Loleen Berdahl is Professor and Head of Political Studies at the University of Saskatchewan. 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 book is Work Your Career: Get What You Want From Your Social Sciences or Humanities PhD (2018, University of Toronto Press; co-author J. Malloy). Loleen is the recipient of the 2012 University of Saskatchewan Provost’s Award for Outstanding New Teacher, the 2014 University of Saskatchewan Provost’s Award for Outstanding Teaching in the College of Arts and Science, Division of Social Science, and the 2014-2015 College of Arts and Science Teaching Excellence Award, Division of Social Sciences. 

Beyond her role as Department Head, Loleen is strongly engaged in the College of Arts and Science, serving on the Activities Information Model (AIM) Advisory Committee (chair 2017-18; member 2016-17), the Faculty Relations Advisory Committee (member 2017-18), the Indigenous Requirement Implementation Group (member 2016-17), Expanded Dean’s Executive (social science representative 2016-17), and the Bylaws Committee (member 2013-16). Her University of Saskatchewan service includes serving on the Search Committee for the Dean of Arts and Science (social science representative 2015-17) and the Faculty Recognition Committee (2016-18). 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-present).

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.

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

RESEARCH PROJECTS

Public Opinion, Public Policy and Political Behaviour: Indigenous Peoples and Policy

City Planning and Indigeneity. This research project examined how municipal governments seek to engage Indigenous peoples and increase urban representations of Indigeneity in municipal policy and planning in the Canadian prairie provinces, and the attitudes of prairie urban residents to these practices.

• Walker, R. (PI), Y. Belanger, L. Berdahl with D. Newhouse and B. MacDougall. “City planning and Indigeneity on the Prairies.” SSHRC Insight. April 2013 – March 2017.

Northern Aboriginal Political Culture. This research project examined Indigenous political culture and behaviour in Saskatchewan’s Northern Administrative District. The project included a telephone survey of northern residents and focus groups with northern Indigenous youth.

• B. Beatty (PI), L. Berdahl and G. Poelzer. “Northern Aboriginal Political Culture.” SSHRC, April 2009-March 2012.

Public Opinion, Public Policy and Political Behaviour: Energy Policy

Nuclear Policy Research Initiative. This research project examined policy opinion and policy processes related to the full nuclear cycle, from uranium mining to nuclear power generation to nuclear fuel waste storage, and examined the interface between science and public policy with respect to nuclear policy.

• Berdahl, L., M. Bourassa and S. Bell. 2013. “Evidence and Nuclear Policy in Saskatchewan.” Fedoruk Centre for Nuclear Innovation. January 2014-December 2015.
• Bell, S., L. Berdahl and M. Bourassa. “Nuclear Industry Policy Research Unit (NIPRU): Understanding Individual and Corporate Opinions of Nuclear Industry Issues.” Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation. January 2013-June 2014.

Public Opinion, Public Policy and Political Behaviour: Elections

Comparative Provincial Election Project. The Comparative Provincial Election Project seized an unprecedented opportunity to study the quality of democracy in five provincial elections within a single month. Fixed election dates in Fall 2011 provided researchers with a natural laboratory for coordinated, relatively-controlled, and replicable comparison of provincial politics in Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, PEI and Newfoundland. The project was expanded to include the 2012 Alberta and Quebec elections.

• J. Wesley (PI), L. Berdahl, M. Kerby, D. McGrane, A. Marland, A. Parella, A. Rounce, A. Roy. S. Sampert. “Comparative Provincial Election Project.” SSHRC, April 2011-March 2012.

Saskatchewan Provincial Election Study. The Saskatchewan 2011 Provincial Election Study used survey research to increase understanding about Saskatchewan political and public policy attitudes.

• M. Atkinson, L. Berdahl, D. McGrane, and S. White

Public Opinion, Public Policy and Political Behaviour: General

Taking the Pulse Initiative. In 2011, this innovative initiative brought together over 30 College of Arts and Science faculty members in interdisciplinary research teams to study attitudes and self-reported behaviours across a range of issues relevant to Saskatchewan.

• Berdahl, L. (PI), C. Brooks, J. Garcea, H. Dickinson and R. Patrick. “Taking the Pulse Outreach Strategy.” SSHRC, March 2012 – March 2013.

RESEARCH LABORATORY

Survey and Group Analysis Laboratory, University of Saskatchewan. The Social Sciences Research Laboratories, or SSRL, is a premiere research facility that supports faculty, staff and students doing cutting-edge research in the social sciences. This unique facility provides access to innovative, state-of-the-art research infrastructure and research supports that are unparalleled in Canada. The Survey and Group Analysis Laboratory (SGAL) includes a large telephone and web data collection and analysis facility, as well as a focus group room.

• L. Berdahl (PI), M. Bourassa and J. Garcea. “Social Responsibility Research Laboratory.” Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Leaders Opportunity Fund grant, June 2010 – May 2014

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

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