Elizabeth Comack

Ph.D., Sociology, University of Alberta, 1984

M.A., Queens University, 1976

B.A., (Honours) University of Winnipeg, 1974

My teaching goals and philosophy can be expressed in four separate yet interrelated goals:

1. The sociological perspective: I encourage students to embrace what C. Wright Mills called ‘the sociological imagination.' This involves making connections between ‘private troubles' and ‘public issues' – between individuals' own experiences and circumstances and the wider social, political, and economic contexts in which they move.
   
   
2. Analytical skills : I often tell students at our first meeting that my job is not to tell them ‘what they think they already know,' but rather to expose them to different ways of making sense of the world around them. Theory is an important ingredient in my courses, especially in terms of developing a critical analysis of pressing social issues.
   
   
3. Social justice : The courses I teach are ones in which social justice issues are front and center. Students are encouraged to develop an awareness of those issues in terms of their historical underpinnings, current context, and future possibilities.
   
   
4. Students as contributors : Because I have spent a good portion of my life studying and thinking about sociology, there is much that I am eager to share with my students. However, students have an important part to play in their own learning process. This means taking an active part in discussions and constructing their own analyses in written assignments.

I regularly teach third-year courses in the Criminology Program in the department (SOC 3700 and SOC 3790 ) as well as graduate seminars in the Sociology of Law (SOC 7300 ) and Feminist Criminology (SOC 7450 ). In addition, I have co-taught a course – with Susan Prentice – entitled ‘Feminism and Sociological Theory' at both the undergraduate (SOC 3350 ) and graduate (SOC 7190 ) levels and have recently taught the Honours Thesis Seminar (SOC 4450 ).

Since joining the Sociology Department at the University of Manitoba in 1990, I have supervised the following students:

Juillian McLean, (MA, 2008) "Reading Men's Diaries: A Discursive Analysis of Posts on the World Sex Guide"

Lisa Heshka, (MA, 2008) "From Pathways to Tangled Webs: An Anaysis of Girls in Trouble with the Law"

Rana McDonald (MA, 2008) "The Discord beween Policy and Practice: Defence Lawyers' Use of Section 718.2(e) and Gladue" (co-advisor with S. Brickey) 

Tracey Peter (PhD, 2006) "Hearing 'Silent' Voices: Examining Mother-Daughter Sexual Abuse." [Recipient of the 2006 Distinguished Dissertation Award, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Manitoba]

Salena Brickey (MA, 2005) "Constituting the Violence of Criminalized Women:  Not Mad, Bad or Victim Will Suffice."

Gillian Balfour (Phd, 2002) "The Practice of Law as Structured Action: The Role of Lawyers in the Criminalization of Violent Men and Women." [Recipient of the 2004 Social Justice Research Award, St. Paul's College, University of Manitoba]

Vanessa Chopyk (MA, 2001) "Re-examining Gender Disparity in Sentencing: Locating the Sentencing of Offenders in the Criminal Event Framework."

Lauren Eakin (MA, 2001) "Women, Crack Cocaine Addiction and the Sex Trade Industry: A Standpoint Analysis" (co-advisor with B. Payne).

Linda Wood (MA, 2001) "Caught in the Net Zero-Tolerance: The Effect of the Criminal Justice Response to Partner Violence."

Lisa Murdock (MA, 2001) "Aboriginal Women and Violence: A Standpoint Analysis."

Wendy Singleton (MA, 2001) "Beyond the Attic Door: A Feminist Social History of Imprisonment at Portage la Prairie Provincial Gaol, 1940-1970."

Tim Lucas (MA, 1999) "Sexual Orientation and the Law: An Examination of the Discourse in Two Federal Acts in Canada."

Melanie Nimmo (MA, 1998) "Responding to Female Gang Affiliation: An Analysis of Gender Construction."

Joanne Minaker (MA, 1998) "Women's Needs/Available Choices: Juxtaposing the Criminal Justice System Response to Wife Abuse with Women's Words."

Jacqueline Bedard (MA, 1995) "Mothers' Experiences on Social Assistance."

Kirsten Johnson ( MA 1993 ) "Undressing the Canadian State: Obscenity Legislation in Canada."  [published as a book by Fernwood Publishing in 1995].

Jane Kitchen (MA, 1993) "HearingWomen's Voices? An Analysis of the Initial Newspaper Coverage of the Montreal Massacre."

