Thomas Gareau Paquette

My name is Thomas and I am a student in political science (B. Sc, Hons) and Big Data analysis (with a concentration in data visualization) at the University of Montréal, Québec, Canada. I am interested in studying the effects of changing institutional forces on political behavior, perceptions and polarization in post-industrial democracies, particularly from a North American perspective. Recently, I have become particularly intrigued by questions related to the “redistribution paradox,” and topics related to the stability of attitudes towards redistribution.

I am attending the University of Washington as an exchange student for the quality of its teaching and methodological training, as well as for everything the political science department and its affiliated centers have to offer. As a Killam Fellow, I wish to contradict the stereotypical assertion that Americans are “benevolent and ignorant of Canada” while Canadians are “malevolent and knowledgeable about American affairs.” While the political and societal landscapes of our two countries might sometimes appear exceedingly different, we have far too much in common not to learn together, as well as from each other.

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The Killam Fellowship Program allows undergraduate students from Canada and the United States to participate in a program of binational residential exchange. This program, administered by Fulbright Canada, is supported by an endowment from the American Killam Trusts, Global Affairs Canada, and the Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America (Fulbright Canada). It is an integral part of the Foundation’s multidimensional strategy to foster mutual understanding between Canada and the United States of America. The Canadian Studies Center is a partner institution with the Killam Foundation enabling up to two full academic year fellowships annually for UW students.