Principles and Prejudice
Values have been at the core of Canadian foreign policy under both Conservative and Liberal governments. Where Harper’s policy goes wrong is in its lack of clarity, consistency, and effectiveness, argues Gerd Schönwälder.
Gerd Schönwälder / @GSchonwalder
Senior Associate, 2013-2014, CIPS
As Senior Associate, Gerd Schönwälder is conducting research on the role of the emerging countries in democracy promotion, and organizing a conference on “Promoting Democracy: What Role for Emerging Powers?” Until December 2012, he was Director of Policy and Planning at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). He formerly led IDRC’s Peace, Conflict, and Development (PCD) program, which supported research on peacebuilding and conflict prevention in the developing world. Before joining IDRC, Dr. Schönwälder was the Deputy Director of the Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL), an Ottawa-based think tank focusing on western hemispheric issues. He previously spent several years in Brussels as a European Union official, covering such aspects of the EU’s external relations as development and economic co-operation, trade issues, and the enlargement of the European Union to the east. In addition to his position at CIPS, Dr. Schönwälder is a visiting fellow at the German Development Institute (DIE/GDI) in Bonn, Germany. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from McGill University and has written on local government, social movements, and conflict issues. A Latin Americanist by training, he has had extensive exposure also to other parts of the developing world. His current research interests revolve around democratization, citizen participation, and the linkages between globalization and violent conflict. His latest (co-edited) book is entitled Economic Liberalization and Political Violence: Utopia or Dystopia?
Most Recent Posts
Democracy or the “Almighty Dollar” – Do We Need to Choose?
Are commercial success and respect for human rights incompatible? Far from it argues Gerd Schönwälder.