Professor, Sociology and Criminology
905-688-5550 x3455
[email protected]
Education:
LLM Constitutional Law, Osgoode Hall Law School
PhD, York University
MA, York University
BA, Trent University
Dr. Kate Bezanson is a senior policy scholar, academic, and advisor. She holds an Honours BA (Trent University), MA and PhD (York University) and LLM (Osgoode Hall Law School).
She recently served as a senior advisor to the Prime Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada, with a primary focus on political economy, federalism, public and constitutional law, social, family, economic and labour market policy, and rights.
She is a full Professor (Sociology and Criminology, Brock University), Faculty Research Fellow at the Institute for Gender and the Economy (Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto), faculty affiliate with the graduate programmes in Critical Sociology and Social Justice and Equity Studies (Brock University), and a founding member of the Feminist Policy Lab (Concordia University). Prior to this, she served as Associate Dean (Faculty of Social Sciences, Brock University), Chair (Sociology), University Senator, Chair of the Senate Student Appeals Board, and served on the editorial boards of the Canadian Review of Sociology and the Canadian Review of Social Policy. Dr. Bezanson also served on the federal Judicial Advisory Committee. She is co-investigator (with Dr. Andrea Doucet) on a 7-year partnership Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funded grant on the best policy mix for diverse Canadian families.
Her policy research has focussed on gender, social reproduction/care, federalism, budgets and budget processes, social policy architecture, taxation, leaves to care, childcare and gender-based violence. Her legal research has centred on public/constitutional law, particularly in relation to policy, federalism and Charter equality issues.
Dr. Bezanson also has training in dispute resolution and is past president of both a not for profit childcare centre and a second stage women’s and children housing centre.
She strives to bridge academic research with practicable policy approaches, and to translate this work for general audiences. Her analysis and commentary have appeared in Canadian and international print, radio and television media such as CBC, Globe and Mail, New York Times, National Post, and CTV.
