Conferences & Lectures

Papers Presented at Conferences

2018. Citizenship Derailed. Association of American Geographers. New Orleans. April 10-14.

2017. Entangled and Precarized Peripheries in Mexico City. Towards Suburbia Seminar. City Institute, York University. November 29

2016. Questions of Accountability. Have the Lessons of the Lac-Mégantic Rail Disaster Been Learned? Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa (organized by Bruce Campbell) December 8.

2016. Incapacitation as Everyday Immigration Control. Association of American Geographers. San Francisco. March 29.

2015. Immigration Regulation and the Exclusionary Politics of Nuisance Laws (with K. Kolnick). Association of American Geographers. Chicago. April 21-25.

2015. A Multi-Layered Breach of Public Confidence: Oil Transport, Financial Risk and Audit Culture Extractivism in Canada (with A. Zalik). Extractive Industries Governance Project/CERLAC. Toronto. April 11.

2014. Canada's Visa Requirement for Mexicans and Its Political Rationalities. Remote Control: The Externalisation of Border Management in North America and Europe. Dalhousie University, Halifax (Invited by Dr. Ruben Zaiotti). September 26.

2014. Suburbanism in Mexico City: Where Formality and Informality Blur. 6th International Meeting of RECIM- Red Continental de Investigación sobre la Informalidad en las Metrópolis. Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana Cuajimalpa. Mexico City. January 30-31.

2013. Global Suburbanism or Subaltern Urbanism. A Suburban Revolution? The CITY Institute at York University. Toronto. September 26-28.

2013. Spatial Justice and the Suburban Imagination. International and Multidisciplinary Workshop “Accessibility as a condition to social justice.” Université de Montréal, Montreal, May 3-4. (Invited).

2013. Social Justice and Democratic Deficits. Cities in Transitions Workshop organized by the University of Geneva. Seventh European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ICLEI). Geneva, CH. April 16-19 (Invited).

2013. Challenges to a “Fair, Efficient and Just” Immigration Policy. Association of American Geographers. Immigration Policy: Movements in Age of Obama. Los Angeles, April 9-13.

2013. The Political Ecology of Canadian Suburbia. Department of Social Sciences. Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana Cuajimalpa, Mexico City, October 24. (Invited)

2013. Oil: From the Tar Sands to Lac-Megantic. Special Presentation with A. Zalik, M. Winfield and D. N. Scott. Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University. October 17.

2013. FES Workshop: Borders Crossed: Migration, Temporary Workers and Undocumented Migrants. January 22.

2012. Immigration Control Beyond the Border. The Critical Border Studies Speaker Series, York Centre for International and Security Studies, York University, Toronto, November 21.

(2012). Constitutional Failure or Anti-Immigrant Success? Local Anti-Immigrant Ordinances and Sentiments in the United States (with Kathy A. Kolnick). CISAN- Centro de Investigaciones sobre América del Norte, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Mexico City, April 26-27.

2012. Constructing Immigrants as Public Nuisance. Association of American Geographers. New York City, February 23-28.

2010. Canada’s visa requirement for Mexicans: Egregious making of North American migration space. Association of American Geographers. Washington DC, April 13-18.

2010. Governmentalities of Accommodation and Tolerance in Montreal (with Leela Viswanathan and Parastou Saberi). Annual Meeting Urban Affairs Association. Honolulu HI, March 10-13.

2009. Immigration “Illegality” and Discursive Circulation Across Borders. Association of Canadian Studies in the United States, San Diego. November 21.

2009. NAFTA’s strangest quinceñera gift: Canada’s visa requirement for Mexicans. Settlement, Security and Social Justice: Immigrants and Refugees in US-Canada Border Regions Symposium. University of Vermont. Burlington. November 6. (Invited).

2009. Contested politics of border governance: visa requirement and continental dis/integration. Border governance: a comparative North American Symposium. IberoAmericana University, Mexico City, October 5-7. (Invited).

2009. Florida’s Creative Illusions of Tolerance. Invited panellist, Town Hall: Demystifying the Creative City: Tired of all the creativity blah blah blah? Organized by Fuse magazine and Creative Class Struggle, Toronto Free Gallery, Toronto, June 18.

2009. Creative Discourses of Depoliticization: The silenced discourses of Richard Florida and his disciples. Invited Plenary Speaker, Mapping the Urban Turn: CITY Research Day, organized by The City Institute at York University, York University, April 30.

