Lori Thorlakson, PhD, MSc (London School of Economics), BA(Hons) Queen's University

Area of Study / Keywords

Political Parties Multi-level Systems Energy Transition Democracy European Union

About

Lori Thorlakson holds an MSc and PhD from the London School of Economics. Before coming to the University of Alberta in 2008, she was a lecturer at the University of Nottingham, UK, and a Jean Monnet fellow at the European University Institute in Florence. At the University of Alberta, she has held a Jean Monnet Chair and was the founding director of the European Union Centre of Excellence, from 2013 - 2016. She is currently the academic coordinator of the Faculty's School in Cortona, Italy.

Research

Dr. Thorlakson is currently a co-PI (with Melanee Thomas at the University of Calgary) of a Future Energy Systems project, Political Pathways of Energy Transition. She also leads an NSERC-funded project on political aspects of electricity grid transformation.

Dr. Thorlakson's research focuses on issues of party competition and representation in multi-level systems, including federations and the European Union. She studies party organization, party system change and voter behaviour, and how these three dimensions of political competition combine to shape the nature of representation in democratic states. She is also involved in research that assesses the impact of the EU on democratic development, particularly in post communist states, and research that examines the development of the European Parliament and representation in the EU. 

Dr. Thorlakson would welcome supervising graduate students working on energy transition, as well as on questions in the field of comparative politics related to parties, elections and voter behaviour, especially in multilevel contexts. She is willing to supervise work that uses qualitative or quantitative methods. 

INT D 225 - Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies

May require payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations section of the Calendar. Offered by various departments depending upon the content of the course in a given year. [Faculty of Arts]

POL S 235 - Introduction to Comparative Politics

Examines the concepts and approaches used to compare political issues across countries and regions. Not to be taken by students with credit in POL S 230 or 240. Prerequisite: POL S 101 or consent of Department.

POL S 354 - Topics in Comparative Politics

The focus of this course changes yearly to reflect current issues in comparative politics and faculty research interests. Information about the specific topics can be obtained from the Department. A variable content course, which may be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisite: One of POL S 235 (or 230 or 240) or Department consent.

POL S 371 - Populism and Democracy in Central Europe

Democratic transition, consolidation and backsliding in Central Europe, with a focus on nationalism, the politics of memory, European integration and Euroscepticism. Prerequisite: Any 200- level course in POL S or consent of Department.

POL S 486 - Topics in European Politics

Current debates in Europe, including the emergence of new radical right parties, green parties and movements, market liberalization and political change in Eastern and Central Europe, and the resurgence of nationalist discourses. A variable content course, which may be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisite: One of POL S 235 (or 230) or Department consent.

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