Dr. Deborah Cowen

Professor

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Biography

Deborah Cowen is a Professor in the Department of Geography & Planning at the University of Toronto, focusing on the intersection of infrastructure, race, space, and urban life. Her work critically examines the socio-technical systems that underpin everyday life, exploring how these systems are co-produced through social ordering and intimate experiences. Cowen is dedicated to engaging with diverse voices, collaborating with award-winning artists, filmmakers, Indigenous knowledge keepers, community organizers, and labor movements, while mentoring emerging scholars. Her ongoing research project, Spineless: Infrastructure Apocalypse, investigates the foundational role of infrastructure in the context of colonization in North America, aiming to reveal alternative visions and pathways toward survival and justice. Cowen's publications include significant contributions to the fields of policy and planning, social and political geography, and urban studies, reflecting her extensive engagement with critical themes of imperialism and urban dynamics.

Research Interests

Requirements for University of Toronto

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6.5
Reading
Required:6.5
Writing
Required:6.5
Speaking
Required:6.5
Overall
Required:7
TOEFL
Listening
Required:22
Reading
Required:22
Writing
Required:22
Speaking
Required:22
Total
Required:93
Prerequisites
Appropriate four-year bachelor's degree Background in sociological theory and statistics preferred
Application Checklist
  • Transcripts
  • Two letters of reference
  • Statement of intent
  • Writing sample
  • Curriculum Vitae
Specialization Notes

Department of Sociology