Michael E. Gertler

Michael E. Gertler is an Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Saskatchewan, with affiliations as a Fellow in Community and Co-operative Development at the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives and an Associate Member in the School of Environment and Sustainability. He contributes to interdisciplinary research and teaches courses in rural sociology, environmental sociology, and the sociology of agriculture and food.

• Education:
  • Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Hon. Urban and Regional Planning), University of Waterloo
  • MSc in Renewable Resources, McGill University
  • PhD in Development Sociology, Cornell University

His research focuses on social, organizational, and institutional innovations supporting sustainable development across Canada, the USA, Costa Rica, Mongolia, and the Caribbean. Key themes include organic farming, grazing co-ops, privatization of community pastures, Crown Lands, and labor/knowledge politics in co-operatives. He collaborates with organizations like the National Farmers Union and Public Pastures–Public Interest.

Recent publications emphasize comparative analyses of agrarian sustainability and co-operative dynamics, with a focus on global rural development and gendered food systems. He is actively involved in institutional committees for Regional and Urban Planning and the University of Saskatchewan's Communities and Sustainability Signature Area.

Organizational Leadership:

• Member, Regional and Urban Planning Committee
• Co-founder, Public Pastures–Public Interest
• Board Member, National Farmers Union