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Urban and Inner City Studies

Faculty and Staff

UIC Faculty
Jim Silver
 Jim Silver, Professor and Chair - Urban and Inner-City Studies

Jim teaches Introduction to Urban & Inner-City Studies, Theories of Urban Poverty, and Inner City Seminar.

Phone: 204.988.7195

Expertise/Publications: Jim has published extensively on inner-city issues. Some of his recent books include: In Their Own Voices: Building Urban Aboriginal Communities (Fernwood 2006); Doing Community Economic Development (Fernwood 2007); and The Social Determinants of Health in Manitoba (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives 2010). His next book, A Good Place to Live: Public Housing in Four Canadian Cities will appear in 2011.  

Judith Harris
 Judith Harris, (Ph.D) Associate Professor - Urban and Inner-City Studies

Associate Professor: Introduction to Urban and Inner-City Studies - UIC 1001(3), Urban and Inner-City Studies Practicum - UIC 3001(6), Urban and Community Planning - UIC 3030(3), Issues in Urban and Inner-City Studies - UIC 3100(3)

Phone: 204.988.7197

Expertise/Publications: Ph.D in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Waterloo.

Judith's background is in planning and economics, with a particular interest in social learning and social mobilization approaches to planning. Judith notes: Integral education recognizes the wealth of informal knowledge that exists at the community level. By promoting a learning society, the university contributes to a more equitable, more inclusive world; societies in which gatekeepers and professionals erect barriers to participation by the majority of people will not be prepared to address the complex issues that are emerging in the 21st century.

Staff
Claudette Michell
 Claudette Michell, Program Coordinator - Urban and Inner-City Studies

Claudette offers students a personalized one-to-one approach to program advising, in addition to this, she does community outreach for the Urban and Inner-City Studies program.

Phone: 204.988.7196

Expertise/Publications: 4-Yr BA HON - University of Winnipeg

Contract Faculty
Inonge Aliaga Inonge Aliaga, Project and Policy Analyst - Urban Development Branch, Province of Manitoba

Instructor: Community Leadership: Human Resource Management - UIC 3035(3)

Phone: 204.988.7196 (message)

Expertise/Publications: MA in Landscape Architecture - University of Manitoba

Inonge has created and managed budgets for a non-profit organization with an annual budget of $650,000. Some of her skill strengths include: understanding diverse cultures, coalition building, and proposal writing. Former, Executive Director of an inner city organization, Inonge contributed to the creation for a five-year plan for a local inner city neighbourhood.
Rebecca Blaikie
 Rebecca Blaikie, Co-director – Community Education Development Association (CEDA)

Instructor: Introduction to Urban and Inner-City Studies - UIC 1001(3)

Phone: 204.582.5800 ext.13

Expertise/Publications: MA in Community Economic Development – Concordia University

Rebecca was formerly the Special Assistant to the Minister of Labour and Immigration and the Minister of Housing and Community Development. She has volunteer experience supporting education and literacy advocacy for newcomer children and their parents, was involved with the Peoples Commission on (In) Security, and has been engaged in the movement for social and economic justice in a variety of capacities. She has served on a variety of community boards both here in Winnipeg and in Montreal.

Rebecca was the Director of the Quebec NDP, and organized the development of the movement in that province over several years. She has worked as an organizer on many political and community campaigns, including the Obama campaign in Philadelphia where she was able to participate in the Obama Organizer Training, an experience which reinforced her belief in the power of narrative to strengthen movements and communities.
Neil Cohen
 Neil Cohen, Executive Director - Community Unemployed Help Centre

Instructor: Introduction to Community Advocacy – UIC 2210(3)

Phone: 204.940.5530 (direct line)

Expertise/Publications: B.A. (Political Studies), University of Manitoba; Certificate in Conflict Resolution specializing in organizational leadership.

Neil has extensive experience with various forms of advocacy including individual and public interest advocacy, test case litigation and representation before administrative tribunals. In addition to serving as Executive Director of Community Unemployed Help Centre, Neil is a part-time Commissioner with the Automobile Injury Compensation Appeal Commission, and public representative with the Law Society of Manitoba. Throughout the past few years, Neil has also been working to develop educational and training opportunities for community-based advocates, and to enhance delivery of poverty law services within Manitoba.
Bernice Cyr
 Bernice Cyr, Chief Executive Officer - Metis and Inuit Child and Family Services Authority

Instructor: Community Leadership: Management and Financial Administration - UIC 2030(3)

Phone: 204.988.7196 (message)

Expertise/Publications: Business and Administration - BBA Candidate- University of Winnipeg - 4 year program
Bernice brings over seventeen years experience in senior executive and financial management positions in non-profit, social services, and economic development organizations.

Jacqueline Hogue
 Jacqueline Hogue, Executive Director, West Central Women's Centre

Co-Instructor: Women and the Inner-City - UIC 3020(3)

Phone: 204.988.7196

Expertise/Publications: MA in Peace Studies, Bradford, UK

Jackie has spent the last 5 years as the Executive Director of an inner city women's resource centre.  For over 12 years she's been engaged in peace/justice building, community development and community organizing both locally and internationally.

