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- PhD, Potchefstroom University
- MA, University of Western Ontario
- BEd, University of Toronto
- BA, University of Western Ontario
Operating primarily within the field of Sociology of Religion but with occasional forays into Communication Studies, Dr. Haskell’s teaching and research focuses on religion in Canada, media in Canada, and religion and media in Canada.
Before academia, Dr. Haskell was a journalist. He started as a print features writer and later moved to TV working as a reporter in London, Windsor, and Waterloo Region. He has received awards from TV Ontario and the Radio Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) for his news reporting. Just prior to joining the faculty at Laurier's Brantford campus in 2005, he spent four years as a professor of Journalism at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario. He has also enjoyed careers as a high school teacher, professional musician and motivational speaker.
Dr. Haskell’s current research focuses on the influence of Christian norms and values on state governance; he is completing a book on this topic. Recently, his work examining the negative effects of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training has received national and international news coverage and has informed policy changes by legislators in the United States. He is well known for his research on the growth and decline of churches in Canada and the religious engagement of youth. Additionally, he has published on the news media’s portrayal and perceptions of Evangelicals, sermon content analysis, religious marketing via the Internet, and religious youth rallies.
Full-text versions of several of his published articles can be found at academia.edu.
I am willing to supervise graduate students in the areas of religion and media and contemporary Christianity in Canada.
Books authored:
- Through a lens darkly: How the news media perceive and portray Evangelicals (Toronto, ON: Clements Academic, 2009).
Research reports:
- Haskell, D.M.(2024, February). Reality Check: What DEI Research Concludes about Diversity Training. Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy, https://aristotlefoundation.org/reality-check/what-dei-research-concludes-aboutdiversity-training-it-is-divisive-counter-productive-and-unnecessary/
- Haskell, D.M.(2021, March 29). A Review of Scholarly Studies Showing the Physical and Mental Health Benefits of In Person, Christian Worship Services. Prepared as a background brief for the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms for use in their defense of Canadian Christian Churches standing for their constitutional rights.
- Haskell, D.M.[researcher NOT final author]. (2018, November 23). The Impact of the “Advancing Religion” Charitable Sub-Sector in Canada. Submission to the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector by the Council of Canadian Christian Charities. NB: report became a 62-page chapter written by the CCCC president. The chapter is found in the peer-reviewed book The Status of Religion and the Public Benefit in Charity Law (2020).
Chapters in books:
- “Parents matter: The fight against Critical Race Theory at an Ontario school board,” in M. Milke (ed), The 1867 Project—Why Canada Should be Celebrated Not Cancelled* (Calgary, AB: Aristotle Foundation, 2023).
*Top 5 Canadian Bestseller in 2023 & 2024; #1 in Canadian History 2023 to present
- "Sun News a move in the “right” direction," [case study] in R.J. Brym (ed), New Society, 7th Edition (Toronto: Nelson, 2013).
- “What's in a name?: The use of the term fundamentalist Christian in Canadian television news”, in S. Hoover & N. Kavina (eds), Fundamentalisms and the Media (New York, NY: Continuum, 2009) pp. 109-125.
Public Scholarship/Articles in Journals for Culture & Policy:
- Haskell, D.M. (February 18, 2025). Invite Canada’s Conservatives to Join America. American Conservative Magazine, https://tinyurl.com/mvp7fftj
- Haskell, D.M. (January 22, 2025). We’ve Known It for Years: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs Don’t Work. Quillette Magazine, https://tinyurl.com/2p78v4uh
- Haskell, D.M. (July 2022). Parental Pushback: The Fight Against Critical Race Theory at an Ontario School Board. C2C Journal, https://bit.ly/41SI3Xp
- Haskell, D.M. (July 2021). Discrimination Approved for Conservatives on Campus. C2C Journal, https://bit.ly/441amoE
- Haskell, D.M. (December 2017). Words Lose Their Meaning at Wilfrid Laurier University. Quillette Magazine, https://bit.ly/3N5rN1e
- Haskell, D.M. (December 2016). A Recipe for Church Growth. Weekly Standard, https://bit.ly/3L6LHWU
Papers in refereed journals:
- Flatt, Kevin, Haskell, D.M., & Burgoyne, S. (2018). Secularization and Attribution: How Mainline Protestant Clergy and Congregants Explain Church Growth and Decline. Sociology of Religion, 79(1): 78–107.
