Chris Alcantara

Professor

Chris Alcantara

PhD, University of Toronto; MA, University of Calgary; BA, McMaster University 
Telephone: 519.661.2111 ext. 85171
E-mail: calcanta@uwo.ca
Office: Social Science Centre 7308

Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

Much of Dr. Alcantara’s research examines the roots of collective action and intergovernmental cooperation in Canada, especially between Indigenous communities and the other three levels of government (e.g., federal, provincial/territorial and municipal). He also writes about the importance of institutional design and the dynamics of institutional change using a variety of theoretical (e.g., rational choice, historical institutionalism, and political economy), conceptual (e.g., multilevel governance), and methodological approaches (e.g., archival research, elite interviews, experiments, and statistical analysis, the latter of which he relies heavily on his generous and talented co-authors). He has also come to appreciate and emphasize in his research the important role of agency in a variety of Canadian political arenas.  

Current Research Projects

1. Women and Canadian Politics

  • Measuring Sexism: Can we use natural language processing tools (Chat GPT and transformer models) to measure sexist sentiment in political speech?
  • Political donations: Do men and women differ in their donation behaviour towards political parties? How does their behaviour vary across federal and provincial party systems? 
  • Political knowledge: Is there a political knowledge gender gap with respect to federalism knowledge?
  • Political Ambition: Do men and women differ in terms of whether they are likely to run again for office after losing in a previous election?
  • Openness to Women Candidates Estimator: Can we develop a constituency-level estimator to measure the openness of ridings to political candidates who are women?
Sample Publications
  • Online First. Jesse Mehravar, Christopher Alcantara, and Jason Roy. “Does Simulating Financial Equality Reduce the Political Donations Gender Gap? Political Studies Review.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/14789299231188336.
  • Online First. Michelle Caplan, Christopher Alcantara, and Mathieu Turgeon. “Institutional Change and Partisanship in the Canadian Senate.” Journal of Legislative Studies DOI: 10.1080/13572334.2023.2190695.
  • 2021. Nicole McMahon and Christopher Alcantara. “Running for Elected Office: Indigenous Candidates, Ambition and Self-Government.” Politics, Groups, and Identities. 9 (2): 280-299. https://doi.org/10.1080/21565503.2019.1584750.

2. Canadian Federalism and Public Policy

  • Measuring Policy Diffusion: Can we more accurately identify patterns and mechanisms of policy diffusion in federal systems using natural language processing methods?
  • State Power through Infrastructure: To what extent does the distribution of non-financial assets influence the intergovernmental power and the delivery of public services in federal systems?
  • Modelling Intergovernmental Relations in Canada: To what extent can game theory help us model the dynamics and outcomes of Canadian health care negotiations from 2000 to the present?
  • Elite Decision-Making and Public Policy: Why do Politicians choose bad public policies?
Sample Publications
  • Online First. Evelyne Brie, Cynthia Huo, and Christopher Alcantara. “Measuring Policy Diffusion in Federal Systems: The Case of Legalizing Cannabis under Time Constraints.” Publius: Journal of Federalism. https://doi.org/10.1093/publius/pjad036.
  • 2023. Anthony Sayers, Christa Scholtz, David Armstrong, Christopher Kam, and Christopher  Alcantara. “Covid-19 Policy Convergence in Response to Knightian Uncertainty.” Political Studies Review. 21 (3): 625-635. https://doi.org/10.1177/14789299221109081.
  • 2022. Anthony Sayers, Christopher Alcantara, and David Armstrong. “Locating Federalism: Non-Financial Assets and Public Policy in Canada.” Canadian Public Administration. 65 (2): 314-332. https://doi.org/10.1111/capa.12461.

3. Canadian Political Parties

  • Measuring Party Competition: Do experts and citizens place political parties similarly along the left-right spectrum? What are the implications for spatial voting models and satisfaction with democracy?
  • Measuring Partisanship and Preferences for Local Candidates: When MPs switch parties, do donors follow?
  • Mapping Party Donations: Do donation patterns correspond with riding-level vote choice and income?
Sample Publications
  • Online First. Dave Armstrong, Laura Stephenson, and Christopher Alcantara. “Do Experts and Citizens Perceive Party Competition Similarly?” Party Politics.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/13540688231207579
  • 2023. Nicole McMahon, Anthony Sayers, and Christopher Alcantara. “Political Donations and the Gender Gap during COVID-19.” Party Politics 29 (1): 176-184.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/13540688211047768
  • 2020. Jason Roy and Christopher Alcantara. Winning and Keeping Power in Canadian Politics. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

4. Indigenous-Settler Relations in Canada

  • Indigenous Reconciliation and Public Opinion: Why explains variation in public support for Indigenous Reconciliation policies?
  • Decoy Politics: Under what conditions do states use “decoys” to satisfy state agitators while at the same time effectively preventing meaningful change from occurring?
Sample Publications
  • Online First. Zac Spicer, Tyler Girard, Jen Nelles, and Christopher Alcantara. “Measuring Accountability in Interlocal Agreements between Indigenous and Local Governments.” Governance. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12765.
  • 2023. David Armstrong, Christopher Alcantara and John Kennedy. “Exploring the Effects of Electorate Size on Indigenous Voter Turnout.” Politics, Groups, and Identities 11 (1):98-107. DOI:10.1080/21565503.2021.1926297.
  • 2022. Cynthia Huo, Philip Charbonneau, and Christopher Alcantara. “Overcoming Barriers to Indigenous-Local Water Sharing Agreements in Canada” Canadian Public Administration 65 (3): 421-438.  http://doi.org/10.1111/capa.12492.