2009. Criminalization Across Borders: The Migration of “Illegal” Immigration Rhetorics. Association of American Geographers, Las Vegas, March 22-27.

2008. North American discursive integration? North-South migration of immigration rhetorics. Non-NAFTA Issues Impacting NAFTA: Confronting Challenges Outside the Box. IberoAmericana University. Mexico City, October 27-29. (Invited).

2008. Refugee Settlement: Obstacles and Access to Public Spaces and Institutions (with B. Rahder, S. McGrath, R. Basu and P. Wood). Refugees and the Insecure Nation: managing Forced Migration in Canada. York University, Toronto. June 17.

2008. Building Bioregional Citizenship: The case of the Oak Ridges Moraine (presented by G. Wekerle, with L. Sandberg) Canadian Political Science Association/Congress. Vancouver, June 5.

2008. Immigration as Local Politics: Fearing Immigration, multiculturalism and diasporic urbanity. Session: Diaspora and the City: Memory, Emotion and Belonging. Association of American Geographers, Boston, 14-19 April.

Conference Activities

2016. Assistant Organizer, Have the Lessons of the Lac-Mégantic Rail Disaster Been Learned? Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa. December 8.

2013. Organizer, Oil: From the Tar Sands to Lac-Mégantic. Special Presentation with A. Zalik, M. Winfield and D. N. Scott. Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University. October 17.

2013. Chair, Panel 13: Suburban Values and Political Choices, A Suburban Revolution? Conference

- Chair, Panel 29: Peri-Urban Areas, A Suburban Revolution? Conference. The CITY Institute at York University, Toronto. September 26-28.

2010-2012. Co-organizer with Dr. Anna Zalik, FES Research Tuesdays Lecture Series (weekly presentations). Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University.

2008. Chair, Contesting Urban Growth in Suburban/Exurban Regions II. Association of American Geographers. Boston, 14-19 April 2008.

2005. Co-organizer (with Stefan Kipfer) Capitalism Nature Socialism Anniversary Conference, York University, July 22-24, 2005

2005. Panel Organizer (with Gerda Wekerle) Sprawl Stories, Canadian Association of Geographers Conference, London ON: June 4, 2005

2004. Panel Organizer, More or Less Public, Plus ou Moins Publique, Mas or Menos Publico,

- 4th International Conference of Critical Geography. Mexico City, January 8-13, 2005

2004. ACFAS and Villes Régions Monde, Session 446 Réalités et transformation des milieux urban et régional. Chair, disussant and jury: L’habitat en évolution: de la ville à la banlieue. ACFAS, Université du Québec à à Montréal, May 10-14

- INURA Research Workshop, Toronto, March 19-21

2003-04. Co-organizers of two sessions on Political Ecologies in the Exurban Regions (with Gerda R. Wekerle and L. Anders Sandberg), Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Philadelphia, April 14-19, 2004.

2003. Moderator, Conservation of Rural Character in Community Design, GTA Forum, Toronto, April 9.

2003. Discussant of Session Pits and Politics: Case Studies from the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada, Annual Meeting of Association of American Geographers, New Orleans, March 4-8.

2002. Moderator, Water and Power Salon, organized by Capitalism, Nature, Socialism; Studies in Political Economy, and Topia, Toronto, June 10.

2002. Chair, Planning Responses in an Environment of Global Conflict, Planning Transformations FES Speakers Series, February 6

2001. Moderator, Session Of Leaves, Air and Bricks: Design and Architecture, Canadian Association of Planning Students Conference, Toronto, February 15.

1998. Chair of Session, Urban Planning Issues, 14th World Congress of Sociology: Social Knowledge: Heritage, Challenges, Perspectives, Montreal. July 26-August 1.

Addresses, Panels, and Talks

2017. Entangled and Precarized Peripheries in Mexico City. Towards Suburbia Seminars. City Institute, York University. November 29

2015. Panelist –Academic Job Interview. CITY Career Development Workshop, organized by Roza Tchoukaleyska, CITY Institute, York University, Toronto (November 13).

2015. Panelist - Homage to Gerda Wekerle: Beyond Dedication: Inspiration and Passion. Unearthing the Other Stories: Political Spaces and Everdya Life at the Intersections of Cities, Gender and Nature. Organized by CITY Institute, York University, Toronto (November 6).

