Ahmed Allahwala

Dr. Ahmed Allahwala is an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in the City Studies program at the Department of Human Geography, University of Toronto Scarborough. His research focuses on urban social policy, social infrastructure, and community-engaged methods in North America and Western Europe. He holds a PhD from York University, an MEd from the University of Toronto, and a Magister Artium from Freie Universität Berlin.

Research interests include urban social policy, participatory methods, and the role of green/blue spaces as contested social infrastructure. He emphasizes linking academic work with public scholarship and social action, collaborating with organizations like TAIBU Community Health Centre and the Toronto District School Board. He was a visiting fellow at TU Berlin (2023–2024) studying urban beaches as social infrastructure.

Teaching spans courses on welfare state restructuring, city politics, and community-based research. Awards include the 2020 UTSC Teaching Award and the 2002–2004 Government of Canada Award. He currently serves as a Senior Faculty Fellow at the Centre for Community Partnerships.