Mitch Diamantopoulos

Contact Info

Research Interests

• Democratic philosophy and foundations of journalism
• Journalism history, particularly in 19th Century Britain and on the Canadian Prairies
• Political economy of news media, including alternative media
• Media sociology and media cultural studies
• Media reform movements and innovative firm models for journalism, particularly news co-operation
• Cooperative studies, community economic development and the social economy
• The democratic role of journalism in an age of authoritarian populism

Professional Experience

Mitch’s body of published work spans journalism, community-based research and interdisciplinary scholarship. A founder of two city-papers (Planet S Magazine in Saskatoon in 2002 and Prairie Dog Magazine in Regina in 1993), Mitch brings the School over fifteen years of frontline experience in reporting, editing and publishing. Nationally recognized, the prairie dog was also awarded the Saskatchewan Co-operative Enterprise Award in 1996, recognizing “outstanding achievement, innovation and initiative”. In 2007, Mitch was named director of the Saskatchewan Labour Market Commission by the Province of Saskatchewan, representing the social economy. In 2008, Canadian Dimension Magazine recognized Mitch as a “journalist changing the world.” In 2010, his edited collection of Minifie Lectures was short-listed for a Saskatchewan Book Award for Publishing in Education. In 2012 Mitch received the Best Dissertation Award from the Association for Non-Profit and Social Economy Research and was named a Centre Scholar with the internationally recognized Canadian Centre for the Study of Cooperatives at the University of Saskatchewan. In 2013, he was awarded the Best Article Award by the Canadian Journal of Non-Profit and Social Economy Research. Mitch served as the School’s Department Head from 2007 to 2015 and led the launch of the School’s Master’s program, the first graduate journalism program on the Prairies. In 2019 he joined the board of the Canadian Association for Studies in Co-operation. In 2022 Mitch was named to the international editorial advisory board of the UK-based Journal of Co-operative Studies. Since 2022, he has also served as the School’s Graduate Program Coordinator.

Recent Scholarly Publications

Edited books and Special Issues

• Diamantopoulos, M. (2009). Thirty years of journalism and democracy in Canada: The Minifie Lectures, 1981-2010, University of Regina Press. https://uofrpress.ca/Books/9/30-Thirty-Years-of-Journalism-and-Democracy-in-Canada
• Diamantopoulos, M., Bird, A. and Bibby, A (Eds.). (2021). ‘Constructing the co-operative imaginary: Journalism’s past, present, and emerging contributions,’ Journal of Co-operative Studies, 54(4). https://www.ukscs.coop/resources/journal-of-co-operative-studies-vol-54-no-4
• Diamantopoulos, M., Duguid, F., Findlay, I.M., Harris, J., Iliopoulos, C., Spear, R, and Tarhan, D.M. (Eds.). (2021). ‘Bridging divides: Promoting economic, social and cultural democracy,’ Review of International Co-operation, 106(1). https://www.ica.coop/en/media/library/review-international-cooperation-2021

