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Anna Kopec examines policy feedback & research methods with marginalized populations

Anna Kopec, Assistant Professor, SPPA Anna Kopec raises vital questions of theory development and research designs involving marginalized populations in her recent paper Policy Feedback & Research Methods: How Qualitative Research Designs With Marginalized Groups Inform Theory.  Published in the International Journal of Qualitative Methods, Vol 22, Nov 2023 https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231217915 Abstract As a body of literature that informs and analyzes the effects of policy, policy feedback research will benefit from more qualitative research designs with marginalized populations. Qualitative research designs allow for theoretical and conceptual development, as well as ensure multiple perspectives are fully captured. This article argues that qualitative methods with different populations will expand applications of policy feedback theory and lead to critical insights for its development. Three…

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MPPA Workshop – Briefing Notes

Are you interested in knowing how public servants brief up to senior management and decision-makers within the Federal Public Service? Carleton SPPA will be hosting a workshop for current MPPA students on January 8, 2026, from 9:30-11:30 presented by a current public servant, and will offer students practical considerations in preparing briefing notes in the federal public service ranging from your team lead to the Prime Minister. The workshop will include tips, feedback and background on briefing senior managers and policy makers that build on in-class assignments of briefing notes. The workshop will also include an exercise to put into practice the topics discussed, and be bookended by a short discussion. Biography Andrew Seto is currently a Senior Advisor in…

Carleton researcher co-leads international workshop on accelerating net-zero transitions

From September 8th through 10th, Carleton University’s Daniel Rosenbloom, Ivey Research Chair in Sustainability Transitions at the School of Public Policy and Administration, co-hosted an international paper development workshop at the University of Sussex Business School in Brighton, UK. Alongside Karoline Rogge (Professor at University of Sussex and Fraunhofer ISI) and Qi Song (King’s Global Sustainability Fellow, University of Cambridge), Rosenbloom served as co-guest editor guiding participants through three days of intensive discussion. The workshop, supported by the European Research Council–funded EMPOCI project, brought together 18 draft manuscripts examining how societies might speed up the shift to net-zero emissions. Contributions were organized around three themes: the dimensions of acceleration (including time, technology, and system dynamics), interventions to accelerate change (such…

Congratulations to Our Second-Year MPPA Students!

A huge congratulations to all of our second-year MPPA students who successfully completed their four-day Capstone experience! From thoughtful policy analysis to compelling presentations, the students showcased the depth of knowledge, critical thinking, and professionalism they have cultivated over the past two years. The Capstone was filled with engaging conversations and meaningful policy discussions, reflecting the hard work and dedication of our students. They did an exceptional job representing the strength of our program and the impact of evidence-based policy work. Friday was a particularly special day, featuring insightful guest contributions from Dalton McGuinty and Michael Wernick, who provided valuable, constructive feedback on the students' policy cases and presentations. Their presence elevated the experience and gave students a memorable opportunity…

SPPA’s Anna Kopec featured in the Charlatan!

In an article written by Jessica Jagodics for The Charlatan, SPPA's Anna Kopec is leading a project aimed at improving access to homelessness services in Ontario. Supported by a $74,000 grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council ,Kopec's initiative focuses on mapping the locations of shelters and resources in cities like Ottawa and Toronto. The project uses tools like Google My Maps and the 211 Ontario database to make these services more visible and accessible . Feedback from focus groups with people who have experienced homelessness informs the project. Experts in the field emphasize that while improving visibility is important, addressing homelessness also requires better organization and resources. Her work is a crucial step toward enhancing social support…

SPPA Professor Graeme Auld, and Stefan Renckens have co-authored a transformative study published in New Political Economy: “Rethinking Capacities of Regulatory Market-Assurance Intermediaries: The Case of Seafood Sustainability Audits.”

Credible assurances about the invisible qualities of goods and services –such as sustainability features – are key to market governance. Thetheory of regulatory intermediaries offers a lens for assessing diverseregulatory contexts where differently configured actors serve as market-assurance intermediaries between rule-makers and rule-targets. Studiesusing this theory have clarified the consequences of these configurationsfor regulatory capture, co-regulation, feedback effects, and the(re)production of knowledge and power. However, the distinction andrelations between organisational and individual intermediaries remainunder theorised. We reconceptualise the individual capacities of expertiseand independence and assess these for 283 individuals performing 312seafood sustainability audits for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).Examining the individuals and teams performing these audits uncoversotherwise invisible biases within intermediary processes, including inassessors’ professional, educational and personal backgrounds, thecomposition…

Pizza Lunch with Director

Join Director Jennifer Stewart for an informal dialogue opportunity for all SPPA students over a pizza lunch. Please bring your ideas, concerns, and questions as the School seeks your feedback in order make your experience better. This is an in-person only event.

SPPA Professors Receive 2024 SSHRC Awards for Innovative Research Projects

The School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA) is proud to announce that four of our distinguished professors have been awarded the 2024 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grants. These grants underscore the exceptional quality and impact of research being conducted at SPPA. Dr. Vivian Hoffmann: Insight Development Grant Dr. Vivian Hoffmann has been awarded the Insight Development Grant for her pioneering project titled “Building and Activating Social Norms Through Personal Climate Emissions Feedback”. This prestigious grant will support her groundbreaking research aimed at empowering individuals to understand and reduce their personal climate impact by leveraging social norms. Dr. Hoffmann’s project promises to make significant strides in fostering environmentally conscious behaviors and promoting sustainability.        …