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Donald MacLean Wells

Professor Emeritus, Labour Studies and Political Science, McMaster University

Areas of Research Interest

International labour rights and standards
Politics of social movements
Labour internationalism
Transnational labour migration
Global economic restructuring
Poverty reduction
Living wage policies and impacts
Non-Governmental Organizations, Corporations, Unions and Social Movements

anti sweat shop and 'fair trade' campaigns
non-governmental organizations and labour regulation in the global South
corporate social responsibility
public-private partnerships and the regulation of labour rights and standards
Public Policy

family cohesion of foreign migrant workers
international organizations and the regulation of international labour standards
trade policy and the regulation of labour standards
Academic Service and Community Involvement

Former Director, School of Labour Studies, McMaster University
Steering Committee, McMaster Community Poverty Initiative (research, volunteer and educational organization linking McMaster University to local anti-poverty groups)
Steering Committee, Cantabal Education and Health Care Project (fundraising and building a middle school and health clinic in Guatemala)
Editorial Board, Just Labour: Canadian Journal of Work and Society
Academic Steering Committee, Study Abroad Program, Mexico Solidarity Network
Board, Immigrant Worker Family Centre (advocacy, research and drop-in centre for immigrant live-in caregivers)
Living Wage Working Group, Hamilton Roundtable on Poverty Reduction
McMaster University Indigenous Rights Group
Advisory Board, Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (non governmental organization promoting international labour standards)
Committee of Instruction, Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition, McMaster University
Advisory Board, United for Fair Trade-Unis pour commerce equitable (UFT-UCE) (fair trade NGO)

Experience

  • –present
    Professor Emeritus, Labour Studies and Political Science, McMaster University

Education

  • 1983 
    University of Toronto, PhD/ Political Science