Yasmeen Abu-Laban

Yasmeen Abu-Laban is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on ethnic and gender politics, immigration policies, surveillance, and multiculturalism, with a particular emphasis on citizenship, human rights, and xenophobic populism. She is a Fellow in CIFAR's Boundaries, Membership & Belonging program and holds the Canada Research Chair in the Politics of Citizenship and Human Rights.

• PhD (Political Science), Carleton University
• MA (Political Science), Carleton University
• BA Honours (Political Science), University of Alberta

Her research explores how citizenship and human rights are contested through multiculturalism, immigration policies, and surveillance practices. Recent work analyzes xenophobic populism and democratic backlashes against minorities.

She has published extensively on multiculturalism, immigration policy, and surveillance, with keywords spanning Political Science, Human Rights, and Policy Analysis, often addressing Canadian political systems, transnational racialization, and democratic values.

• Canada Research Chair in the Politics of Citizenship and Human Rights (2018-)
• Killam Annual Professorship (2013-2014)
• McCalla Research Professorship (2006-2007)
• APSA Best Paper Award (2000)

Abu-Laban collaborates with policy-makers and community groups while maintaining academic engagement, reflecting her interdisciplinary and policy-oriented approach. She is affiliated with the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR).