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Melanee Thomas

PhD
Pronouns: she/they

Contact information

Phone number

Office: +1 (403) 220-5992

Background

Educational Background

Doctor of Philosophy Political Science, McGill University, 2012

Biography

Melanee Thomas is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Calgary. Her research broadly addresses 1) the causes and consequences of gender-based political inequality, with a particular focus on political attitudes and behaviour, and 2) the politics of energy transition from fossil fuels to more renewable sources of energy, and how this is affected by liberal colonialism, anti-Indigenous racism, and multi-level governance. While she uses Canadian politics as a foundation for her work, the findings it generates have international implications and value. Her objectives are to identify how Canadians think about themselves in politics, explain how this is structured by gender and sexism, racism and colonialism, and then develop potential solutions that ameliorate and strengthen our democratic politics.

Research

Areas of Research

gender and politics, political behaviour, energy transition

Participation in university strategic initiatives

Courses

Course number Course title Semester
POLI 321 L01 Politcs and Government in Canada Fall 2023
POLI 429 L01 Electoral Behaviour Winter 2024
POLI 623 Canadian Political Process Winter 2024

Projects

Gender, Race, Parenthood, and Political News: Documenting the Diverse Effects of Gendered and Racialized Coverage

SSHRC-funded project (2022-2026), with Scott Pruysers (Dalhousie)


Assessing Political Pathways for Energy Transition

CFREF-funded project (2018-2024), with Lori Thorlakson (Alberta)


Public Opinion Lead, Assessing Sustainable, Equitable, and Rapidly Deployable Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies

Transdisciplinary project funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada. PI is Sean McCoy (UCalgary)

Awards

  • 2018 John McMenemy Prize, Canadian Political Science Association. 2019
  • Jill Vickers Prize, 2014

Publications

In the News