- Burgoyne, Stephanie, Flatt, K., and Haskell, D.M. (2017). Going the Extra Mile: The Impact of Theological Orientation and Other Congregational Factors on the Drive Times of Growing and Declining Church Attendees. Journal of Cultural Geography, 34 (3): 324-351.
- Haskell, D.M., Burgoyne, S., Flatt, K. (2016). Factors Influencing Church Choice: An Exploration of Responses from New Attendees at Growing Canadian Mainline Churches. Canadian Review of Sociology, 53(4): 409-436.
- Haskell, D.M., Flatt, K., Burgoyne, S. (2016). Theology Matters: Comparing the Traits of Growing and Declining Mainline Protestant Church Attendees and Clergy. Review of Religious Research, 58(4): 515-541.
- Haskell, D.M., Burgoyne, S. Flatt, K. (2016). Mainline Denominational Switching in Canada: Comparing the religious trajectories of growing and declining church attendees. Canadian Journal of Sociology, 41(4): https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/cjs/index.php/cjs/article/view/25450
- Flatt, K. and Haskell, D.M. (Spring 2016). Participant Experiences at a Charismatic Catholic Youth Rally: What Happens When Participant Socialization and Organizer Intentions Don’t Match? Religious Education,111(2): 137-152
- D. Millard Haskell and Kevin Flatt. (2015). The Reported Impact of a Mainline Protestant Youth Rally and a Charismatic-Evangelical Youth Rally on Attendees’ Religious Faith. Journal of Youth Ministry, 13(2): 21-53.
- (2013). The theological meaning of Jesus’ resurrection: A content analysis of mainline and conservative Protestant Easter Sunday sermons. Journal of Empirical Theology, 25(2): 205-235.
- Haskell, D.M., Flatt, K., Lathangue, R. (2012). Measuring the Effectiveness of a Church’s Off-line and On-line Marketing Campaign: The Case of the United Church of Canada’s WonderCafe. Journal of Communication and Religion, 35(2): 172-201.
- (2011). “What we have here is a failure to Communicate…”: Same-sex marriage, Evangelicals and the Canadian news media. Journal of Religion and Popular Culture, 23(3): 311-329.
- (2010). Evangelicals’ public face: Reflections on a flawed reflection. Evangelical Review of Society and Politics, 4(1): 42-58.
- Haskell, D.M., Paradis, K., Burgoyne, S., (2008). Defending the faith: Reaction to The DaVinci Code, The Jesus Papers, The Gospel of Judas and other pop culture discourses in Easter Sunday sermons. Review of Religious Research, 50(2): 139-156.
- (2007). News media influence on non-Evangelicals’ perceptions of Evangelical Christians: A case study. Journal of Media and Religion, 6(3): 153-179.
- (2007). Evangelical Christians in Canadian national television news, 1994-2004: A frame analysis. Journal of Communication and Religion, 30(1): 118-152.
To see full text samples of publications and essays in the popular press please visit academia.edu.
Horsman, G, & Haskell, D.M. (March 25, 2025). Woke Hermit Kingdom Canada Doubles Down on DEI, Minding the Campus, https://www.mindingthecampus.org/2025/03/25/woke-hermit-kingdom-canada-doubles-down-on-dei/
Haskell, D.M. (2025, January 14). As DEI dies, companies would be wise to abandon it sooner rather than later. Epoch Times, https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/as-dei-dies-companies-would-be-wise-to-abandon-it-sooner-ratherthan-later-5790971
Haskell, D.M. (2024, March 8). Majority of Canadians feel our country is broken. Epoch Times, https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/david-haskell-vast-majority-of-canadians-feel-our-country-is-broken-5598119
Haskell, D.M. (2024, February 17). Rise in anti-Semitism related to proliferation of DEI doctrine. Epoch Times, https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/david-haskell-rise-in-anti-semitism-related-to-the-proliferation-of-deidoctrine-5589189
Haskell, D.M. (2023, September 19). Debate Over “Anti-Racism” Education Intensifies in Ontario. Distributed by Troy to Newspapers Across Canada. https://troymedia.com/author/davidmillardhaskell/ (Adaptation from 1867 Project chapter.)
