Shiri Pasternak

Dr. Shiri Pasternak is an Associate Professor in Criminology at Toronto Metropolitan University and Research Director of the Yellowhead Institute, an Indigenous-led think tank. She holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Toronto and has held academic positions at Trent University and postdoctoral fellowships at Osgoode Law and Columbia University. Her research focuses on Indigenous jurisdiction, settler colonialism, resource economies, and Crown-First Nations relations, with a particular emphasis on legal and historical geography.

Her award-winning book *Grounded Authority: The Algonquins of Barriere Lake Against the State* critiques Canadian land claims policies and explores Indigenous resistance. Pasternak’s work bridges academia and activism, influencing policy analysis on Indigenous rights, resource extraction, and police abolition. She co-edited *Disarm, Defund, Dismantle: Police Abolition in Canada* and contributes to national publications like the *Globe and Mail* and *National Observer*.

Her research highlights colonial fiscal policies, infrastructure, and the criminalization of Indigenous land defenders. Key themes include the intersection of capitalism and colonialism, Indigenous sovereignty over infrastructure, and the legal mechanisms perpetuating settler dominance. Pasternak’s interdisciplinary approach addresses systemic injustices in Canada’s colonial framework.

• Education: PhD (Geography, University of Toronto), MA (Cultural Social Political Thought, University of Victoria), BA (Concordia University).
• Policy Contributions: Yellowhead Institute reports on UNDRIP, Indigenous fiscal policy, and resource conflicts (e.g., Trans Mountain Pipeline).
• Awards: Clay Morgan Award, Charles Taylor Book Award nomination, and multiple accolades for her scholarship.
• Activism: Co-founder of Barriere Lake Solidarity, Toronto Abolition Convergence, and ally in Defenders of the Land network.