The Politics of Fiscal and Social Policy Change in Comparative Perspective

The main objective of my ongoing research program is to discover explanations of policy stability and change as they apply fiscal policy, social policy, and the interactions between the two. More specifically, this research program explores the relationship between ideas and institutions in policy change in two key areas: fiscal federalism and welfare state restructuring. Theoretically, the research agenda is also stressing the importance of policy feedback to explain policy stability and change. Empirically, this research agenda has recently focused on issues such as the cost-of-living crisis, health care funding in federal countries, and the impact of COVID-19 on both federalism and social policy, in Canada and elsewhere around the world. In terms of output, this research program feeds outreach efforts and the publication of peer-reviewed scholarship, which impact Canadian and international policy and social science debates. These outreach and scholarly activities help scholars, citizens, and policymakers alike grasp the changing nature of, and the evolving relationship between, fiscal and social policies in contemporary societies.

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