William Walters

William Walters is a Professor of political sociology at Carleton University, cross-appointed in Political Science and Sociology & Anthropology, and holds the FPA Research Excellence Chair (2019-22). He earned his BSc from Imperial College London, MA from City University of New York, and PhD from York University. His research focuses on political sociology, migration governance, secrecy, and Foucault studies, with recent projects exploring 'air deportation' and the role of civil aviation in forced removals. He co-edits A Handbook on Governmentality and is writing Secrecy: A Critical Introduction.

Education: BSc (Imperial College London), MA (City University of New York), PhD (York University).

Research Interests: Walters examines how states use secrecy to govern migration, borders, and security. His work critiques the invisibility of deportation practices and analyzes migration routes as sites of power. He employs interdisciplinary methods, including Foucault's governmentality framework and cultural studies, to explore topics like drone strikes, atomic weapons secrecy, and humanitarian border policies.

Current Projects: SSHRC-funded study on air deportation (2017-22), co-editing Handbook on Governmentality, and a book on secrecy's role in modern governance. Recent publications include State Secrecy and Security (2021) and Viapolitics: Borders, Migration and the Power of Locomotion (2021).

Scientific Awards: FPA Research Excellence Chair (2019-22), highlighting his contributions to migration and security scholarship.

Advising & Grants: Supervised numerous graduate students across disciplines, many securing academic positions globally. Active in SSHRC-funded research. Collaborates with scholars like Martina Tazzioli on border governance and migration studies.

Labs/Teams: Engaged with Carleton's interdisciplinary migration research networks, contributing to global debates on deportation, secrecy, and governmentality.