2014. Interdisciplinarity in Environmental Research and Education. Coloquio del Medio Ambiente ?Por qué estudiar el medio ambiente? Department of Social Sciences. Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana Cuajimalpa, Mexico City, March 11-12. (Invited)

2014. Commentary on book proposal Transformaciones recientes en la politica y la economia de Canada: una vision multidisciplinaria, edited by Edit Antal. CISAN- Centro de Investigaciones sobre America del Norte, UNAM- Univerisdad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City. January 22. (Invited)

2013. The Political Ecology of Canadian Suburbia. Department of Social Sciences. Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana Cuajimalpa, Mexico City, October 24. (Invited)

2013. Oil: From the Tar Sands to Lac-Megantic. Special Presentation with A. Zalik, M. Winfield and D. N. Scott. Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University. October 17.

2013. Book Launch: The Oak Ridges Moraine Battles: Development, Sprawl and Nature Conservation in the Toronto Region (with L. A. Sandberg and G. R. Wekerle) as part of the Empire, City and Nature conference organized by the International Graduate Research Program The World in the City: Metropolitanism and Globalization from the 19th Century to the Present. CITY Institute, York University. Toronto. May 30.

2013. FES Workshop: Borders Crossed: Migration, Temporary Workers and Undocumented Migrants. January 22.

2012. Immigration Control Beyond the Border. The Critical Border Studies Speaker Series, York Centre for International and Security Studies, York University, Toronto, November 21.

2010. Dean’s Remarks (stepping in for Dean B. Rahder), York Convocation, York University, June 14.

2008. Michael Hough: The Nature and Significance of the (Extra)ordinary on Planning and Design. FES Research Tuesdays Lecture Series, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, October 7.

2008. Social Sustainability, Diversity and Public Spaces (with B. Rahder, S. McGrath, R. Basu, P. Wood). Town of Markham, Markham, June 19.

2007. Unwanted and Unwelcome: Municipal Governments Stepping Into Immigration and Multiculturalism Politics. Department of Geography, Queen’s University. November 23.

2007. The culture and politics of street food vending (Panel with Mariana Valderde, Centre of Criminology, University of Toronto, and Sean Basinski, Street Vendor Project, Urban Justice Center, New York City), organized by Multistory Complex. Harbourfront Center, Toronto, August 11.

2006. Urban Growth and Environmental Conservation in the Metropolitan Region of Toronto. Associación Mexicana de Estudios sobre Canadá Public Lecture. Mexico City: February 16. (Invited).

2005. Covering Multiculturalism with Leela Viswanathan. PhD Lunch Series. November 15.

- Growing Environmentalism and Naturalized Growth with Gerda Wekerle and Anders Sandberg. PhD Lunch Series. October 18.

2004. Unlikely Allies: Environmentalism and Citizen Resistance on the Oak Ridges Moraine with Gerda R. Wekerle and L. Anders Sandberg. Lecture Series: The City Seminar. December 3.

2003. (De)naturalized Places, (Re)naturalized Identities: Struggles for Justice and Diversity in Transurbanism. From Four Corners: Interdisciplinary Directions in 21st Century Environmental Studies, Seminar Series organized by FES, Toronto, January 30.

2001. The Right to the City Revisited. Salon Nature, Society and Henri Lefebvre, organized by Editorial Collective of Capitalism Nature and Socialism. Toronto, May 19, 2001.

1999. Conceptualizing Los Angeles. The Getty Research Institute Dissertation Workshop. Los Angeles, May 21-22.

Talks, Presentations, and Studio Critiques in Colleagues’ Courses

2017. MES Program and Plan of Study. ENVS 5100 Interdisciplinary Research in Environmental Studies (T. Warkentin). Septemeber 12 and 19.

2016. Political Ecology. ENVS 5100 Interdisciplinary Research in Environmental Studies (T. Warkentin). November 1.

2013. Intensive Program in Immigration Law (S. Bagley), Osgoode Law School, York University, January 10.

2012. Studio Critique in PLA 1652 Introductory Studio in Urban Design (K. Goonewardena), Programme in Planning, Department of Geography, University of Toronto, December 4.

