Leslie Nichols
Biography
Leslie Nichols is an assistant professor in the Equity, Diversity, and Human Rights program 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
Academic Appointments
2023–Present Faculty Associate, Social Innovation Research Group, Wilfrid Laurier University
2020–Present Faculty Associate, Manulife Centre for Community Health Research, Wilfrid Laurier University
2020–2021 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Waterloo
2019–2020 Faculty Researcher, Georgian College
2015–2016 Visiting Researcher, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
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
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
2023/2024
Fall
SOCI 2016EL Thinking Sociologically
Winter
SOCI 2656EL Social Inequality: Gender, Race, Class, and Power
SOCI/ POLI 4226EL Immigration: Politics and Society
SOCI 2016EL Thinking Sociologically
Spring
SOCI 2026EL The World of Work
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. (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. and 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. & Tyyskä, V. (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., & Aggarwal, P. (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. & Tyyskä, V. (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.