Acclaimed Political Scientist to Receive Distinguished Researcher Award

Posted October 26, 2001


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 26, 2001 2001-10-21-OTHER

Acclaimed Political Scientist to Receive
Distinguished Researcher Award

University of Saskatchewan professor John Courtney, a world-renowned expert
on electoral democracy, will receive the U of S Distinguished Researcher
Award at fall convocation this weekend.

The award, which carries a $1,000 prize, recognizes a faculty member who has
made a major contribution to knowledge through research and publication.

"His work has helped to shape political studies in Canada, while greatly
enhancing the classroom experience for his students." said Michael Corcoran,
U of S Vice-President of Research. "He is a model academic in the social
sciences with a proven commitment to his profession and to the public
sphere."

Courtney, who has just released his third book on Canada's electoral system,
will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Canada's electoral regime at a
public lecture in Room 106 Biology at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 28.

The lecture will focus on Canada's "first-past-the-post" electoral system
which has been widely criticized of late. "I will examine claims about the
disadvantages of the current system and the benefits of proportional
representation," Courtney said.

Courtney's latest book, Commissioned Ridings: Designing Canada's Electoral
Districts, has been variously described by reviewers as "the definitive work
on how electoral boundaries are drawn in Canada" and "a benchmark
performance of political science work." The book has been shortlisted for
the Saskatchewan Book Awards in the scholarly writing category.

He is the author of Do Conventions Matter?: Choosing National Party Leaders
in Canada (1995), and The Selection of National Party Leaders in Canada
(1973). He has written 31 book chapters and 26 journal articles. As well, he
has edited or co-edited five books on Canadian politics.

A frequent analyst on radio and television, he is also often asked to
testify before parliamentary committees and has appeared as an expert
witness in several important cases involving Canada's election laws.

In 1987, he brought his expertise to government when he served on the
Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission. His co-authored report for the
Department of External Affairs on International Cooperation for the
Development of Human Rights and Democratic Institutions led to the creation
in Montreal of the centre of the same name.

Courtney earned his B.A. (1958) at the University of Manitoba, his M.B.A.
(1960) at the University of Western Ontario, and his Master's (1962) and
Ph.D. (1964) at Duke University. He has been part of the political studies
department since 1965.

He served as a member of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
of Canada (SSHRC) for six years, including two years as Vice-President from
1989-91. His report on the SSHRC Research Grants Program in 1989 led to an
overhaul of social science and humanities research funding.

He has served a number of positions on the board of the Canadian Political
Science Association, including a term as president in 1987-88 and as English
language editor of the Canadian Journal of Political Science for three
years.
.
Among Courtney's past awards are the prestigious Killam Research Fellowship
which he received in 1998, and the Secretary of State Canadian Studies
Writing Award which he received in 1986. He has also been a visiting scholar
at universities in the United States, Germany, Israel and England.

For information on past Distinguished Researcher Award winners, visit our
website at http://www.usask.ca/communications/awards/researchers.shtml


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John Courtney
Professor, Political Studies
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-5637
Fax: (306) 966-5250
courtney@sask.usask.ca

Kathryn Warden
U of S Research Communications
Tel: (306) 966-2506
kathryn.warden@usask.ca