Benjamin Owens - PhD Student

About Me

Hello! I am an economic and urban geographer, and a PhD student in the Department of Geography and Planning at the University of Toronto. My research lies at the juncture between labour geography and youth homelessness prevention, exploring the work experiences of unhoused youth in Toronto and the ways employment precarity and housing (in)stability intersect in broader precarious life arrangements. This work builds on my years as a researcher in the youth homelessness sector, where I played a leadership role in a variety of participatory and community-engaged projects on harm reduction and youth homelessness prevention.

Research

My research is centered around [Research Topics]. I aim to [Research Goals]. Below are some of the current research projects I am working on:

• Project 1: [Brief description]
• Project 2: [Brief description]
• Project 3: [Brief description]

Publications

Here are some of my recent publications:

• Mills and Owens. (2023). Customer abuse and aggression as labour control among LGBT workers in low-wage services. Work, Employment and Society.
• Owens et al. (2022). Work-related stressors and mental health among LGBTQ workers: Results from a cross-sectional survey. Plos One.
• Noble et al. (2023). “I feel like I’m in a revolving door, and COVID has made it spin a lot faster”: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth experiencing homelessness in Toronto, Canada. Plos One.

Contact

If you'd like to get in touch, feel free to contact me via email at benjamin.owens@utoronto.ca or connect with me on LinkedIn.