Vanda Rideout, 1948-2016
Dr. Vanda Rideout came to UNB in 1998 after completing her PhD at Carleton University. Prior to her return to university and a second career, she spent ten years in industrial accounting.
During her tenure in the Department of Sociology, Dr. Rideout was an exemplary departmental citizen, taught a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate courses, and served with distinction as the Director of Graduate Studies from 2010 until 2015 when she retired. Within the broader context of professional life, Dr. Rideout served on a variety of university and scholarly committees, and was actively involved in union work.
Graduate students mentored by Dr. Rideout were well trained for future research careers in the academy, non-governmental agencies, and the government. Her door was almost always open to answer questions, offer support or encouragement, or to provide constructive feedback to the students within our graduate programs. She was skilled in identifying and negotiating creative solutions to difficult issues and Dr. Rideout was known to be more than fair to all who sought her input.
As a scholar, Dr. Rideout received three sizable research grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), in addition to SSHRC seed and conference funding. Her monograph Contextualizing Canadian Telecommunications: The Politics of Regulatory Reform was published by McGill-Queens University Press in 2003.
Over the course of her career, Dr. Rideout published numerous journal articles, chapters in scholarly books and research reports. Together with several research associates—former graduate students who are receiving excellent experience as a result—her latest SSHRC funded project on the digital economy is nearing completion, as is the monograph based on it, tentatively titled Stars in the Crown: Research in Motion and NorTel Inc.
Despite the fact that in the past few years Dr. Vanda Rideout’s health began to impact her life in numerous ways, her commitment and drive to her research and the department continued and—in some ways—intensified. On many occasions, she pushed herself beyond what might have been considered reasonable, or advisable, for the sake of those things and people she held dear.
Dr. Vanda Rideout advanced the mission of UNB and exemplified the UNB motto making a significant difference.
February 15, 2016
Vanda died peacefully in her sleep with her beloved husband Andrew Reddick holding her hands. Vanda had a marvellous, well-lived life.
Vanda was a champion for social and economic justice, and the importance of education. Vanda received her BA (Queen’s), MA (Carleton) and Ph.D. (Carleton) as a mature student. Vanda loved academia. Research was her main passion, driven by a curiosity for knowledge and understanding; exemplified by her many publications.
Teaching, inspiring others and contributing to the success and reputation of the Department of Sociology and UNB, and the betterment of Canadian society were other important aspects of Vanda’s passion for academia. Born and raised in Hartland, Vanda was proud to have been able to return to New Brunswick for her career in academia. With education, everything is possible. With education one can better understand, fully participate in, and improve the world.
Vanda and Andy benefitted greatly from the NB Extra Mural program, and thank them for their amazing quality of care and kindness. Vanda wanted to thank so many family, friends, colleagues and care givers who have been so supportive over the years: those in ‘the Hood’, UNB and STU, oncology staff at Saint John and Fredericton, all of the staff on 4 North East, and our many friends and relatives in Canada and around the world.
In lieu of a funeral, there was a ‘Celebration of Life’ party.
Donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or, please donate blood – this is the gift of life for cancer patients and others with illness.
Retired Professor & Director of Graduate Studies
Ph.D. and MA, Carleton University; BA Honours Queen’s University
Dr. Rideout taught graduate and a variety of under graduate courses in research design, social stratification and the political economy of communication and media. Her research focused on changes that are occurring with the shift to an information society.
Her research program involved projects that investigate changes to service sector knowledge work and the social impact of advanced technology systems on community organizations in urban/rural areas. Her most current research project examines information and knowledge society’s effect on high-skilled jobs at information and communication technology firms. This research activity and publications is reflected in the courses she taught.
Selected publications
Rideout, V. (2009) The public interest, the right to communicate and Canada’s neo-liberal policy turn. Editors Dakroury, Aliaa, Mahmoud Eid & Yahya Kamalipour, The Right to Communicate: Historical Hopes, global debates, and Future Premises. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing, 323- 342
Rideout, V. (2008) Digital Taylorisation of social service work: The Riverview Case study. Canadian Journal of Communication Vol. 33 (4), 685-700
Rideout, V. (2008) Public interest in communications: Beyond access to needs. Global Media Journal American Edition Vol. 7 (13), Article No. 5, 1-11
Rideout, V. (2007) No Information Age Utopia: Knowledge workers and clients in the social service sector. Editors McKercher, C. & Mosco, V. Knowledge Workers in the Information Age. Lexington Books/Rowman & Littlefield, 133-146
Rideout, Vanda; Andrew Reddick; W.J. McIver Jr.; Susan O’Donnell; Sandy Kitchen; Mary Milliken. (2007) Community Organizations in the Information Age: A study of community intermediaries in Canada. Journal of Community Informatics Vol. 3 (1), 1-86.
Gibson, Kerri; Susan O’Donnell, Vanda Rideout. (2007) The project funding regime: Complications for community organizations and their staff. Canadian Public Administration Vol. 50 (3), 411-435
Rideout, V.; A. Reddick; O’Donnell, S.; McIver Jr. W.; Kitchen, S; Milliken, M.C. (2006) Community Intermediaries in the Knowledge Society. National Research Council Canada & University of New Brunswick
Rideout, V. and Reddick, A. (2005). Sustaining community access to technology: Who should pay and why! Journal of Community Informatics,1(2):45-62.
Rideout, V. (2003). Continentalizing Canadian telecommunications: The politics of regulatory reform, Kingston/Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, p.256.
Rideout, V. (2003/2). Digital inequalities in Eastern Canada,” Canadian Journal of Information and Library Sciences, 27(2):3-31.
