Abigail B. Bakan, born in 1954, is a Canadian academic with a career spanning various universities. She has held significant administrative positions, including chair of the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Social Justice Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, and head of the Department of Gender Studies at Queen's University. Her academic research centers on employment equity, Marxist theory, and "anti-oppression politics." Bakan has also been an active voice on political issues, notably criticizing government stances on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and advocating for boycotts of Israeli academic institutions.

Her scholarly contributions include authoring and co-editing several books that engage with themes of citizenship, foreign domestic workers, ideology, and international relations. These works often involve critical analyses from a left-leaning perspective, examining power dynamics and social justice issues within global and regional contexts. Bakan's academic background began at York University, and her career progressed through various professorial roles at Queen's University before her tenure at the University of Toronto. She is the daughter of academics David and Mildred Bakan.

Abigail B. Bakan's academic career has been dedicated to critical social and political analysis. Her research interests prominently feature employment equity, a field concerned with fair labor practices and the dismantling of systemic discrimination in the workplace. Complementing this is her engagement with Marxist theory, which provides a framework for understanding class conflict and power structures within society. A core element of her work is "anti-oppression politics," a political approach aimed at identifying and challenging various forms of social oppression, including those based on race, gender, class, and other social categories. This focus suggests an academic commitment to social justice and the deconstruction of dominant power relations.

Bakan has authored and co-edited a number of significant academic texts that reflect her research interests. Her co-authored book, "Negotiating Citizenship: Migrant Women in Canada and the Global System" (2005), delves into the complexities of citizenship for migrant women within broader global structures. She also co-edited "Critical Political Studies: Debates and Dialogues from the Left" (2003), indicating a contribution to discourse within critical political thought. Further editorial work includes "Not One of the Family: Foreign Domestic Workers in Canada" (1997), and "Imperial Power and Regional Trade: The Caribbean Basin Initiative" (1993), which explore issues of labor, migration, and international economic relations. Her book "Ideology and Class Conflict in Jamaica: The Politics of Rebellion" (1990) directly addresses the intersection of ideology, class, and social unrest.

Beyond her academic research, Abigail B. Bakan has publicly expressed strong political views, particularly concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 2006, she voiced criticism of the Canadian government's support for what she described as "Israel's illegal action against the Lebanese and Palestinian people." This stance was further elaborated in 2009 when she participated in a debate advocating for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions. These actions highlight Bakan's commitment to applying her critical analysis to contemporary geopolitical issues and her engagement with activist movements seeking to influence foreign policy and international relations through academic and political pressure.

“Israel's illegal action against the Lebanese and Palestinian people”