Cyril Keeper Cyril Keeper, Instructor - Adult Education
Instructor: Politics in the Inner City - POL 2010(3)

Phone: 204.988.7196 (message)

Expertise/Publications: MA - Carleton University

Cyril has in the past served as a Member of Parliament and a City Councillor, and has devoted much of his time since to working in the area of Aboriginal affairs. He was the Director of the Native Family Life Counseling program and has conducted research with the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs.

Silver, J., Keeper, C. and MacKenzie, M. (2005) A Very Hostile System in Which to Live': Aboriginal Electoral Participation in Winnipeg's Inner City.Winnipeg. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Shauna Mackinnon
 Shauna MacKinnon, Director - Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - Manitoba

Instructor: Introduction to Urban and Inner-City Studies - UIC 1001(3), Women and the Inner City - UIC 3020(3)

Phone: 204.988.7196 (message)

Expertise/Publications: Ph.D Candidate, University of Manitoba

Shauna has published extensively on, and directs several major research projects on Winnipeg's inner city. She is an editor of The Social Determinants of Health in Manitoba (CCPA-Mb 2010).

Selected additional publications include:

MacKinnon, S. and Stephens, S. (2007).  Is participation having an impact?  Measuring progress in Winnipeg's inner city through the voices of community-based program participants. Winnipeg. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.   

MacKinnon, S. Silver, S. Stephens, S. (2007). Step by step: Stories of change in Winnipeg's inner city. State of the Inner-City Report 2007.  Winnipeg. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.  

Kathleen Mallett Kathleen Mallett, Co-Director - Canadian Education Development Association (CEDA)

Instructor: Urban and Inner-City Community Development/Community Economic Development - UIC 2001(3)

Phone: 204.988.7196 (message)

Expertise/Publications: BA - University of Winnipeg

Silver, J., Mallett, K., Aboriginal Education in Winnipeg Inner City High Schools, Winnipeg: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2002.

Mallett, K., Bent, K., Josephson, Dr. W., Aboriginal Ganootamaage Justice Services of Wnnipeg (AGJSW), ed Jocelyn Priouix and Sharon Perrault, No Place for Violence, Winnipeg: Co-published by Fernwood Publishing and RESOLVE, 2000.
 
Larry Morrissette Larry Morrissette,  Director - Ogijiita Pimatiswin Kinamatwin (OPK)

Instructor: Colonization and Aboriginal Peoples - UIC 2020(3), Issues in Urban and Inner-City Studies - UIC 3100(3)

Phone: 204.988.7196 (message)

Expertise/Publications: BA in Social Work - University of Manitoba

Comack, E., Deane, L., Morrissette, L., Silver, J., (2009) If You Want to Change Violence in the 'Hood, You Have to Change the 'Hood: Violence and Street Gangs in Winnipeg's Inner City. Winnipeg: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2009.
Tom Simms Tom Simms, Co-Director - Canadian Education Development Association, (CEDA)

Instructor: Introduction to Urban and Inner-City Studies - UIC 1001(3) Politics in the Inner City - POL 2010(3)

Phone: 204.988.7196 (message)

Expertise/Publications: Ph.D Candidate - Inter-Disciplinary Studies - University of Manitoba

Tom's work engages him in locality development, social planning and social action initiatives. Some of the key areas he has worked in include poverty, neighbourhood development, community economic development and inner-city revitalization.
Kate Sjoberg Kate Sjoberg, Special Assistant to the Minister of Housing and Community Development

Co-Instructor: Women and the Inner-City - UIC 3020(3)

Phone: 204.988.7196

Expertise/Publications:

Silver, Jim; McCracken, Molly; Sjoberg, Kate. Neighbourhood Renewal Corporations in Winnipeg's Inner City. Practical Activism in a Complex Environment. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Manitoba Office. June 2009.

3000 Acres of Phony Demand. Consideration on Waverley West. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Manitoba Office. October, 2005. 

Kate is currently Special Assistant to the Minister of Housing and Community Development, served as a Executive Director of Spence Neighbourhood Association, and she has also worked at the Daniel McIntyre St Matthews Community Association. She is a board member at the West Central Women's Resource Centre, and the John Howard Society.
Mussie Tesfagiorgis
 Mussie Tesfagiorgis, (Ph.D.) Researcher; Instructor

Instructor: Immigration and the Inner City - UIC 3050(3)

Phone: 204.988.7196 (message)

Expertise/Publications: Ph.D, in African Studies and Environmental History, University of Hamburg

Mussie's areas of expertise are Migration Studies; Rural and Urban Ecology; Environmental History; African History. He has served as an independent consultant on a variety of issues related to African immigration to Europe for several years.

Selected publications:

Eritrea: Africa in Focus (ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, California, 2010).

A Fading Nature: Aspects of Environmental History of Eritrea (1800-1991) (Edition Eins, Felsberg, 2008).
Byron Williams Byron Williams, Director - Public Interest Law Centre

Instructor: Poverty and the Law -  UIC 3040(3)

Phone: 204.988.7196 (message)

Expertise/Publications: Bachelor of Law - University of Manitoba

Since 1992, Byron has built a strong relationship with organizations where he has advocated on behalf of low income persons, the unemployed, consumers, seniors, Aboriginal people and the environment.