Marguerite Mendell, PhD

Marguerite (Margie) Mendell, who earned her PhD in Economics from McGill University (1983),  has been teaching at the SCPA since 1986. Her current research and teaching are on the social economy in Quebec and internationally, social finance and impact investing, social innovation, the commons, economic democracy, and the work of Karl Polanyi whose influence continues to grow today. Margie Mendell is participating in a growing international dialogue on innovative economic initiatives to reduce inequality and develop new collective forms of wealth creation through her participation at scholarly conferences and international meetings of the OECD, the European Commission, the Global Social Economy Forum (GSEF) and civil society gatherings. She also participates in consultations in Canada (federal, provincial, municipal) and abroad on issues related to social finance and impact investing and the social and solidarity economy. Her work, published in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and most recently in Korean, has generated international interest. Dr. Mendell is also the co-founder of the Karl Polanyi Institute of Political Economy established at Concordia University in 1988, the repository of the entire Karl Polanyi Archive.

Margie Mendell is a member of the Centre de recherche sur les innovations sociales (CRISES - UQAM); honorary member of the Global Social Economy Forum. She is member of the Board of Directors of the Chantier de l'économie sociale and la Tohu.  As well, Margie Mendell is a member of the editorial board of The Annals of the Fondazione Luigi Einaudi. An Interdisciplinary Journal of Economics, History and Political Science,  and is on the Advisory Board of Studies in Political Economy, among others. She is a frequent contributor to television, radio and written media on public policy issues in Canada, Québec, and internationally.

Areas of research and teaching

Community Economic Development (comparative perspectives)
Social finance and impact investing in Quebec and internationally
The social and solidarity economy including social enterprise (comparative perspectives)
Innovation in public policy formation
Social innovation
The commons
Economic democracy
Governance from theoretical and comparative perspectives
Social indicators
The life and work of Karl Polanyi

Parfaitement trilingue (anglais, français et hongrois), Marguerite Mendell dirige l'équipe de recherche sur l'économie sociale de l'Université Concordia dans le cadre d'un partenariat multiuniversitaire (Concordia, Université du Québec à Montréal, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi et Université du Québec à Hull) qui regroupe une trentaine d'organismes communautaires, syndicats et coalitions du Québec. Cette vaste entreprise de collaboration est financièrement soutenue par l'ARUC (Alliances de recherche universités-communautés), qui relève du CRSHC (Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada).

Mme Mendell est aussi co-chercheure au sein d'un organisme également financé par le CRSHC, le Réseau féministe pour un renouvellement des théories et des pratiques économiques et politiques. Cette initiative regroupe de chercheures féministes d'universités québécoises et des organismes de femmes du Québec.

Mme Mendell est présidente du Conseil d'administration de l'Association communautaire d'emprunt de Montréal (ACEM) et membre du Conseil de la Corporation de développement économique communautaire (CDEC) Côte-des-Neiges/Notre-Dame-de-Grâce ainsi que de la Fondation Léa Roback.

Intérêts d'enseignement et de recherche

politiques publiques comparées
histoire de la pensée économique
économie politique d'Europe de l'Est
développement économique communautaire comparé
stratégies d'investissement non traditionnelles
démocraties économiques
économie sociale

Mendell, M. and Béatrice Alain. (2015) "Enabling the Social and Solidarity Economy through the Co-Construction of Public Policy" in Peter Utting, ed. Social and Solidarity Economy Beyond the Fringe. London, Zed Books, pp. 166-182. Mendell, M. (2015) "Democratizing Capital: Social and Solidarity Finance in Quebec" in Ngai Pun, Ben Hok-bun Ku, Hairong Yan, Anita Koo eds., Social Economy in China and the World. London, Routledge, pp. 94-114.

Bourque, Gilles L.  (2013) Margie Mendell, Ralph Rouzier. “Solidarity Finance: history of an emerging practice,” in M. Bouchard (ed.), Innovations in the Social Economy: The Quebec Experience. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 180-205. Mendell, M. (2013) “Karl Polanyi et le processus institué de démocratisation économique,” in Hillenkamp Isabelle et Laville Jean-Louis (dir.), Socioéconomie et démocratie. L'actualité de Karl Polanyi, Ramonville - Saint-Agne, Erès, pp. 149-68. Mendell, M. and K. Polanyi Levitt. (2012) “Karl Polanyi: su vida y época” in J.L. Coraggio (ed.), Textos escogidos. Karl Polanyi. Buenos Aires: Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales (CLACSO) y Universidad National de General Sarmiento, pp. 21-46.

Bourque, G.L., M. Mendell and R. Rouzier (2011). "La finance solidaire: l'histoire d'une nouvelle pratique." Marie J. Bouchard, ed. L'économie sociale. Vecteur d'innovation. L'expérience du Québec. Québec. Presses de l'Université du Québec, pp. 229-255.

Mendell, M. and N. Neamtan. (2010). “The Social Economy in Quebec: Towards a New Political Economy” in L. Mook, J. Quarter, and S. Ryan (eds.), Why the Social Economy Matters. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 32-58.

Bourque, G.L., M. Mendell, and R. Rouzier (2009). La Finance responsable au Québec. Portrait, enjeux et défis d'une finance au service d'un développement durable et solidaire.  Montreal: Éditions Vie économique, coopérative et solidarité. 124p.

“Social Enterprises in OECD Member Countries: What are the Financial Streams?” in A. Noya (ed) The Changing Boundaries of Social Enterprises. OECD, 2009, pp. 89- 138. [With R. Nogales].

“The Three Pillars of the Social Economy. The Quebec Experience (1996-2007)” in A. Amin. Social Economy: Alternative Ways of Thinking about Capitalism and Welfare. London: Zed Press 2009.

Mendell, M. (2009). “The Social Economy in Quebec: Lessons and Challenges for International Co-Operation” in D. Reed and J.J. McMurty (eds.), Cooperatives in a Global Economy: The Challenges of Co-Operation across Borders. United Kingdom: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, pp. 226-241.

“Karl Polanyi and Instituted Process of Economic Democratization" in M. Harvey, R. Ramlogan and S. Randles. Editors. Polanyian Perspectives on Embedded Economic Processes, Development and Transformation. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2007. pp. 78-92.

Mendell, M. (2005). Reclaiming Democracy. The Social Justice and Political Economy of Gregory Baum and Kari Polanyi Levitt. Editor. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press. 176p.