Journal articles

• Diamantopoulos, M. (2011). Co-operative development gap in Québec and Saskatchewan from 1980 to 2010: A tale of two movements. Canadian Journal of Non-Profit and Social Economy Research, 3(1), pp. 6-24.http://anserj.ca/index.php/cjnser/article/view/85
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2012). Breaking out of co-operation’s ‘iron cage’: From movement degeneration to building a developmental movement, Annals of Public and Co-operative Economics, 83(2), pp. 197-212. (13) (PDF) Breaking out of co-operation’s ‘iron cage’: From movement degeneration to building a developmental movement (researchgate.net)
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2012). The foundations of agrarian socialism: Co-operative economic action in Saskatchewan, 1905 – 1960, Prairie Forum, 37, pp. 103-151. (13) (PDF) The Foundations of agrarian socialism: Co-operative economic action in Saskatchewan, 1905-1960 (researchgate.net)
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2012). The developmental movement model: A contribution to the social movement approach to co-operative development, Journal of Co-operative Studies, Fall 2012, 45(2), pp. 42-56. https://www.ukscs.coop/resources/journal-of-co-operative-studies-vol-45-no-2
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2013). The Blueprint Paradox: Can co-operatives overcome movement degeneration to drive post-crisis recovery? Review of international Co-operation, 98(1), pp. 7-23. International Review of Co-operation 2013.pdf (ica.coop)
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2014). On breaking a wild young colt: Associative intelligence, alternative journalism and the cultural mutualization of the Canadian Prairies, Journal of Co-operative Studies, 47(1), pp. 39-55. Journal of Co-operative Studies Vol 47 No 1 | UK Society for Co-operative Studies (ukscs.coop)
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2020). Contradictions in Canadian co-operation: A diffusion of innovations approach. Journal of Co-operative Studies, 53(1), pp. 5-18. Journal of Co-operative Studies Vol 53 No 1 | UK Society for Co-operative Studies (ukscs.coop)
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2021). Making sense of the world co-operative movement’s regional disparities. Review of International Co-operation, 106(1), pp.10-28. Review of International Cooperation 2021 | ICA
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2021). Holyoake’s Ghost: The role of alternative journalism in the invention, cultural empowerment, and social mobilization of Britain’s co-operative movement, 1821-1871, Journal of Co-operative Studies, 54(4), pp.7-19. https://www.ukscs.coop/resources/journal-of-co-operative-studies-vol-54-no-4
• Diamantopoulos, M., Bird, A. & Bibby, A. (2021). Constructing the co-operative imaginary: Journalism’s past, present, and emerging contributions [Editorial]. Journal of Co-operative Studies, 54(4), pp. 3-6. https://www.ukscs.coop/resources/journal-of-co-operative-studies-vol-54-no-4
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2022). ‘The art of agitation: The 19th century press activism of George Jacob Holyoake, Journal of Alternative and Community Media, 7(1), in press. https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-of-alternative-community-media
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2022). Bridging co-operation’s communication gap: On co-operative identity, the sociology of co-operative education’s shifting terrain, and the problem of public opinion, Journal of Co-operative Organization and Management, 10(1), pp.1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcom.2021.100161

Book chapters

• Diamantopoulos, M. and Usiskin, L. (2014). “A provocative proposition: Linking research, education and action in Saskatoon’s Core neighbourhoods.” In Jeffrey, B., Martz, D., Clarke, L. and Findlay, I. (Eds.). Journeys in community-based research.Regina, University of Regina Press, pp. 73-88. Journeys in Community-Based Research (uofrpress.ca)
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2014). “Education for economic action: The case of the Canadian co-operative movement.” In Hepting, D. and Elliott, P. (Eds.). Free Knowledge.Regina, University of Regina Press, pp. 69-100. Free Knowledge (uofrpress.ca)
• Diamantopoulos, M. (2014). “Re-inventing ‘home’ in a place-less world: Globalization, social exclusion and co-operative housing innovations in Canada.” In Fairbairn, B. & Russell, N. (Eds.) The self-help solution: Co-operative renewal in Canadian communities.Victoria, University of British Columbia Press, pp. 158-186. UBC Press | Co-operative Canada – Empowering Communities and Sustainable Businesses, Edited by Brett Fairbairn and Nora Russell

Research reports

• Diamantopoulos, M. and Findlay, I.M. (2007) “Growing pains: Social enterprise in Saskatoon’s core neighbourhoods.” Saskatoon, Community-University Institute for Social Research, University of Saskatchewan. (1) Growing pains: Social enterprise in Saskatoon’s Core neighbourhoods | Mitch Diamantopoulos – Academia.edu
• Diamantopoulos, M. and Bourgeois, A. (2014) “Worker cooperative development in Saskatchewan: The promise, the problems and the prospects”, Saskatoon, Community University Institute for Social Research, University of Saskatchewan. (1) The Worker Cooperative Development in Saskatchewan: The Promise, the Problems, and the Prospects | Mitch Diamantopoulos – Academia.edu