William Christian (Canadian political scientist)

Professor William Christian (b. Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia 1945-) is a Political Scientist at the University of Guelph. Educated at the University of Toronto (BA, MA) and the London School of Economics (PhD), he is best known academically for his research and teaching in Canadian Political Thought. [cite web |url=http://www.polisci.uoguelph.ca/facultystaff/william_christian.shtml |title=Department of Political Science
publisher=www.polisci.uoguelph.ca |accessdate=2008-06-03 ]

Beginning in 1970, he taught at Mount Allison University, prior to joining the faculty at Guelph in 1978. His publications include a biography of George Grant as well as topics ranging from the political and economic history of Canada (i.e. "The Idea File of Harold Adams Innis"), to a concern for the philosophical roots of the Western tradition (i.e. "Waiting for Grace: Philosophy and Politics in Plato's Republic"). In 1974, along with Colin Campbell, he published the first edition of "Political Parties and Ideologies in Canada". The scholarship was an original and valuable contribution, since it emphasized the ideological roots shaping Canada and its political parties, as opposed to a social science analysis of power relationships. The textbook distinguished the philosophical foundations of each political party by tracing its comparative tradition, policies, and leaders. Besides his academic concerns, he contributes regularly to "Kitchener-Waterloo Record" as a columnist.

List of works

*"Was George Grant a Red Tory?" "Athens and Jerusalem: George Grant’s Theology, Philosophy, and Politics." Angus, Ian, Ronald Dart and Randy Peg Peters (editors). University of Toronto Press, (2006)
* "George Grant: A Biography" . Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1993
*"Waiting for Grace: Philosophy and Politics in Plato's Republic", "Canadian Journal of Political Science" , (March 1988).
*"Political parties and ideologies in Canada : liberals, conservatives, socialists, nationalists". 3rd edition Toronto : McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1990.
*"Parties, Leaders, and Ideologies in Canada." Toronto : McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1996
*"The Idea File of Harold Adams Innis" introduced and edited by William Christian. Toronto : University of Toronto Press, 1980
*"Innis on Russia : the Russia diary and other writings"edited with a preface by William Christian. -- Toronto : Harold Innis Foundation, 1981.
*"Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal". (Canadian edition) with Terence Ball and Richard Dagger. Toronto: Pearson, 2006.

References

External links

*Christian's web page at the University of Guelph's [http://www.polisci.uoguelph.ca/facultystaff/william_christian.shtml Department Of Political Science.]
*Christian's forthcoming biography of [http://www.uoguelph.ca/~wchristi Sir George Parkin]