Alan Walks

Alan Walks is a Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Toronto, specializing in urban political geography, social polarization, and financialization. His research explores the intersections of housing policy, transportation, and socio-spatial inequalities in Canadian cities.

• University of Toronto
• Department of Geography
• Program in Planning
• School of Cities

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Toronto (2004) in Geography/Planning
• M.A., University of Waterloo (1998) in Planning
• B.A., Dalhousie University (1993) in International Development

Research Interests: Dr. Walks investigates how financialization, particularly household debt and mortgage markets, exacerbates urban inequality. His work also examines automobility’s role in shaping social norms and policy constraints, alongside neighborhood divergence driven by gentrification, gated communities, and electoral dynamics.

Recent Publications: His research highlights rising household indebtedness, housing market volatility, and policy implications for equity. Notable trends include automobility’s impact on urban citizenship, financialization’s spatial inequalities, and the suburbanization of poverty.

Grants: Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) for projects on automobility and neighborhood divergence, with ongoing analysis of financial reforms and socio-spatial equity.

Advising: Actively recruits graduate students researching Canada’s housing finance geography, including foreclosures, social housing, and transportation policy.