Mariana Valverde

Mariana Valverde is a Professor at the Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies at the University of Toronto. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada since 2006, she has held cross-appointments to the Faculty of Law and the Department of Geography and Planning. Her scholarly work bridges urban law, governance, and critical legal theory, with a focus on Foucault, sexuality studies, and actor-network theory.

Her research explores how private legal tools like contracts and public-private partnerships reshape municipal governance, as seen in her SSHRC-funded project "Planning by Contract?" (2013-2016). She has contributed extensively to sociolegal scholarship, examining topics such as the legal regulation of sexuality, postcolonial sovereignty, and the intersection of urban norms with local law.

Valverde’s recent articles emphasize scales of citizenship, feminist legal theory, and the epistemology of urban governance. Her work is characterized by interdisciplinary frameworks, drawing on spatiotemporality and critical theory to analyze legal practices in historical and contemporary contexts.

• Major Awards:
  • 2016 Harry J. Kalven Jr. Award (Law and Society Association)
  • 2000 and 2013 Herbert Jacobs Book Prizes (Law and Society Association)
  • 2006 Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada

Her collaborations include projects with urban political scientist Aaron Moore and planning scholar Sue Bunce, focusing on non-traditional governance networks. Valverde’s career spans institutions like York University and Trent University, where she previously held academic roles.