My research interests can be located within two areas: the sociology of law and feminist criminology. Over the past three decades I have written and researched on topics as diverse as: the origins of Canadian drug laws;  the capital punishment debate; the legal recognition of the ‘Battered Woman Syndrome';  the abuse histories of women in prison; violence, inequality, and the law; safety and security issues in Winnipeg's inner-city communities; and masculinity, violence, and prisoning.  My current research projects stem from my involvement in the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Manitoba (CCPA-MB) SSHRC/CURA project entitled "Transforming Aboriginal and Inner-City Communities."  One of these projects, which is now underway, involves working with Nahanni Fontaine of the Southern Chiefs' Organization (SCO) to interview Aboriginal peoples about their experiences with the police.

E. Comack (editor). 2006. Locating Law: Race/Class/Gender/Sexuality Connections (2nd edition). Halifax: Fernwood Publishing. http://www.fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/283

G. Balfour and E. Comack (editors). 2006. Criminalizing Women: Gender and (In)justice in Neo-liberal Times. Halifax: Fernwood Publishing. http://www.fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/257

E. Comack and G. Balfour. 2004. The Power to Criminalize: Violence, Inequality, and the Law . Halifax : Fernwood Publishing. http://www.fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/197

Journal Articles:

E. Comack and J. Silver. 2008. "A Canadian Exception to the Punitive Turn? Community Responses to Policing Practices in Winnipeg's Inner City." Canadian Journal of Sociology 33 (4): 815-844.

E. Comack and Selena Brickey. 2007. "Constituting the Violence of Criminalized Women." Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice 49 (1): 1-36.

E. Comack and T. Peter. 2005. “How the Criminal Justice System Responds to Sexual Assault Survivors: The Slippage Between Responsibilization and Blaming the Victim.” Canadian Journal of Women and the Law  17 (2): 283-309.

Book Chapters:

Comack, E. 2008. "The Sex Question in Criminology."  In B. Schissel and C. Brooks (eds.), Marginality and Condemnation: An Introduction to Criminology (second edition) Halifax: Fernwood Publishing, pages 80-100. http://www.fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/318

Comack,E, V.Chopyk and L. Wood. 2008. "Aren't Women Violent, Too?  The Gendered Nature of Violence." In B. Schissell and C. Brooks (eds.), Marginality and Condemnation: An Introduction to Criminology (second edition). Halifax: Fernwood Publishing, pages 330-49. http://www.fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/318

E. Comack. 2005. “Coping, Resisting, and Surviving: Connecting Women's Law Violations to Their Histories of Abuse.” In L. Alarid and P. Cromwell (eds.), In Her Own Words: Women Offenders' Views on Crime and Victimization. Los Angeles : Roxbury Publishing.

E. Comack. 2004. “Feminism and Criminology.” In R. Linden (General Editor), Criminology: a Canadian Perspective (5 th edition). Toronto: Nelson.

E. Comack. 2004. “The Gendering and Racializing of Criminalized Others” In C. Sumner (ed.) The Blackwell Companion to Criminology. London: Blackwell.

E. Comack. 2002. “Do We Need to Syndromize Women's Experiences? The Limitations of the ‘Battered Woman Syndrome'” In K. McKenna & J. Larkin (eds.) Violence Against Women: New Canadian Perspectives. Toronto : Ianna Publications, 2002.

E. Comack. 2000. “The Prisoning of Women: Meeting Women's Needs?” In K. Hannah-Moffat and M. Shaw (eds.) An Ideal Prison? Critical Essays on Women's Imprisonment in Canada. Halifax: Fernwood Publishing. http://www.fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/9

Research Reports:

E. Comack and J. Silver. 2006. Safety and Security in Winnipeg's Inner-City Communities:  Bridging the Community-Police Divide. Winnipeg: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (Manitoba).  Available at: http://policyalternatives.ca/index.cfm?act=main&call=DA794529

C. Lafreniere, N. Fontaine, and E. Comack. 2005. The Challenge for Change: Realizing the Legacy of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry Report (A position paper presented to the Provincially Appointed Committee for Consultation on a New Women's Correctional Facility in Manitoba). Winnipeg: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (Manitoba) Available at: http://policyaternatives.ca/index.cfm?act=main&call=DA794529

E. Comack, V. Chopyk and L. Wood. 2000. Mean Streets? The Social Locations, Gender Dynamics and Patterns of Violent Crime in Winnipeg. Winnipeg : Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (Manitoba).  Available at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/index.cfm?act=main&call=DA794529

Encyclopaedia Entry:

E. Comack. 2000. “Battered women and self-defense, Canada.” Encyclopedia of Women and Crime. N. H. Rafter (Editor-in-Chief). Phoenix, Arizona: The Oryx Press.