development 7(2), 90-101.

Beatty, B. and L. Berdahl. 2011. “Health Care and Urban Aboriginal Seniors in Urban Canada: Helping a Neglected Class.” International Indigenous Policy Journal 2 (1), 1-16.

Berdahl, L. and T. Raney. 2010. “Being Canadian in the World: Mapping the contours of national identity and public opinion on international issues in Canada.” International Journal 65 (4), 995-1010.

Raney, T. and L. Berdahl. 2009. “Birds of a Feather?  Citizenship Norms, Group Identity and Political Participation in Western Canada.” Canadian Journal of Political Science. 42:1,187-209.

Book Chapters

Berdahl, L. 2014. “The 2011 federal election and its implications for the dynamics of the federation.”  In N. Verrelli and A. Juneau (eds.), State of the Federation 2011, Kingston and Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press. 

Berdahl, L. 2013. “A Prairie Plateau: Women in the Saskatchewan Legislature.”  In L. Trimble, J. Arscott and M. Tremblay (eds.), Stalled: The Representation of Women in Canadian Governments, Vancouver: UBC Press, 214-231.

[last updated 2018]

TEACHING AND LEARNING HIGHLIGHTS

Courses Taught

POLS 205: Canadian Politics and Society

POLS 256: Understanding Political Science Research

POLS 328: Public Policy Analysis

POLS 405: Political Representation in Canada

POLS 456: Quantitative Political Analysis

POLS 815: Research Design and Methods in Political Studies

Instructor/Facilitator, “Research in the Policy Process.” Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGSPP) Executive Training Program.

Awards

2015 – Recipient of College of Arts and Science (Division of Social Sciences) Teaching Excellence Award, University of Saskatchewan

2014 - Recipient of Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching (College of Arts and Science, Division of Social Sciences), University of Saskatchewan

2012 – Recipient of Provost’s New Faculty Teaching Award, University of Saskatchewan

Nominations: University of Saskatchewan Student Union (USSU) Teaching Award (2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010); Canadian Political Science Association (CPSA) Teaching Excellence Award (2014); University of Saskatchewan Award for Distinction in Community-Engaged Teaching and Scholarship (2013); Saskatoon YWCA Women of Distinction in Education Award (2012).

Books

Berdahl, L. and J. Malloy. 2018. Work Your Career: Get What You Want From Your Social Sciences or Humanities PhD. University of Toronto Press.

Berdahl, L. and K. Archer. 2015. Explorations: Conducting Empirical Research in Canadian Political Science (Third Edition). Oxford University Press.

Archer, K. and L. Berdahl. 2011. Explorations: Conducting Empirical Research in Canadian Political Science (Second Edition). Oxford University Press.

Archer, K., R. Gibbins and L. Youngman.  1998.  Explorations: A Navigator’s Guide to Quantitative Research in Political Science. Scarborough: Nelson Canada.

Gibbins, R. and L. Youngman.  1996.  Mindscapes: Political Ideologies Toward the Twenty-First Century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Journal Articles and Book Chapters

Berdahl, L. 2017. “Dealing with Squirrels.” In S.M. Zavattaro and S. Orr. Reflections on Academic Life: Identities, Struggles, and Triumphs in Graduate School and Beyond. Palgrave McMillan, New York: 204-205.

Berdahl, L. 2014.“Engaging Undergraduates in Research: The Taking the Pulse of Saskatchewan Project.” Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching (CELT). 7(2).

Gibbins, R. and L. Berdahl, 2000.  “The Institutional Expression of Multiple Identities: The Electoral Reform Debate.” In T. Bateman, M. Mertin and D. Thomas (eds.), Braving the New World: Readings in Contemporary Politics (2^nd edition), 176-186. Scarborough: Nelson Canada.

Gibbins, R. and L. Berdahl, 1995.  “The Institutional Expression of Multiple Identities: The Electoral Reform Debate.” In T. Bateman, M. Mertin and D. Thomas (eds.), Braving the New World: Readings in Contemporary Politics, 210-222. Scarborough: Nelson Canada.

Grants

Berdahl, L. 2017. “Global Studies Certificate Program Partnerships and Alignment Project.” University of Saskatchewan Curriculum Innovation Fund Grant, $41,770.

Berdahl, L. 2017. “Developing an Indigenous Governance Certificate Program Project.” University of Saskatchewan Curriculum Innovation Fund Grant. $62,247.

Berdahl, L. 2016. “Laying the Foundation for an Indigenous Governance Certificate Program Project.” University of Saskatchewan Curriculum Innovation Fund Grant. $5,000.

University Service

Member, College of Arts and Science Indigenous Requirement Implementation Group, 2016-17

Chair, POLS Curriculum Review Committee, 2010-17

Chair, Taking the Pulse Working Group, Division of Social Sciences, 2011-2013

Member/Political Studies Representative, Regional and Urban Planning Program Committee, 2010 - present

Professional Practice

Teaching and Professional Practice Section Chair, Prairie Political Science Association 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 Conferences

Teaching, Learning and Research Skills Section Co-Chair, Canadian Political Science Association 2015 Conference

External Reviewer, Undergraduate Program Review, University of Manitoba, September -October 2016

Canadian politics Election studies Energy Policy Federalism Indigenous Intergovernmental relations Internal trade Political behaviour Public opinion Public policy Regionalism career skills western alienation

B.A. (Hon)., University of Saskatchewan, Department of Political Studies

Ph.D., University of Calgary, Department of Political Science