Fatimah Mufti, a student in the Law & Society program, was featured in a recent YFile article about how students can gain inspiration through novel co-op experiences. Despite Mufti’s strong interest in pursuing a career in law, she chose co-op placements outside the legal field to broaden her perspective and challenge herself professionally.

Mufti completed an eight-month paid role as a research analyst with the Ministry of Infrastructure in the Ontario government, where she conducted risk assessments, technical research and data visualization across a range of different projects. Her second placement was with ventureLAB, a technology non-profit based in Markham, where she gained experience in presenting, customer engagement and administration.

She shared that these hands-on experience have helped her mature and build the skills and confidence needed to succeed in a professional environment.

Read the full article in YFile.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) has announced the recipients of the November 2025 SSHRC Connection Grants. Ten 91��ɫ research projects received funding.

Congratulations to the researchers from the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) whose innovative projects were selected. These projects span a wide range of disciplines and demonstrate the depth and diversity of research expertise within our Faculty.

The one-year Connection Grant funding will support key knowledge-mobilization activities including events, workshops and outreach initiatives that help strengthen the impact and reach of this important work.

Projects involving LA&PS researchers are listed below.

Converging and Conflicting Buddhist Legal Frames: Secular Governances and Buddhist Transgressions, led by Alicia Turner (associate professor, Department of Humanities, LA&PS) with co-applicant Benjamin Berger (professor, Osgoode Hall Law School), received $24,619.

The Relational Turn: Looking Back, Thinking Ahead, led by Ruth Buchanan (professor, Osgoode Hall Law School) and co-led by Annie Bunting (professor, Department of Social Science, LA&PS) and the University of Toronto, received $20,096

Waste-work: race, caste, and labour in the new global politics of disposability, led by Shubhra Gururani (associate professor, Department of Anthropology, LA&PS), received $23,503.

Monstrous Intimacies at 15, led by Tiana Reid (assistant professor, Department of English, LA&PS), received $24,055.

Colère et Espoir autour de la Palestine : Perspectives d'artistes et de chercheur.es en sciences sociales, co-led by Nadia Hasan (assistant professor, School of Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies, LA&PS) with partners from Université Laval and Université du Québec à Montréal, received $24,997.

Respite, Care, and Ethics for Cultural Workers: A Traveling Symposium, led by OCAD University and co-led by Casey Mecija (associate professor, Department of Communication & Media Studies), received $49,996.

De l'économie politique postcapitaliste à l'utopie — Rencontre entre recherche en sciences sociales et pratiques artistiques, led by Saint Paul University and co-led by Audrey Laurin-Lamothe (associate professor, Department of Social Science, LA&PS) and partners from Lund University, Université Laval, and Université du Québec en Outaouais, received $23,646.

Lusophone Studies Association Meeting, “Voices and Visions: Lusophone Communities in the Global Landscape,” led by the University of British Columbia and co-led by Robert Kenedy (associate professor, Department of Sociology, LA&PS), received $24,375.

��ó: Tewatia'tarò:rok Taetewatia'takéhnha', led by the University of Toronto and co-led by Jeremy Green (assistant professor, Department of Humanities, LA&PS), received $50,000.

Read the full story in YFile.

Vanisha Sukdeo, professor in the Department of Social Science, has completed two new books highlighting research into the intersection of law and workers’ rights.

Weather and Work: How Climate Change Relates to Workers’ Rights examines how climate change is affecting Canadian workers, especially those who work outdoors and face extreme conditions. The book highlights the importance of government, business and trade union intervention to address this issue and protect workers.

Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence: From Legal Custom to Lawful Concern focuses on Canadian corporate law and how to improve corporate accountability towards workers in supply chains.  

Sukdeo also teaches as an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. Her research bridges corporate law and labour & employment law. Called to the Ontario Bar in 2007, she completed her Doctorate and LL.M. at Osgoode, earned her LL.B. from Queen’s University, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from 91��ɫ.

Learn more about and .

Learning is a lifelong journey.

— Nilufer Walimohamed

Nilufer Walimohamed

Lawyer and community advocate
BA ’17, Department of Social Science
JD ’21, Osgoode Hall Law School

LA&PS alumna, Nilufer Walimohamed was named one of 91��ɫ’s 2025 Top 30 Alumni Under 30, recognized among a distinguished group of young leaders making a meaningful impact around the world. In recognition of her achievement, we connected with Nilufer to better understand how her experience as a Law & Society graduate contributed to where she is today. 

How did your degree in  Law & Society help get you where you are today? 

My degree in Law & Society equipped me with the ability to question the world as we know it - to question the “rules” and norms of everyday life. Both in my professional and personal life, asking questions is a key life skill and I’m grateful to have built that foundation at 91��ɫ.  

What career did you dream of pursuing in undergrad, and where did your professional path take you after graduation?  

I have wanted to become a lawyer since I was 16 and in high school taking a law class. I came to 91��ɫ with the same aspiration and today, I am humbled to say that I achieved my goal and I am a licensed lawyer in Ontario.  

