Leanne J. Smythe, PhD

Assistant Professor of Political Studies

Leanne Smythe is a native of Mission, British Columbia. She began her post-secondary education at Trinity Western University, graduating with a B.A. Honours in History with International Relations.  Her research at TWU focused on Canadian Foreign Policy and her passion for the art of policy making motivated her to continue her studies at the graduate level. Smythe completed her M.A. in International Conflict Analysis at the University of Kent, Canterbury, and then went on to complete her Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia in 2013.  Her doctoral research compared how the national militaries of Canada and Australia adapted to the securitization of political issues (aka “non-traditional security threats”) in the post-Cold War period through changes to policy, procurement and training. She continues to study strategic planning and policymaking, with a particular interest in national and global security policy.

  • PhD in Political Science (UBC)
  • MA International Conflict Analysis (University of Kent, Canterbury)
  • BA (Hons) History with International Relations (TWU)

Expertise

Global security, Global governance, Military alliances, Canadian national security and foreign policy, Comparative public policy, Policy making

  • POLS/SOCI 234 Introduction to Canadian Government and Politics in Comparative Perspective
  • POLS 312 Globalization and Global governance
  • POLS 334 Issues in Canadian Politics
  • POLS 352 Government and Politics of the USA
  • POLS 355 American Foreign Policy
  • POLS 430 Seminar in Global Politics
  • POLS 440 Evolution of Canadian Foreign Policy