Jason Spicer, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College at the City University of New York (CUNY) and in the Social Welfare PhD program at the Graduate School and University Center (the Graduate Center) at CUNY. He was previously an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto (St. George Campus), where he founded and directed the Community Economies Lab. His work has been published in a number of leading social science journals and featured in media outlets such as The Washington Post, PBS Newshour, The Conversation, CBC, Governance, Grist, Fast Company, and Foreign Policy.
Before becoming a professor, Jason had a 15-year career in the global urban development industry, based in New York City, working with local, national, and trans-national private sector, third sector, and governmental organizations in a variety of capacities.
His research and teaching primarily focus on: (a) the potential of alternative economic models, such as cooperatives /social and solidarity economy organizational forms, community wealth building strategies, and community economic development approaches, to create a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable economy; and (b) the role policy and political processes play in making these models possible.
Topics and themes: social and community entrepreneurship; cooperatives, alternative enterprises, and the social economy;
economic democracy; institutions and organizations; housing and community economic development; community wealth building; social movements; social innovation; international and comparative political economy.