Dr. Evelyn Peters, Department of Urban and Inner City Studies
At its annual meeting in St. Johns this fall, the Canadian Association of Geographers presented Dr. Evelyn Peters, Department of Urban and Inner City Studies in the Faculty of Arts at UWinnipeg, with the award for Service to the Profession of Geography for her role in developing the sub-discipline of urban Aboriginal geography in Canada. The award is intended to recognize a member of the CAG for exceptional professional service who has significantly advanced the profession and practice of geography in Canada.
Dr. Ryan Walker, University of Saskatchewan noted in his nomination letter that “Evelyn Peters essentially carved out a space in Canadian human geography for a critical discourse on urban Aboriginality, where little, if any, had existed before.” Supporting letters for the nomination came from Dr. Peters’ colleagues in Canada and internationally, from her former students, and from individuals in Aboriginal organizations, Statistics Canada, and Aboriginal Affairs Canada. Individuals supporting the nomination letter wrote that Dr. Peters helped to “reposition Aboriginal peoples and their cultures closer to the centre of Canadian geographic consciousness” and that she “literally put urban Aboriginal populations on the map” through her “ground breaking research on the geographies of urban Aboriginal peoples.” The letters also noted her influence in bringing urban issues to the attention of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.
Peters teaches courses on urban Aboriginal issues, and on contemporary inner city issues in the Department of Urban and Inner City Studies.
