School of Urban and Regional Planning
School of Urban and Regional Planning
Since 1970, our rigorous and well-focused two-year Master of Planning (M.PL.) program allows our students to develop the knowledge and skills they require to become leaders in the planning field and to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving urban environment.
- FACULTY-STAFF
Full-Time Faculty: Leela Viswanathan
Contact Information
Leela Viswanathan, B.A. (McGill), M.E.S. Planning, Ph.D. (York), MCIP, RPP
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Biography
I have over ten years of experience as a social planner working with different levels of government and diverse groups and communities in Toronto, including, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, literacy learners and instructors, artists, ethno-specific organizations, racialized youth, and new immigrants. I joined SURP in July 2009. I am cross-appointed with the Department of Geography.
Research Interests
My research emerges at the intersection of social planning, equity and diversity, and sustainable development. My current research focuses on planning pedagogy, colonial and post-colonial cultures of planning, immigration and sustainability. My empirical studies are conducted at both local and regional levels, while my explorations of theory are more wide reaching.
Education
2007 Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Studies
York University, Toronto1994 Master in Environmental Studies (Planning)
York University, Toronto1991 Bachelor of Arts (Sociology)
McGill University, Montreal
Honours
Steve Cutway Accessibility Award, Queen’s University, 2011
Julian Sziecz Award for Excellence in Teaching, Department of Geography, Queen’s University, 2008-2009
Courses Taught
SURP 812 Qualitative Research Methods
SURP 817 An Intellectual History of Urban and Regional Planning
SURP 823 Housing and Human Services Project Course
SURP 871 Social Planning
SURP 888 Healthy CommunitiesFor undergraduate courses taught in Geography, visit http://geog.queensu.ca/faculty/viswanathan.asp.
Publications
Articles in Peer Reviewed Publications
Viswanathan, Leela. (2011). Entry on “Cultural Diversity” for Encyclopedia of Quality of Life Research (A. C. Michalos, Ed). Springer Publishing.
Peer reviewed Journal Articles and Book Chapters
Viswanathan, Leela (2010) “Integrated, Equitable, and Transformative: A Hopeful Future for Planning.” Plan Canada, 5, 3, 33-35.
Viswanathan, Leela. (2010) “Contesting Racialization in a Neoliberal City: Cross-cultural collective identity as a strategy among alternative planning organizations in Toronto.” GeoJournal. 75, 3: 261-272. Online September 19, 2009. DOI 10.1007/s10708-009-9305-6
Viswanathan, Leela. (2009) “‘Postcolonial Planning’ and Ethno-Racial Diversity in Toronto: Locating equity in a contemporary planning context.” Canadian Journal of Urban Research. 18, 1, Supplement: 82-102.
Gilbert, Liette, and Leela Viswanathan. (2007) “Covering Multiculturalism: Popular images and the politics of a nation as reflected on the covers of Maclean’s and L’Actualité.” Canadian Ethnic Studies/Études Ethniques au Canada, 39, 3: 189-205
Viswanathan, Leela. (2007) “On Tim Hortons and Transnationalism: Negotiating Canadian-ness and the role of activist/researcher.” In Luin Goldring and Sailaja Krishnamurthi (Eds). ‘Organizing’ the Transnational: Labour, Politics, and Social Change, 83-93. Vancouver: UBC Press.
Viswanathan, Leela. (2005) “Beyond Transnationality: Building community and possibilities for urban hybridities.” Women and Environments International, 68/69, Fall/Winter: 13-15.
Reviews
Viswanathan, Leela. (2008). Review of Photo Exhibit: “Emotional Spaces and Paradoxical Places.” Emotion, Space and Society, 1, 1: 72-73.
Viswanathan, Leela. (2008) Review of Dory Reeves. “Planning for Diversity” (London: Taylor and Francis, 2006). Planning Theory and Practice, 9, 4: 570-571.
Viswanathan, Leela. (2006) Review of Wisdom J. Tettey and Korbla P. Puplampu. “The African Diaspora in Canada: Negotiating identity and belonging” (Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 2005). Canadian Ethnic Studies Journal, 38, 1: 174.
Policy Research Reports (selected)
Viswanathan, Leela. (2000). Training for Toronto’s ‘New’ Economy. Toronto: Toronto Training Board.
Viswanathan, Leela. (1999). The Blueprint for Change—Final Report. A Literacy Service Plan for Toronto. Toronto: Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy.
Viswanathan, Leela. (1999). Special Report: The Status of Native Child Care in Toronto. In Julie Mathien and Leela Viswanathan. Taking Stock: The status of child care and children’s services in Toronto. Toronto: City of Toronto and Community Social Planning Council of Toronto.
Conference Papers, Seminars, Other Presentations
Viswanathan, Leela; Graham Whitelaw and John Meligrana. 2011. “Evaluating the Role of the Project Course in Professional Planning Education and its Influence on Planning Policy and Practice.” Canadian Association of Geographers and Association of Canadian University Planning Programs (CAG/ACUPP) joint conference. Calgary, AB, May 31 to June 3, 2011.
“Planning in Whose Interest? The Alternative Planning Group and the transformation of social planning in Toronto, Canada.” Paper presented by invitation of Queen Mary, University of London and International Seminar of the London Women and Planning Forum (LWPF), London, UK: June 21, 2006.
Scholarly Conference Papers (selected)
“Examining the relationship among immigrant integration, community planning, and sustainability in a small Canadian city.” Association of American Geographers (AAG) Annual Conference, Washington, DC, April 14-19, 2010.
“Governmentalities of Accommodation and Tolerance in Montreal” (with Liette Gilbert and Parastou Saberi). 40th annual Urban Affairs Association Conference. Honolulu, Hawaii, March 10-13, 2010.
"Fostering sustainable immigrant settlement and integration in smaller Canadian cities." Association of American Geographers (AAG) Annual Conference. Las Vegas, NV, March 22-27, 2009.
“Theorizing cross-cultural collective formation and action in neoliberal Toronto from 1998 to 2005.” Association of American Geographers (AAG) Annual Conference. Boston, MA., April 14-19, 2008.
“Planning with racialized communities in Toronto, Canada: The case of the Alternative Planning Group.” Planners’ Network Conference. New Orleans: May 30- June 2, 2007.
“Contesting Racialization: The Alternative Planning Group, cross-cultural collective identity, and the transformation of Toronto.” Association of American Geographers (AAG) Annual Conference. San Francisco: April 17-21, 2007.
Work Accepted
Viswanathan, Leela; Whitelaw, Graham; and Meligrana, John (IN PRESS). Evaluating the role of the project course in professional planning education and its influence on policy and practice. Planning Practice and Research. 19pp.
Grants
SSHRC - Partnerships in Rural Economic Development - June 2011 to May 2014.
SSHRC - Decolonizing Planning Knowledge and Practices in the Mushkegowuk Territories - June 2011 to May 2013.
SARC - Planning for the Memorialization of First Nations Residential Schools - April 2011 to March 2012.
SARC - Geographies of Volunteering - April 2010 to March 2011.
Employment History
Not available at this time
Consulting Projects
Not available at this time
Web Links
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