Leslie Nichols
Biography
Leslie Nichols is an assistant professor in the Equity, Diversity, and Human Rights program in the Sociology program unit in the School of Social Sciences. She holds a PhD in Policy Studies, an MA in Work and Society (now Labour Studies), and a joint BA in Women and Gender Studies and Historical Studies. Dr. Nichols’ early life was spent in a variety of places across Canada, including Northern Alberta, Northern Quebec, and Southern Ontario, and she has close family ties to Nova Scotia. As a structural intersectionalist, she applies theories of neoliberalism, feminism, and intersectionality to work dedicated to the improvement of the working and living conditions of some of Canada's most equity-deserving communities.
Education
Ph.D. Policy Studies, Toronto Metropolitan University
M.A. Work and Society (now Labour Studies), McMaster University
B.A. Women and Gender Studies & History, University of Toronto Mississauga
Research
Leslie Nichols explores the experience of work and social well-being of some of Canada’s most equity-deserving groups, including immigrants, youth, and those defined by gender. Her studies have explored the experience of un/employment, precarious employment, self-employment, and unpaid labour. Her most recent project examines the short- and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on young workers.
Awards
2024
Francophone and Bilingual Student Valuation of Postsecondary Education in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Office of Francophone Affairs, Laurentian University ($14,340)
Student Valuation of Postsecondary Education in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic, New Research Initiative Fund - SSHRC Explore Grants, Laurentian University ($5,000)
2022
Historical Studies Research Award, University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Historical Studies ($2,000)
Working through the Unknowns: Media Analysis of Canadian Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Wilfrid Laurier University 28.8 Professional Development Fund ($2,000)
2021
Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women Small Business Owners in Simcoe County, Ontario, Wilfrid Laurier University 28.8 Professional Development Fund ($2,000)
2020
Gendered Division of Household Labour During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Wilfrid Laurier University 28.8 Professional Development Fund ($2,000)
2019
Older Women under Neoliberal Capitalism, Wilfrid Laurier University 28.8 Professional Development Fund ($2,000)
2018
Part 4––Women and Work in Canada, Contract Academic Staff (CAS) Research Fund # 28.8, Wilfrid Laurier University ($1,500)
Self-Employed Special Benefits, Contract Academic Staff (CAS) Research Fund # 28.8, Wilfrid Laurier University ($1,500)
2017
App Development Design Award, Cossette Health (co-awardee, Rupa Banerjee, Ryerson University) $50,000
App Scalability Award, Interact (co-awardee, Rupa Banerjee, Ryerson University) $1,000
Co-investigator, Destress and Take Control: An E-Mental Health Application to Support Precarious and Unemployed Immigrant Workers in the Greater Toronto Region (PI, Rupa Banerjee, Ryerson University) CIHRCatalyst Grant: Work Stress and Wellbeing Hackathon, $63,400
2014 - 2016
Eight grants for studies in Canadian unemployment, immigrant unemployment, women and work, and women’s time use (from $9990 to $1500)
Teaching
Courses I have or I am teaching at Laurentian University
SOCI 2026EL The World of Work
SOCI 2656EL Social Inequality: Gender, Race, Class, and Power
SOCI 2106EL Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: The Canadian Context
SOCI 2107EL Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: The International Context
SOCI 2363EL Desire, Work, and Love I: The Making of Social Gender
SOCI/ POLI 4226EL Immigration: Politics and Society
SOCI 2016EL Thinking Sociologically
Publications
Edited Book
Nichols, L. (Ed.). (2019). Working Women in Canada: An Intersectional Approach. Toronto: Canadian Scholars/Women’s Press.
Edited Journal Volume
Nichols, L. (Ed.). (2018). Women and Precarious Work: Health Implications. Women’s Health and Urban Life 14(1).
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Nichols, L. (2023). Working through the Unknowns: Canadian Youth’s Experience of Employment During COVID-19 Pandemic. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth 15(3): 113 – 129.
Nichols, L. (2023). Adjuncting for Life: The Gendered Experience of Adjunct Postsecondary Instructors in Ontario. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy 202: 56-73.
Nichols, L., Ha, B. & V. Tyyskä. (2020). Canadian Immigrant Youth and the Education-Employment Nexus. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth 12(1): 178 – 199.
Nichols, L. (2018). Newcomer Women’s Experiences of Immigration and Precarious Work in Toronto. Women’s Health and Urban Life 14(1): 7–30.
Nichols, L. (2018). Women and Precarious Work: Health Implications. Women’s Health and Urban Life 14(1): iii–vi.
Nichols, L. (2018). Combining Diaries and Interviews in Time Use Studies. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy 38(9/10): 766–779.
Nichols, L. J., Etemadi, T. & V. Tyyskä (2018). Time Poverty of Pakistani Immigrant Women in Toronto. South Asian Diaspora 10(1): 31–44.
Nichols, L. (2016). Motherhood and Unemployment: Intersectional Experiences from Toronto and Halifax. Canadian Review of Social Policy 76: 1–24.
Nichols, L. (2016). Lived Experiences of Unemployed Women in Toronto and Halifax, Canada, who Were Previously Precariously Employed. Alternate Routes 27: 162–186.
Nichols, L. (2013). Analyzing Policy Frames for Unemployed Workers’ Supports within Canada. AG: International Journal of Gender Studies 2(3): 219–245.
Nichols, L. (2012). Orloff versus Misra et al.: Assessing Feminist Approaches to Gender, the State, and the Transition to Employment Insurance in Canada. MP: An Online Feminist Journal 3(6): 172–207.
Nichols, L. (2012). Labour Market Policy in Canada and Denmark: “Flexicurity” and the Possibilities for Progressive Labour Market Reform. Socialist Studies: The Journal for Society of Socialist Studies 8(2): 163–188.
Nichols, L. (2012). Alliance Building to Create Change: The Women’s Movement and the 1982 CUPW Strike. Just Labour: A Canadian Journal of Work and Society 19: 59–72.
Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters
Nichols, L. (2019). Young Women: Navigating the Education-Employment Divide. In Working Women in Canada: An Intersectional Approach, edited by Leslie Nichols. Toronto:
Canadian Scholars/ Women’s Press.
Nichols, L. (2019). Unemployed and Underemployed Women in Canada. In Working Women in Canada: An Intersectional Approach, edited by Leslie Nichols. Toronto: Canadian
Scholars/Women’s Press.
Nichols, L., Tyyskä, V., & P. Aggarwal (2019). Immigrant Women’s Work: Paid and Unpaid Labour in the Neoliberal Economy. In Working Women in Canada: An Intersectional Approach, edited by L. Nichols. Toronto: Canadian Scholars/Women’s Press.
Nichols, L. (2019). Women, Work, and Intersectionality: An Introduction. In Working Women in Canada: An Intersectional Approach, edited by L. Nichols. Toronto:
Canadian Scholars/Women’s Press.
Nichols, L. & V. Tyyskä (2015). Immigrant Women in Canada and the United States In Immigrant Experiences in North America: Understanding Settlement and Integration, edited
by Harald Bauder and John Shields. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press.
Report
Turcotte, J. F., Nichols, L. & L. Philipps. (2016). Maximizing Opportunity, Mitigating Risk: Aligning Law, Policy and Practice to Strengthen Work-Integrated Learning in
Ontario. Toronto: Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario.