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Curriculum Vitae

Megan Aiken

For inquiries, email:
maiken@ualberta.ca

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  • Ph.D. Political Science (2023)
    University of Alberta
    Dissertation:Locked-in Language: Discourse, Policy Legacies, and Opioid Politics in Canada
    Supervisors: Dr. Yasmeen Abu Laban, Dr. Fiona Nicoll

    M.A. Political Science (2016)
    University of New Brunswick
    Research Project:Healing Democracy? A Discussion of the Transformative Power of Deliberative Democracy
    Supervisor: Dr. Paul Howe

    B.A. Political Science, International Relations (2014)
    St. Thomas University

  • Aiken, Megan (with Ms. Donna Smith, Ms. Amy Gerlock, and Dr. John Church, second author). 2021. “Human Remains: The Undignified Body in Private Care,” in Body Studies in Canada: Critical Approaches to Embodied Experience, ed. Valerie Zawilski. Canadian Scholars Press.

    Aiken, Megan. “Payment where Payment is Due: Canada’s Federal Transfer System and a Needs-Based Solution to Health Transfer Spending.” Health Tomorrow: Interdisciplinarity and Internationality, 3:1 (2015), pp. 52-75.

  • Aiken, Megan. “Ottawa must intervene in closure of Alberta’s supervised consumption sites.” Canadian Dimension, July 15, 2021.

    Aiken, Megan. 2021. “Drug Decriminalization a Necessary Measure in Combatting Opioid Crisis.” Turn Left Magazine.

  • Aiken, Megan. “Gerald Posner, Pharma: Greed, Lies, and the Poisoning of America (New York: Avid Reader Press 2020), pp. 802, $35.00, hardback, ISBN: 9781501151897.” Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books (forthcoming 2021).

    Aiken, Megan. “Beth Macy, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America (New York: Little, Brown and Company2018), pp. 384, $11.99, hardback, ISBN: 9780316551281. - Barry Meier, Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origins of America’s Opioid Epidemic, 2nd edition (London: Penguin Random House, 2018), pp. 240, $27.00, hardback, ISBN: 9780525511106. - Ben Westhoff, Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic (London: Grove Atlantic, 2019), pp. 352, $27.00, paperback, ISBN: 9780802127433.” Medical History: Vol 62, Iss 2. (2020): 288-291.

    Aiken, Megan. ‘Over the Cliff? Acting Now to Avoid New Brunswick’s Bankruptcy Richard Saillant Moncton NB: Canadian Institute for Research on Public Policy and Public Administration, 2014, pp. 179.’, Canadian Journal of Political Science: 1-2. (2016).

    Aiken, Megan “Review: ‘Equal as Citizens: The Tumultuous and Troubled History of a Great Canadian Idea,’ Richard Starr.” Federal Governance: A Graduate Journal 12.1 (2015).

  • 2021
    “Discourse and History in Studying Public Policy.” IPSA 2021. Remote. July 2021.

    “Opium Prohibition and the National Policy: The 1908 Opium Act, Labour Disputes, and White-Settler Nationalism in Early 20th-Century Canada.” CPSA Annual Conference 2021. Remote. June 2021.

    “Higher Education at Home: Compassion Fatigue, Emotional Labour, and Pedagogy during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” PSGSA Annual Conference 2021. Edmonton, AB (Remote). April 2021.

    2020
    “Discourse and History in Studying Public Policy.” IPSA 2020. Lisbon, Portugal. July 2020. (Accepted, but canceled due to COVID-19)

    “The Opioid Crisis as a Policy Issue in the 2019 Canadian Federal Election.” CPSA Annual Conference 2020. London, Ontario. June 2-4, 2020. (Accepted, but canceled due to COVID-19)

    “Who is the Opioid Crisis? The Historical Roots of Racism and Colonialism Embedded within Canada’s Opioid Crisis.” WPSA 2020. Los Angeles, USA. April 9-11, 2020. (Accepted, but canceled due to COVID-19)

    2019
    “Reconsidering Crisis: Discourse, Identity, and the Opioid “Crisis” in Canada.” 2019 APSA Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. August 31, 2019.

    “The Discursive Politics of Crisis: Crafting the Opioid Crisis and Selecting Subjects.” 2019 CPSA Annual Conference, Vancouver, BC. June 5, 2019.

    “Something to Take the Edge Off (Late Capitalism): Race, Class, and the Creation a Hegemonic Understanding of the Opioid Crisis.” Society for Socialist Studies Annual Conference 2019, Vancouver, BC. June 5, 2019.

    2017
    “My Democracy? Token Engagement and the Trudeau Government’s Electoral Reform Dilemma.” Governance in Crisis 2016, Kingston, ON. May 2017.

    2016
    “Outsourcing Policy Development: Engaging Citizens in the Health Policy Development Process.” New Frontiers 2016, Hamilton, ON. April 2016.

  • “Payment where Payment is Due: Canada’s Federal Transfer System and a Needs-Based Solution to Health Transfer Spending.” NB Policy Research Forum | Forum de recherche sur les politiques publiques du N-B, Moncton, NB. April 2015.

    “Partnering to Overcome Stagnation: Revitalizing the New Brunswick Economy through P3s.” 66th IPAC National Annual Conference, Edmonton, AB. June 2014.

  • Fall 2021
    POL S 101 - Introduction to Politics
    University of Alberta (Remote)

    Spring 2021
    POL S 225 - Canadian Government
    University of Alberta (Remote)

  • 2020
    “Parties, Interest Groups, and the Media.” Introduction to Politics. POL S 101 B3. University of Alberta. March 31, 2020.

    “Identity Politics.” Introduction to Politics. POL S 101 B3. University of Alberta. March 3, 2020.

