Thomas Chiasson-LeBel

Thomas Chiasson-LeBel

Thomas Chiasson-LeBel obtained his PhD in Political Science (York University, Toronto) and pursued postdoctoral research with Fernando Leiva from the Department of Latin American and Latino Studies at the University of California Santa Cruz. He is a guest professor in the Department of Sociology and Gender Studies at FLACSO Ecuador. His cross-disciplinary research combines political economy, political sociology and comparative politics to deepen our conceptualization of the influence that different economic and social actors have on development policies and their results in resource-rich countries of the Americas (Bolivia, Canada, Ecuador, Venezuela). He is collaboratively elaborating a framework inspired by critical cultural political economy to better account for the deliberate semiotic battles that conglomerates wage in order to have their activities accepted—notably in the extractive sector—in spite of local oppositions. Thomas published several articles and book chapters and coordinated various journal special editions that compare the influence of social movements and economic elites in different countries led by post-neoliberal governments. With a team, he recently won a CLACSO research fund to compare the influence that social protests have on the democracies of Chile and Ecuador. His research has previously received the support of Canadian funding sources (Social Science and Humanities Research Council [SSHRC], Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture [FQRSC] and Ontario Graduate Scholarship [OGS]). In the countries where he works, Thomas maintains strong ties with social movements and community-based organizations to make his research useful to specific struggles for a greater equality, a healthier planet and collective emancipation.