CIGI Chair in Social Work

Balsillie School, Faculty of Social Work (WLU)

Contact Information

Office Location:
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Email:  rmahon@balsillieschool.ca

Education

PhD    University of Toronto, 1977
MA       University of Toronto, 1971
BA        York University, 1970

Areas of Specialization

Comparative Social Politics
Global Social Politics
Gender and Welfare State Restructuring
Political Economy of Care
Industrial and Labour Market Restructuring.

Short Bio

Rianne Mahon holds the CIGI chair in comparative family and social policy at the Balsillie School of International Affairs and Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo. Here earlier work focused on the politics of industrial and labour market restructuring with particular attention to the role of trade unions. More recently, Mahon has produced numerous articles and book chapters on the politics of childcare, with a particular focus on Canada and Sweden. Together with Sonya Michel, she edited Child Care Policy at the Crossroads: Gender and Welfare State Restructuring. Recent articles include "The OECD's Discourse on the Reconciliation of Work and Family Life" in Global Social Policy and "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Child Care Policy from Martin to Harper" (with Cheryl Collier) in How Ottawa Spends, 2008-2009 She co-edited The OECD and Transnational Governance with Stephen McBride (UBC Press, 2008) and Leviathan Undone? Toward a Political Economy of Scale with Roger Keil (UBC, 2009). She is also one of the editors of Social Politics and on the editorial board of Global Social Policy. Her current research project focuses on the OECD and other international organizations role in developing and disseminating child care/early childhood development policy discourses.

Most recent scholarly publications

Leviathan Undone: Towards a Political Economy of Scale (co-edited with Roger Keil) UBC Press . spring 2009 369 pages

The OECD and Transnational Governance (co-edited with Stephen McBride) UBC Press. Fall 2008 324 pages

"After Neoliberalism? The OECD, the World Bank and The Child" accepted Global Social Policy January 2010

"Gender Poverty and the Rescaling of Welfare Regimes: Toronto/Canada and Mexico City/Mexico" with Laura Macdonald. GeoForum 41:2 2010 pp 209-217

Canada's Early Childhood Education and Care Policies: Still a Laggard?" International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy Volume 3 November 2009

Recent Academic / Professional Awards

Hesselgren Visiting Professor - 2009 - 2010
Faculty of Public Affairs Research Achievement Award, 2009
Chancellor's Professor, Carleton University, 2003

Courses Taught