Early Childhood Studies

Biography:

MA Program, Early Childhood Studies

CERIS

Mehrunnisa Ahmad Ali has an M.A. in Teaching and Learning from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in Teaching, Curriculum and Social Policy from Michigan State University with a concentration in Teacher Education. She has worked as a primary school teacher, as Director of the Teachers' Resource Center, and as a professor at the Aga Khan University in Pakistan.

Mehrunnisa has extensive experience in developing and evaluating educational projects, especially in teacher education. She has taught prospective and practicing teachers, community development workers, and university students for several years. She currently teaches in the graduate programs in Early Childhood Studies, Immigration and Setlement Studies, and Policy Studies. She is also the Ryerson Director of the Centre of Excellence for Research in Immigration and Settlement, the Ontario Metropolis Centre (CERIS). Her research interests include newcomer children, youth and families; parent-teacher relations; and preparation of teachers to work with diverse populations.

Recent publications

Ali, M. (2012) The shadow of colonialism on relations between immigrant parents and their children's teachers.  Alberta Journal of Educational Research 58 (2) 198-215

Ali, M., M., Salem, N., Oueslati, B., McAndrew, M., & Quirke, L. (2011) The reduction of Islam and Muslims in Ontario's social studies textbooks. Context: Journal of Educational Media, Memory & Society 3 (10) 25-44

Wilkinson, L., Hébert, Y. & Ali, M. (2011) Examining youth’s perceptions of safety, fear, inclusion and exclusion in a Canadian city. In C. Bassani, (Ed.) Adolescent Behavior. Haupauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Ali, M. (2011)  Still not easy being British: Struggles for a multicultural citizenship. Book review. Journal of Multiculturall and Multilingual Development 1-3

Kilbride, K.M. & Ali, M. A. (2010) Striving for voice: Language acquisition and Canadian immigrant women. Current Issues in Language Planning, 11 (2) 173-189

Articles in Refereed Journals

Ali, M., & Jama, M. (2010) Second-generation Somali children’s perceptions of hierarchies of their identities. Early Childhood Education. 39 (1) 10-16

Ali, M. (2009) Preparing citizens for a globalized world: The role of the social studies curriculum. Inter-American Journal of Education for Democracy 2 (2) 238-256

Ali, M.A. (2008) Second-generation youth's belief in the myth of Canadian multiculturalism. Canadian Ethnic Studies. 40 (2) 89-108

Hébert, Y., Wilkinson, L. Ali, M.A. (2008) New modes of becoming in transnational glocal spaces: Second-generation youth in Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto. Canadian Ethnic Studies. 40 (2) 61-88

Ali, M (2008) What do teachers of young children need to know about science and mathematics? Early Childhood Education 38 (1) 19-23

Ali, M (2008) Loss of parenting self-efficacy among immigrant parents. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education 9 (2) 148-160

Hébert, Y., Wilkinson, L. & Ali, M. (2008) Second generation youth in Canada, their mobilities and identification. Brock Education 17 (1) 50-70

Ali, M. (2006) Children alone, seeking refuge in Canada. Refuge 23 (2) 68-80

Book & DVD

Ali, M., Corson, P. & Frankel, E. (2009) Listening to families: Reframing services. Toronto: Chestnut Publishers & Makcom Media.

Book Chapters

Wilkinson, L., Hébert, Y. & Ali, M. (2009) Negotiating Difference and Democracy: Identifying the Landscapes of Familiarity and Risk among Youth in Canada. Appendix A in G. D. Bouma, R. Ling & L. Wilkinson, The Research Process, Canadian Edition, Toronto: Oxford University Press, pp. 235-252.

Hébert, Y., Wilkinson, L. & Ali, M. (2008) Second generation youth in Canada, their mobilities and identification: Relevance to citizenship education. In M. Sullivan & K. Pashby (Eds.) Citizenship education in the era of globalization: Canadian perspectives. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers

Ali, M. (2005) Effects of migration on parenting capacity of newcomer parents of young children. In V. Pacini-Ketchabaw & A. Pence (Eds.) Research Connections. Canadian Child Care Federation.