Christopher D. Merrett
Christopher D. Merrett
Ph.D., Director and Professor of Geography
Stipes 515
309-298-2281
CD-Merrett@wiu.edu
Christopher D. Merrett is Director and Professor of Geography, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University. He received his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Iowa in 1994 with a focus on regional development and international trade. Merrett also earned an M.A. in Geography from the University of Vermont, a B.S. in Political Science from Lake Superior State University, and a B.A. in Geography from the University of Western Ontario. He was a visiting assistant professor at the University of Iowa for one year before coming to Western Illinois University where his primary duties include research, community outreach, and teaching (with a joint appointment in the Department of Geography at Western Illinois University). Prior to pursuing a career in academia, Merrett served in the Canadian Air Force, and worked for the Great Lakes Power Corporation in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Merrett was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, but has lived in a range of places across North America, including British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Vermont, Iowa and Illinois.
Research and Teaching Interests
His current research focuses on cooperatives and community development. Merrett co-edited (with Norman Walzer) two books on this topic, including A Cooperative Approach to Local Economic Development (2001) published by Quorum Books and Cooperatives and Local Development: Theory and Applications for the 21st Century (2003) published by M.E. Sharpe. Other research focuses on the impact of free trade on regional development in North America. He completed a book on that topic entitled Free Trade: Neither Free nor About Trade (1996) published by Black Rose Books. He has also published in a range of journals including the Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Urban Geography, The Professional Geographer, Antipode, National Identities, American Review of Canadian Studies, The Journal of Geography, Journal of the Community Development Society, Political Geography, and Rural Studies on topics such as community development, value-added agriculture, cooperatives and rural economic development. Teaching interests include rural geography, community development, social justice, regional planning, and the philosophy of science.
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