2009. Reclaiming Landscapes: Reclaiming Ecological and Social Justice. Lecture in ENVS 2200 Foundations in Urban and Regional Environments (S. Kipfer) January 23.

2008. Studio Critique in PLA 1502 Neighborhood and Community Planning (K. Goonewardena), Programme in Planning, Department of Geography, University of Toronto, December 2.

- Designing and Reclaiming Landscapes: Reclaiming Ecology and Sustainability. Lecture in ENVS 2200 Foundations in Urban and Regional Environments (S. Kipfer) January 11.

2006. Thesis Examination Committee for “Sao Paulo: An Ecological View of a Theatre for Modernity” by Fausto Sanzaneze Conçalves Gomes. M. Architecture, School of Architecture, University of Waterloo. With Val Rynnimeri, Brent Hall and Robert Jan van Pelt. April 21.

2006. About Cultures, Multicultures and Citizenships. Lecture in ERST/IDST/POST 360 Environment and Development (C. Phillips). March 30.

2005. Growing Nature/Naturalising Growth with Gerda Wekerle and Anders Sandberg. Lecture in ENVS 5121 Introduction to Planning (G. Wekerle). November 11.

- Publishing and Reviewing. ENVS 8102 PhD Seminar (R. Rogers), FES, February 28.

More than Just Ecological Reclamation. Lecture in ENVS2200 Foundations in Urban and Regional Environments (R. Keil). FES, January 28.

Ecological Restoration: Two Regional Cases. ERST 360 Development and Environment (C. Phillips) Trent University, Peterborough, March 15.

2004. Ecological and Regional Reclamation. AEC 1041 Architecture and its Technological-Ecological Context (D. Lieberman) Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, University of Toronto, November 19.

Urban Research. ENVS 5121 Introduction to Planning (P. Mulvihill), FES, November 3.

Studio Critique for final design projects, first year Masters in Landscape Architecture (P. Bélanger) Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, University of Toronto, April 14.

Lecture on Environmental Design in ENVS 2200 Foundations in Urban and Regional Environments (R. Keil), FES, February 26.

Studio Critique in PLA 1502 Neighborhood and Community Planning (K. Goonewardena), Programme in Planning, Department of Geography, University of Toronto, November 18

Lecture on Sustainable Planning and Design in ENVS 4225 Urban Sustainability (C. Phillips) FES, October 8

Studio Critique in Urban Design Studio (Paul Hess and Kevin Weiss), School of Architecture, Landscape and Design, University of Toronto, April 22.

Studio Critique in MLA1 Visual Communication (Pierre Bélanger), School of Architecture, Landscape and Design, University of Toronto, April 17.

Lecture on Environmental Design in ENVS 3220 Urban Sustainability (Susannah Bunce), FES, February 14.

2002. Studio Critique in PLA 1502 Neighborhood and Community Planning (Kanishka Goonewardena) Programme in Planning, Department of Geography, University of Toronto, December 12

Lecture on Environmental Design in ENVS 3220 Urban Sustainability (Roger Keil), FES, February 7.

2001. Studio Critique in UPE 745 Ecological Design (N.-M. Lister), School of Urban and Regional Planning, Ryerson University, Toronto, November 26.

Studio Critique in PLA 1502 Neighborhood and Community Planning (K. Goonewardena), Programme in Planning, Department of Geography, University of Toronto, November 6.

Presentation “Design by and for Diversity” in GTA in a Global World, FES Highschool Day Conference, FES, October 24.

Lecture on Environmental Design in ENVS 3220 Urban Sustainability (R. Keil), FES, April 26

Lecture on Immigration and Citizenship in the Context of Globalization in Planning Theory (U. Lehrer), Department of Planning, SUNY-Buffalo, Buffalo, April 3.

Lecture on Environmental Landscape Design in ENVS 2200 Human Settlements (A. L. Harris), FES, February 1.

2000. Studio Critique in PLA 1502 Neighborhood and Community Planning (K. Goonewardena), Programme in Planning, Department of Geography, University of Toronto, November 16 and 28.

Workshop Critique, ENVS 6330 Bioregional Planning Workshop (G. Wekerle and P. Di Mascio) interim and final presentation, FES, April 2 and May 7.

1999. Graphics Workshop, Department of Urban Planning (with Peter Aeschebacher), UCLA.

1998. Graphics Workshop, Department of Urban Planning, UCLA.