Selected Publications

Scholarly Books (Authored & Co-Authored)

  • 2020. Jason Roy and Christopher Alcantara. Winning and Keeping Power in Canadian Politics. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
  • 2020. Gary Wilson, Christopher Alcantara, and Thierry Rodon. Nested Federalism and Inuit Governance in the Canadian Arctic. Vancouver: UBC Press.
  • 2016. Christopher Alcantara and Jen Nelles. A Quiet Evolution: The Emergence of Indigenous-Local Intergovernmental Partnerships in Canada. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 
  • 2013. Christopher Alcantara. Negotiating the Deal: Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements in Canada. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
  • 2010. Tom Flanagan, Christopher Alcantara, and Andre Le Dressay. Beyond the Indian Act: Restoring Aboriginal Property Rights. Montreal-Kingston: McGill-Queens University Press.  

Refereed Journal Articles

  • 2023. David Armstrong, Christopher Alcantara and John Kennedy. “Exploring the Effects of Electorate Size on Indigenous Voter Turnout.” Politics, Groups, and Identities 11 (1): 98-107. DOI: 10.1080/21565503.2021.1926297.
  • 2023. Nicole McMahon, Anthony Sayers, and Christopher Alcantara. “Political Donations and the Gender Gap during COVID-19.” Party Politics 29 (1): 176-184. https://doi.org/10.1177/13540688211047768.
  • 2020. Christopher Alcantara, Sheri Longboat and Shanaya Vanhooren. “Improving First Nations Water Security Through Governance.” Canadian Public Administration. 63 (2): 99-121. https://doi.org/10.1111/capa.12363.
  • 2019. Steve White and Christopher Alcantara. “Do Constraints Limit Opportunism? Incumbent Electoral Performance Before and After (Partially) Fixed-Term Laws.” Political Behavior. 41 (3): 657-675. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-018-9467-3.
  • 2019. Christopher Alcantara and Ian Kalman. “Diversifying Methodologies: A Haudenosaunee/Settler Approach for Measuring Indigenous-Local Intergovernmental Success.” Canadian Journal of Political Science 52 (1): 21-38.

Book Chapters

  • 2021. Andy Sancton and Christopher Alcantara. “Membership Rules for Democratic Communities: Canada and the United States” in What is Democracy and How Do We Study It? Edited by Cameron Anderson and Laura B. Stephenson. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
  • 2020. Graham White and Christopher Alcantara. “Institutional Design and Inuit Governance: Nunatsiavut and Nunavut” in Voices of Inuit Leadership and Self-Determination in Canada. Edited by Dave Lough. ISER Books, pp. 125-158.
  • 2015. Gary Wilson, Christopher Alcantara, and Thierry Rodon. “Multilevel Governance in the Inuit Regions of the Territorial and Provincial North.” 2013 IIGR State of the Federation book, Aboriginal Multilevel Governance in Canada edited by Martin Papillon. Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, pp. 43-64.
  • 2014. George Braden, Christopher Alcantara, and Michael Morden. “Something Old or Something New?: Territorial Development and Influence within the Canadian Federation.” 2011 IIGR State of the Federation book, The Changing Federal Environment: Rebalancing Roles edited by Nadia Verrelli. Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, pp. 171-193.

Other Publications

Awards and Distinctions

  • 2022. Winner of the 2022 Royal Society of Canada’s Yvan Allaire Medal in “recognition of an outstanding contribution in governance of public and private organizations.” Winners of this medal receive a cash award of $5000 and stand out for the following reasons:
    • The relevance and originality of the candidate’s research and publications on the subject of governance in private or public organizations;
    • The impact of his or her research and contributions;
    • The influence and reach of his or her research.
  • 2017. Winner of the 2017 Seymour Martin Lipset Best Book Award, American Political Science Association, Canadian Politics Section. The winning book: Christopher Alcantara. 2013. Negotiating the Deal: Comprehensive Land Claims Negotiations in Canada Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
  • 2016. Winner of the 2016-2017 Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award, Western University. Award amount: $12,000.
  • 2016. Winner of the 2016 McMenemy Prize for the best paper published in English or French in volume 48 of the Canadian Journal of Political Science.
  • 2015. Winner of the 2014 International Council for Canadian Studies Pierre Savard Award for best book in Canadian Studies. The winning book: Christopher Alcantara. 2013. Negotiating the Deal: Comprehensive Land Claims Negotiations in Canada Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
  • 2015. Winner of the 2014 Political Research Quarterly Outstanding Reviewer Award.

Post-Doctoral Fellow Supervisions