Julia Christensen

Julia Christensen is an Associate Professor in Geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Northern Governance and Public Policy. Her critical social geography research examines urbanization, homelessness, and colonial policy impacts across Arctic Canada, Alaska, and Greenland, emphasizing Indigenous perspectives and community-led solutions.

She holds a B.A. from UBC (2002), M.A. from University of Calgary (2005), Ph.D. from McGill (2012), and completed postdoctoral work at UBC. Research focuses on social welfare institutionalization, rural-urban relocation, and culturally safe housing policy in northern communities.

Current projects include studies on non-renewable resource development impacts in the Northwest Territories and health/social welfare in Nuuk, Greenland. Publications critically analyze colonial legacies in housing policy and advocate for Indigenous self-determination.

Collaborations involve community partners like Alternatives North and international researchers. Grants from SSHRC and Danish Research Council support this work.