Professor Emeritus – Retired
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Contact:
E-mail: Michael.macmillan@msvu.ca
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Dr. MacMillan taught courses in the areas of political theory, Canadian politics and Canadian public policy and administration. Dr. MacMillan’s areas of research interest include Canadian Politics, Political Theory and Public Policy. Two of his principle areas of research interest are human rights and democratic theory. He has published a number of articles on issues regarding language rights, language policy and language conflict, culminating in his book, The Practice of Language Rights in Canada, published in 1998 by the University of Toronto Press. This book was short-listed for the prestigious Donner Prize, for the best book in public policy published in that year. He has also conducted research exploring issues in democratic theory and practice, specifically the question of how to enhance citizen engagement in public decision-making. He has completed two projects on citizen engagement in Nova Scotia regarding the Heritage Planning public consultation and a project on the Natural Resource Strategy citizen consultation in Nova Scotia.
Teaching:
Dr. MacMillan taught courses in the areas of political theory, Canadian politics and Canadian public policy and administration. Some of his regular course offerings included Democracy and Deliberation, Social and Political Justice, Human Rights: Theory and Practice, and Public Affairs and Policy Management.
Research:
Dr. MacMillan’s areas of research interest include Canadian Politics, Political Theory and Public Policy. Two of his principle areas of research interest are human rights and democratic theory. He has published a number of articles on issues regarding language rights, language policy and language conflict, culminating in his book, The Practice of Language Rights in Canada, published in 1998 by the University of Toronto Press. This book was short-listed for the prestigious Donner Prize, for the best book in public policy published in that year. His current research explores issues in democratic theory and practice, specifically the question of how to enhance citizen engagement in public decision-making. He has completed two projects on citizen engagement in Nova Scotia regarding the Heritage Planning public consultation and a project on the Natural Resource Strategy citizen consultation in Nova Scotia.
Selected Publications:
– “Canadian Public Opinion on Official Bilingualism: Ambivalent Consensus and its Limits.” International Journal of Canadian Studies 59 (2020): 29-49.
-“Auditing Citizen Engagement in Heritage Planning: The Views of Citizens.” Canadian Public Administration. 53 (2010): 87-106.
-“Active Conscience or Administrative Vanguard?: The Commissioner of Official Languages as an Agent of Change” Canadian Public Administration 49 (2, 2006): 161-179.
-“Judicial Activism or Restraint?: The Role of the Highest Courts in Language Policy in Canada and the United States.” American Review of Canadian Studies. 33 (2, 2003): 239-260. (with R. Tatalovich)
-“Federal Language Policy in Canada and the Québec Challenge” in Pierre Larrivee, ed., Linguistic Conflict and Language Laws: Understanding the Québec Question (Basingstoke, England: Palgrave Macmillan Publishers, 2002): 87-117.
-“Democratic Rights and the Public Service: Political Neutrality Versus the Charter.” Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice 9 (1989): 183-209. (with J. Leslie H. Brown)
-“Social Versus Political Rights: A Distinction without a Difference?” Canadian Journal of Political Science. 19 (June, 1986): 283-304.
The following is a link to the presentation of Dr. MacMillan’s research on the citizen consultation on heritage planning in Nova Scotia. To view my presentation on the results of my province-wide survey for the heritage planning study, click here; to view my report on the natural resource strategy consultation, click here.