Shady Al Hafez
Biography
Shady Al Hafez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration specializing in Indigenous Politics and Governance and is an Associate with the at 成人大片. Shady is Anishinabe (Algonquin) and Syrian, and is a registered member of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg. He is currently a PhD Candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto, a SSHRC Doctoral Award holder, and holds a MA in Indigenous Governance from the University of Victoria. Prior to joining academia, Shady spent over 15 years supporting and working directly with Indigenous organizations and governments, most recently serving as the Policy and Research Manager to the . Shady has sat as representative on the Indigenous Peoples Section of the American Sociological Association, the Dean鈥檚 Advisory Committee on Indigenous Research and Teaching at the University of Toronto and currently sits as a member on the Board of Directors and the in Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg.
Forthcoming
From the Sacred to the Mundane: Seeing and Realizing Algonquin Presence in All Aspects of Life Along the Occupied Kichi Sibi. In Sacred Sites of the Anishinabe and the Ruins of Ottawa, edited by Daniel R眉ck and Mike Steinhauer. Forthcoming 2026.
Peer Reviewed Articles
How to Buy a Coffee in a Settler State: Language and Refusal in Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg. South Atlantic Quarterly 1 October 2019; 118 (4): 898鈥�910.
Other Selected Articles
鈥淎lgonquin Anishinabeg vs. The Algonquins of Ontario: Development, Recognition & Ongoing Colonialization.鈥� Yellowhead Institute, 18 February 2021.
鈥淚鈥檓 learning to honour both my Muslim and Anishinabe sides.鈥� Broadview Magazine, 2 Mar. 2020.
鈥�12 Easy Steps For Canadians To Follow If They鈥檙e Serious 成人大片 Reconciliation.鈥� BuzzFeed, 15 July 2025.
Academic Conferences
鈥淢erging of Others: Indigenous Muslims and the Confluence of Identities鈥� at the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Annual Conference. Oklahoma City: Oklahoma State University, 2025.
Panelist on 鈥淔rom Palestine to Turtle Island: Food as a Weapon of Colonialism and a Tool of Liberation鈥� at the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences Congress. Toronto: FHSSC, 2025.
鈥淢aking Algonquins: The Construction of Algonquin Identity in the Ottawa Valley鈥� at the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Annual Conference. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2023.
鈥淟anguage and Refusal in Kitigan Zibi: Speaking English While Being Anishinabe in Quebec鈥� at the Canadian Indigenous/Native Studies Association Conference. Peterborough: Trent University, 2020.
Government Presentations
鈥淯rban Indigenous Issues and Indigenous/Migrant Relations鈥� presentation to the Department of Refugees, Immigration and Citizenship Canada. Ottawa: 2023.
鈥淪upporting Urban First Nations through Culture and Community鈥� presentation to the Assembly of First Nations, Income Assistance Forum. Edmonton: 2023.
Panelist on 鈥淚ndigenous Entrepreneurship & Reconciliation鈥� at the Sustainable Finance Forum on the Hill. Ottawa: 2023.
鈥淒iverse Muslim Identities鈥� presentation to Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs. Ottawa: 2022.
鈥淢uslim Diversity in Canada鈥� to the Muslim Federal Employees Network (MFEN). Ottawa: 2022.
Other Presentations and Guest Speaking
鈥淏eing in Good Relation: Actioning Solidarity in the BIPOC Non-Profit Sector鈥� presented to FoodShare Toronto. Toronto: 2025.
鈥淪tarting with Respect: Recognizing and Honoring Indigenous Rights鈥� at the OCASI Leaders Forum. Toronto: 2025.
Panelist on 鈥淏uilding Community Wealth鈥� at The People鈥檚 Social Impact Conference. Ottawa: 2025.
Panelist on 鈥淭ruth and Land Back鈥� presented at Yellowhead Fire Talks. Toronto: Yellowhead Institute, 2024.
Panelist on 鈥淚ndigenous Social Economy and Reconciliation鈥� at the Sustainable Finance Forum. Ottawa: 2023.
鈥淓xperiences in Indigenous Community Based Education鈥� presented at Yellowhead Fire Talks. Toronto: Yellowhead Institute, 2023.
鈥淒ecolonization and Advocacy鈥� presented to the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Ottawa: 2023.
Panelist on 鈥淚ndigenous Economies: from Fiscal Warfare to Cash Back鈥� at the Broadbent Institute Progress Summit. Ottawa: Broadbent Institute, 2023.
鈥淏eyond Solidarity鈥� presented to the Social Economy Through Social Inclusion (SETSI). Toronto: 2023.
鈥淎nti-Colonial Environmental Organizing鈥� presented to Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Ottawa: 2022.
Panelist on 鈥淟and Defense Across Borders鈥� at Scholar Strike Canada. Toronto: 2022.
鈥淭he Historic and Contemporary Impacts of Colonialism on the Algonquin Nation鈥� presented to the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies 鈥� Sustainable Futures: Environmental Challenges and Solutions). Ottawa: Carleton University, 2022.
鈥淭he Historic and Contemporary Impacts of Colonialism on the Algonquin Nation鈥� presented to the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Ottawa: 2022.
Panelist on 鈥淒iversity, Equality & Inclusion (DEI) in Today鈥檚 Society鈥� at Co-operative and Mutuals Canada - National Virtual Congress. Ottawa: 2021.
Panelist on 鈥淵ellowhead Institute: Land Back鈥� to the Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. Toronto: 2021.
Panelist on 鈥淐onnecting Abolitionist Struggles: Settler Colonialism, Mass Incarceration, and the 鈥榃ar on Terror鈥欌�� at the Noor Cultural Centre. Toronto: 2021.
Panelist on 鈥淐reating Community Partnerships: A Conversation with Members of the Yellowhead Institute鈥� to Stanford University. California: Stanford University, 2020.
Panelist on 鈥淯nceded Ottawa: The Algonquin and the Outaouais鈥� at Arboretum Festival Talks. Ottawa: Arboretum Festival, 2015
Shady鈥檚 research interests include Indigenous and migrant relations, the impact of globalization on Indigenous communities, Indigenous religiosity and its impact on Indigenous politics, governance and resistance and lastly the historical and contemporary processes of colonialism, land dispossession and Indigenous resistance in Canada and the United States.
Shady currently teaches in the following courses:
PAI105 Indigenous Rights, Equity/the State
PPA404 Issues in Public Administration
PAI107 Colonialism and Indigenous Governance
Previous courses taught at 成人大片 include:
CHST680 Treaties, Land and Indigenous Governance
PPA124 Indigenous Politics and Governance