Jacques Hamel

Jacques Hamel is a Professor in the Sociology Department at the University of Montreal, where he has been teaching since 1987. His academic work focuses on epistemology of sociology, qualitative methodology, and the study of the economy of French-speaking people in Quebec.

His research interests include:

• Sociology Epistemology
• Qualitative Methodology in Sociology
• Economy of French-speaking people in Quebec
• Economic Anthropology
• Theory of Transition
• Baby Boomers Studies
• Baby Busters Studies

Hamel's scholarly work examines the nature of sociology as a science, the definition of its object, and the transition from local to global perspectives. His research explores how sociology can be considered a science alongside exact sciences, addressing issues of object definition, description, and knowledge production in sociological research.

His notable publications include Précis d'épistémologie de la sociologie (1997), which discusses whether sociology qualifies as a science and how it relates to practical knowledge, and On the notions of work and citizenship in times of precariousness (2001), which examines social conditions in contemporary society.

He has contributed to understanding the economy of French-speaking Quebecers through an interest in economic anthropology and transition theory. He has also conducted significant research on generational studies, particularly focusing on baby boomers and baby busters.