    “Ideologies: Socialism, Communism and Nationalism.” Introduction to Politics. POL S 101 B3. University of Alberta. February 11, 2020.

    2019
    “Diversity and Representation.” Canadian Government, POL S 224. University of Alberta. November 19, 2019.

    “Democracy and Elections.” Canadian Government, POL S 224. University of Alberta. October 15, 2019.

    “Canadian Federalism.” Canadian Government, POL S 224. University of Alberta. September 23, 2019.

    “Comparative Public Policy.” Introduction to Comparative Politics, POL S 235. University of Alberta. June 12, 2019.

    “Comparative Public Policy.” Introduction to Comparative Politics, POL S 235. University of Alberta. April 1, 2019.

    2018
    “The Spatial and Structural Dimensions of Economic Development and Inequality in Canada” Power, Policy, and Governance in Canada, POL S 324. University of Alberta. May 31, 2018.

    “Political Mobilization and the State” Introduction to Politics, POL S 101 B3. University of Alberta. March 27, 2018.

    2017
    “PARTIES, INTEREST GROUPS, AND THE MEDIA.” Introduction to Politics, POL S 101 A3. University of Alberta. November 28, 2017.

  • Mentor, Political Science Honours-PhD Mentorship Program (University of Alberta)
    2020-present

    • Provides mentorship for an honours undergraduate student as they complete their degree in Political Science.

    Membership Secretary, Society for Socialist Studies
    2020-present

    • Book Prize Committee

    • Membership Committee (Chair)

    • Conference Organizing Committee (2022)

    Treasurer, University of Alberta Political Science Graduate Students’ Association
    2019-2020

    Student Observer, Society for Socialist Studies
    2019-2020

    • Book Prize Committee

    • Membership Committee

    • Conference Organizing Committee

    Committee Member, University of Alberta Dept. of Political Science Teaching and Pedagogy in Political Science (TaPPS) Working Group
    2018-2019

    Department Chair Search Committee Member, University of Alberta Political Science
    2018-2019

    Alumni and Graduate Student Networking Group Member, University of Alberta Political Science
    2018-2019)

    President, University of Alberta Political Science Graduate Students Association
    2017-2019


    Committee Involvement Included:

    • Political Science Department Council,

    • Political Science Graduate Committee,

    • University of Alberta Graduate Students’ Association,

    • Faculty of Arts 3MT Organizing Committee

    PhD Representative, University of Alberta Political Science Graduate Students Association
    2016-2017

    President, St. Thomas University Political Science Students Society
    2012-2014

  • Dr. Angelia Wagner
    POL S 224 B1/B2 - Canadian Government
    University of Alberta
    January 2021-April 2021

    Dr. Matthew Wildcat
    POL S 101 – Introduction to Politics
    University of Alberta
    September 2020-December 2020

    Dr. John Church
    Research focus: archival research, interest groups, accountability
    University of Alberta
    April 2020-August 2020

    Dr. John Church
    POL S 101 B3 – Introduction to Politics
    University of Alberta
    January 2020-April 2020

    Dr. John Church
    POL S 224 – Canadian Government
    University of Alberta
    September 2019-December 2019

    Dr. John Church (and Dr. Stephanie Montesanti)
    Research focus: primary health care reform in Alberta
    University of Alberta
    April 2019-August 2019

    Dr. John Church
    Research focus: Accountability Failure in Health Care, UK and Canada
    University of Alberta
    March 2019-April 2019

    Dr. Reza Hasmath
    Research focus: NGOs, public policy, and ethnicity in China
    University of Alberta
    September 2018-February 2019

    Dr. John Church
    Research Project: Accountability Failure in Health Care, UK and Canada
    University of Alberta
    April-August 2018

    Dr. Rob Aitken
    POL S 101 B3 – Introduction to Politics
    University of Alberta
    January-April 2018

    Dr. Lori Thorlaksen
    POL S 101 B2 – Introduction to Politics
    University of Alberta
    January-April 2018

    Dr. John Church
    POL S 101 A3 – Introduction to Politics
    University of Alberta
    September-December 2017

    Dr. Joanne Wright
    Gender and Women’s Studies Program
    University of New Brunswick
    September-April 2015

  • Candidate, Tobique-Mactaquac (New Brunswick)
    Canada’s NDP
    Federal Election, 2019

    Public Policy Intern
    Volunteer Alberta (Edmonton, Alberta)
    April-September 2018

    Engagement Intern
    Alberta Climate Change Office (Edmonton, Alberta)
    June-November 2017

    Policy Analyst
    Western Economic Diversification (Edmonton, Alberta)
    January-June 2017

    Project Assistant
    Office of the Access to Information and Privacy Commissioner (Fredericton, New Brunswick)
    January 2015-June 2016

    Policy and Priorities Intern
    Executive Council Office, Government of New Brunswick (Fredericton, New Brunswick)
    June-September 2014

    Policy and Research Officer
    New Brunswick Student Alliance (Fredericton, New Brunswick)
    September 2013-April 2014

  • “Graduate Students and Care-work in Higher Education Classrooms.” Facilitated and led by Megan Aiken, supported by the University of Alberta Teaching and Pedagogy in Political Science (TaPPS) Working Group. March 18, 2021.

    “Conducting Qualitative Fieldwork During COVID-19.” Delivered by Dr. Deborah Lupton, facilitated by NVIVO (QSR International). March 31, 2020.

    Job Shadow Week, November 2019. Provided by the University of Alberta Career Centre.Placement: Senior Advisor with Public Engagement, City of Edmonton.

    “Writing Across the Curriculum.” Delivered by the Centre for Teaching and Learning, University of Alberta. August 22, 2019.

  • American Political Science Association
    Canadian Political Science Association
    International Political Science Association
    International Public Policy Association
    Society for Socialist Studies