Dr. Norin Taj

Dr. Norin Taj (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in Interdisciplinary Studies in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Athabasca University.

With over two decades of experience in education across Canadian and transnational contexts, she brings a deep commitment to equity and inclusion. She began her career facilitating community-based education programs in marginalized urban neighbourhoods of Karachi, Pakistan—experiences that continue to shape her understanding of education as a way to bridge structural inequalities and disrupt intergenerational cycles of poverty. Now based in Canada, she draws on her experiences as an immigrant woman and educator to explore how education systems and policy structures affect access and outcomes for marginalized communities.

Dr. Taj holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy, with a specialization in Comparative, International, and Development Education, from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto. Her interdisciplinary training and professional journey span the fields of educational leadership, international development, sociology, and policy studies with a central focus on gender and equity.

Her research follows two interconnected strands.

The first centres on migration and education in Canadian contexts, grounded in community-based and equity-oriented inquiry. She collaborates with community leaders, academic institutions, and immigrant-serving organizations to explore the integration experiences of immigrant communities. Recent projects include studies on labour market pathways for highly skilled racialized immigrant women, a policy fellowship program for internationally educated women, a partnership with Humber College on employment barriers for international students, and a legal literacy initiative for marginalized communities. She is currently leading a multi-year study on the leadership development of racialized immigrant adolescent girls in Toronto and Calgary, examining the roles of academic institutions, families, and community spaces.

The second strand explores global gender policy and transnational education discourse, focusing on how gender equality goals are interpreted, negotiated, and reshaped within national, cultural, and community frameworks. Her work examines the cultural politics of policy, aspirational formations, and the interplay between state agendas, community values, and global influences. She is particularly interested in the epistemic dynamics of knowledge production in and about the Global South, with attention to the positioning and contributions of women researchers in these contexts.

Dr. Taj has published in journals such as the British Journal of Sociology of Education and serves as co-editor of the Journal of Underrepresented and Minority Progress. She is actively engaged in and is committed to fostering inclusive and supportive research communities.

Discover my research

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Research interests

• Gender and Education
• Immigrant Adolescent Women and Leadership
• Immigrant Integration and Settlement
• Global Gender Policy
• Cultural Transmission
• Global South Epistemologies and Women Scientists
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Urban Education
• Transnational Migration and Labour Market Access

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Educational credentials

• Ph.D., Educational Leadership & Policy with specialization in Comparative, International & Development Education
• M.Ed., Educational Leadership & Policy with specialization in Comparative, International & Development Education
• MBA, Management
• MA, International Relations
• B.Ed.

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Professional affiliations

• Member, Comparative and International Education Society (CIES)
• Member, Canadian Sociological Association (CSA)
• Member, Development Studies Association (DSA)
• Member, Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)
• Collaborator, SSHRC-funded community-based research project
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Underrepresented & Minority Progress (JUMP)

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