Steve Penfold

Steve Penfold is a Professor in the Department of History at the University of Toronto, specializing in the social, cultural, and political history of twentieth-century Canada. His research intersects themes of mass consumption, technology, and urban infrastructure.

• PhD in History from York University

Prior works include studies of fast food, automobile landscapes, and Santa Claus parades. Current projects focus on energy history (e.g., Duff Pattullo's 1930s oil disputes) and urban infrastructure (e.g., the unbuilt Scarborough Expressway). Publications emphasize material culture, consumer society, and labor movements.

His written output combines public history narratives with critical analysis of industrialization and urban development. Research methodologies blend archival analysis with interdisciplinary approaches from geography and sociology.