What skills or knowledge from the Law & Society program have been most beneficial in your career? 

Again, the ability to question things and articulate questions is key. My day-to-day job involves a lot of fact gathering and probing, so asking questions is like a lifeline in the practice of law. The key is to know when to ask open ended questions and when to hone on something specific.   

In what ways have the network and connections you made during your studies helped you in your career? 

Your classmates become your colleagues, and your professors become your mentors. It is not a one-stop interaction. I built friendships that I maintain still to this day that also practice law. The funniest “small world” moment that I can remember was in my first year of law school. Professor Jonathan Rudin, who I had taken two courses with during my undergraduate degree at 91��ɫ, ended up being my supervisor for one of the pro bono projects I volunteered with called FASD and the Justice System website refresh.  

What advice do you have for first-year  Law & Society students? 

The world is your oyster. Take the time to gain knowledge from books, from AI (with caution!) and from people. The key is that learning is a lifelong journey.  

Read more about LA&PS 2025 Top 30 Alumni Under 30. 

Ask questions and be curious.

— Nathan Yiu

Nathan Yiu

Disaster management expert and community leader
BA ’19, Department of Social Science
MDEM ’21, School of Administrative Studies

LA&PS alumnus, Nathan Yiu was named one of 91��ɫ’s 2025 Top 30 Alumni Under 30, recognized among a distinguished group of young leaders making a meaningful impact around the world. In recognition of his achievement, we connected with Nathan to better understand how his experience as a Law & Society and as a Disaster & Emergency Management graduate contributed to where he is today. 

How did your degree in  Law & Society and Disaster & Emergency Management help get you where you are today? 

Both degrees helped me get where I am today by providing me with the opportunities to learn through internships and by developing a strong foundation in theory that could be used in practice. My Law & Society degree allowed me to understand and analyze complex social issues which then helped my disaster management profession. One of my internships which was with the City of Brampton required a social studies/social science degree and since I had my Law & Society degree, I got an internship with the Community Safety and Well-Being Team, which was a part of Emergency Management at the time. My Disaster & Emergency Management background gave me the required knowledge to help me be proficient in the field which allowed me to stand out when getting hired with the City of Vaughan and gave me an edge when supporting numerous global projects in humanitarian actions with the World Organization of the Scout Movement. 

What career did you dream of pursuing in undergrad, and where did your professional path take you after graduation?  

During my undergraduate degree, I thought I would become a lawyer. I thought I would graduate and then go to Osgoode Hall for Law School and then continue with the Canadian Armed Forces as a judge advocate general officer. I found a unique area of study, which was disaster management, and I fell in love with the program. I then continued to pursue a Master's in Disaster & Emergency Management, and due to COVID-19, I was hired as an emergency assistant with the City of Vaughan and then as the emergency planning advisor. In September, I am excited to return to 91��ɫ to begin my PhD in Disaster & Emergency Management which is something I never thought I would be doing.  

What skills or knowledge from the Law & Society and Disaster & Emergency Management program have been most beneficial in your career? 

The skills and knowledge that I gained from the Law & Society and Disaster & Emergency Management program have been more than what I can ask for. The ability to understand complex social issues and identify the potential causes of the situation has given me the capability to think critically and extensively, which is useful in a field like emergency management. Furthermore, the foundation of theory that was provided has proven extremely useful in my role, and the knowledge that the professor has passed on has benefited me by equipping me with the knowledge of what to do and where to find answers. Not every disaster, incident or problem is solvable all at once but with the knowledge given, I am able to help solve part of the problem and then continue to work on the other part. 

In what ways have the network and connections you made during your studies helped you in your career? 

Without the connections and network I developed at 91��ɫ, I would not be in the role I am currently in. I have a position with the City of Vaughan that started from an internship that I learned about through a friend from 91��ɫ. From 2017 to present, I started as a volunteer, then transitioned to a contract role, and I am now a permanent staff member. Without my friend letting me know about this opportunity, I would have never been where I am today.  

What advice do you have for first-year  Law & Society and Disaster & Emergency Management students? 

Ask questions and be curious. The first year may seem daunting as you enter a new realm of study with a very different style of learning compared to high school, but remember to ask questions. It may inspire you and others, which then creates a place of curiosity. Without curiosity we will never move forward. Another piece of advice is to plan. Plan how you want to see your degree work for you and plan how you want your experience to be. A degree can just be a piece of paper or it can be an adventure where you have learned and grown, and the piece of paper is a way of remembering the adventure/journey.  

Read more about LA&PS 2025 Top 30 Alumni Under 30.

LASO/SLST Prof. co-edits new book Producing Islam(s) in Canada: On Knowledge, Positionality, and Politics 

The Department of Social Science is pleased to announce that Dr. Barras has co-edited a new book “Producing Islam(s) in Canada: On Knowledge, Positionality, and Politics” that provides critical analysis by leading researchers of Islam in Canada.  

Dr. Amelie Barras is an associate professor with the Law and Society (LASO) Program for undergraduates and with the graduate program in Socio-Legal Studies (SLST). 

Book announcement |