Haskell, D.M. (2023, September 17). How Ontario Teachers Discriminate by Race. Western Standard:https://www.westernstandard.news/opinion/haskell-how-ontario-teachers-pick-on-whitechildren/article_b0f84f1e53e1-11ee-8844-7776ec3778dc.html (Adaptation from 1867 Project chapter.)
McNally, W. & Haskell, D.M. (2023, February 20). Universities should be promoting truth not fiction. Toronto Sun: https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-universities-should-be-promoting-truth-not-fiction
McNally, W. & Haskell, D.M. (2021, July 21). Canadian Universities are not safe places for ideas. National Post, https://nationalpost.com/opinion/william-mcnally-canadian-universities-are-not-safe-places-for-ideas
McNally, W. & Haskell, D.M. (2020, September 27). 'Scholar strike' institutionalized propagandist teaching at Canadian universities. The Post Millennial, 'Scholar strike' institutionalized propagandist teaching at Canadian universities | The Post Millennial | thepostmillennial.com
Haskell, D.M. (2019, August 9). The Media’s Blindspot for the People’s Party of Canada. The Post Millennial, The media blindspot for the People’s Party of Canada | The Post Millennial | thepostmillennial.com
Haskell Essay (2018, June 25). Why Lindsay Shepherd is Suing Wilfrid Laurier University. Toronto Star:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2018/06/25/why-lindsay-shepherd-is-suing-wilfrid-laurier-university.html
Haskell Essay (2018, Feb. 12). Criticism of Religious Groups is Good for Religion. Vancouver Sun:
http://vancouversun.com/opinion/op-ed/opinion-criticism-of-religious-groups-is-good-for-religion
Haskell Essay (2018, Jan. 18). Trudeau is Asking Canadians to Betray Their Conscience for Federal Funding. CBC News:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/summer-jobs-program-1.4491602
Haskell Essay (2017, Dec. 13) Words Lose Their Meaning at Wilfrid Laurier University. Quillette Magazine:
http://quillette.com/2017/12/13/words-lose-meaning-wilfrid-laurier-university/
Haskell Essay (2017, Nov. 15). Suppressing TVO Video, Stifling Free Speech is making Wilfrid Laurier Unsafe. Toronto Star:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2017/11/15/suppressing-tvo-video-stifling-free-speech-is-making-wilfrid-laurier-unsafe.html
Haskell Essay (2017, Oct 30). The Future is Female: What’s to Become of the Boys? Vancouver Sun & Ottawa Citizen:
http://vancouversun.com/opinion/op-ed/opinion-the-future-is-female-whats-to-become-of-the-boys
Haskell Essay (2017, Oct. 28). Fight Against Modern Cultural Marxists Evokes Martin Luther’s 95 Theses. Vancouver Province & Hamilton Spectator & K-W Record:
http://theprovince.com/opinion/op-ed/david-millard-haskell-fight-against-modern-cultural-marxists-evokes-martin-luthers-95-theses
Haskell Essay (2017, Jun. 4). The New Institutionalized Racism. Toronto Sun:
http://torontosun.com/2017/06/04/the-new-institutionalized-racism/wcm/acd62e83-3ed6-483d-b9fc-3129d60887c8
Haskell Essay (2017, Mar. 16). Free Speech at University Under Attack…. Again. Toronto Star:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2017/03/16/free-speech-at-university-under-attack-again.html
Haskell Essay (2017, Jan. 4). Liberal Churches are Dying but Conservative are Thriving. Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/01/04/liberal-churches-are-dying-but-conservative-churches-are-thriving/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b81a0559bd55
Haskell Essay (2016, Dec. 10). A Recipe for Church Growth. Weekly Standard:
https://www.weeklystandard.com/david-millard-haskell/the-recipe-for-church-growth
Haskell Essay (2016, Dec. 5). How to Grow a Church—Some Liberals Might Not Like the Answer. Globe & Mail:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/how-to-grow-a-church-some-liberals-might-not-like-the-answer/article33207264/
Haskell Essay (2016, Oct. 18). Revisiting Free Speech Debate on Campus. Toronto Star:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/10/18/revisiting-free-speech-debate-on-campus.html
Contact Info:
Office location: OD201
Office hours:
Best to email to reserve an appointment.
Languages spoken: English