Professor Dr. Éric Montpetit

Biography

I am a full professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Montreal, with a focus on public policy in Canada, the United States, and Europe. My research has explored how public policies are the tangible results of governmental activity, engaging both elected and non-elected political actors, as well as norms and institutions. I analyze how public policy-making reflects democratic functioning, highlighting what works well in North American and European democracies against mainstream narratives. My recent work shows that disagreements among policy actors do not always lead to the predicted blockages but can foster innovative and legitimate policies. Additionally, I am investigating the role of science in contentious contexts of public policy formulation. I earned my PhD in Comparative and Canadian Public Policy from McMaster University in 1999, and my research is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. My book "Misplaced Distrust" won the Lynton Keith Caldwell Award for the best book on environmental policy published in the preceding three years.

Research Interests