This compilation highlights the latest research and reports from our faculty members, offering a glimpse into their groundbreaking work across the field of social work.
Featured: Donna Baines, Hannah Kia, Tina Wilson, Karun Karki, Barbara Lee.
Donna Baines
Donna Baines returned to full teaching after a lovely eight months of research and renewal on Administrative Leave. Her research time is largely taken up by two, multi-year, major international SSHRC projects: one on age-equity and age-inclusion in age-friendly cities (includes 10 cities globally), and one supporting a dialogue between Indigenous and anti-oppressive social work in Australia, Taiwan and Canada. Here are a few research outcomes:
Academic Publications (2024):
Books
Noble, C., Rasool, S. Smith, L., Munoz, G. and Baines, D. (2024) (eds) International Handbook of Feminism in Social Work. London: Routledge.
Peer Reviewed Chapters
Baines, D. (2024) “A Real Spark”: Resistance in Nonprofit Care Work in the Context of Neoliberalism and a Crisis in Public Health. In Coule, T., Eikenberry, A. and Mirabella, R. (eds) The Handbook of Critical Perspectives on Nonprofit Organizing and Voluntary Action: Concepts, Applications and Future Directions (pp. 311-322) Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Baines, D. (2024) Feminized Care Work, Social Work and Resistance in the Context of Late Neoliberalism. In Noble, C., Rasool, S. Smith, L., Munoz, G. and Baines, D. (eds) Routledge International Handbook of Feminism in Social Work. (p. 394-403) London: Routledge.
Journal Articles
Baines, D., Brown, C. & Cabahug, F. (2024). The Shifting Labour Process in Professional Care: Recreating Dominance and the Managerialised Mental Health Social Worker. The British Journal of Social Work. 1 (54), 475–493. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcad210*
*An Editor’s Choice Article 2024 - articles handpicked by the Editors of The British Journal of Social Work for their high-quality contributions to the field. https://academic.oup.com/bjsw/pages/editors-choice-articles
Baines, D., Bennett, B. and Urban, K. (2024) Rankings, Ruling and Reproducing Inequities: Recent Social Work Writing on the Top 100 Scholars. Journal of Progressive Human Services. 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/10428232.2024.2434788
Baines, D., Braedley, S., Agnotes, G., Bannerji, A., Chakkour, E., Cote Boucher, K., Daly, T., Glasdam, S., Hillier, S., Jacobsen, F., MacDonald, M., and Stillwell, C. (2024) But Where’s the Body? Bodies, Time, Money, and the Political Economy of Post-Pandemic Field Research. Qualitative Research. 14687941241264473.
Baines, D., Braedley, S. and Daly, T. (2024) Decent care work: politics, policy, and resistance. Studies in Political Economy. 105(3), 175–178. https://doi.org/10.1080/07078552.2024.2422682
Cox, K., Baines, D., Joy, E. and Beddoe, E. (2024) Resistance and rangatiratanga in a time of political change. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work. 36 (4): 1-11. https://anzswjournal.nz/anzsw/issue/view/77
Silan, W., Baines, D. & Wang, F. (2024): Decolonizing decolonization projects: neoliberalism, Indigenous services, and Indigenous strategic change in Taiwan and Canada, Globalizations, DOI: 10.1080/14747731.2024.2397236
Baines, D., Bradeley, S., Daly, T., Hillier, S. and Cabahug, F. (2024). Low Barrier, Harm Reduction and Housing for Older People in the Opiate Crisis: Meeting People Where They Are. Critical and Radical Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1332/20498608Y2024D000000031
Knowledge Mobilization Outputs:
Podcast
Baines, D. and Bennett, B. (2024) Decolonizing Social Work: A Discourse with Drs. Donna Baines and Bindi Bennett. The Critical Social Worker. October, Alaska USA. https://riverside.fm/upload
Bennett, B. and Baines, D. (2025) Emancipatory Dialogue Across Indigenous and Anti-oppressive Social Work. UBC School of Social Work: Tell your KxM Story.
Videos
Baines, D. (2024) Little Union Wins Big. De-privatizing Health Care in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Video: Unions South Australia Forum. Perth, Australia. https://youtu.be/aqPv9-xJPNI Baines, D., Bennett, B., Kendall, B. and McGhie, T. (2024) Emancipatory Dialogue Across Indigenous and Anti-Oppressive Social Work: Curijo. Part 1. https://youtu.be/K9rVaC9lf7A
Baines, D., Bennett, B., Kendall, B. and McGhie, T. (2024) Emancipatory Dialogue Across Indigenous and Anti-Oppressive Social Work: Curijo. Part 2. https://youtu.be/6_WN8AB3uoQ Technical Reports Baines, D., Bennett, B., Howard, A. and Terare, M. (2024) Emancipatory Dialogue: Australian Indigenous and Anti-Oppressive Social Work in Collaborative Dialogue. Sydney, University of Sydney, February.
Baines, D. (2024) Emancipatory Dialogue: Canadian Indigenous and Anti-Oppressive Social Work in Collaborative Dialogue. Vancouver, University of British Columbia, January.
Hannah Kia
Hannah Kia’s program of research continues to explore the social contexts and health equity issues of sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations, with a specific focus on the priorities of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people. Most recently, she has been leading a study on the healthcare and social service experiences and needs of TGD older adults, in partnership with Egale Canada, which is called Aging with Affirmation. The Aging with Affirmation team is currently in the knowledge mobilization phases of this work. Hannah also continues to be a co-principal investigator or co-investigator on more than 15 projects supported with tri-council funding that address a range of SGM health equity issues, including poverty, suicide prevention, health policy, administrative data linkage, and gender care in SGM populations.
Recent Publications (Selected)
Kia, H. (2024). Enhancing Critical Social Work Practice: Using Text-Based Vignettes in Qualitative Research. Qualitative Social Work, 23(1), 179-194. https://doi.org/10.1177/14733250231214202
Kia, H., Pang, C., Göncü, K., Jakubiec, B., MacKinnon, K.R., Handlovsky, I. & Ross, L.E. (2024). “I needed to be that voice”: A multi-party study of the healthcare and social service experiences and needs of transgender and gender-diverse older adults in Canada. Journal of Applied Gerontology. https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648241295570
Kia, H., Robinson, M., Lee, E.O.J., Salway, T. & Ross, L.E. (2024). Beyond the rainbow: Advancing 2S/LGBTQ+ health equity at a time of political volatility. Healthcare Papers, 22(1), 9-25. (INVITED PAPER). https://doi.org/10.12927/hcpap.2024.27390
Kia, H., Robinson, M., Lee, E.O.J., Salway, T. & Ross, L.E. (2024). Achieving 2S/LGBTQ+ health equity requires grappling with the structural drivers of poor health in sexual and gender minorities. Healthcare Papers, 22(1), 70-75. (INVITED PAPER). https://doi.org/10.12927/hcpap.2024.27383
Kia, H., Kenney, K.A., Abramovich, A., Ferlatte, O., MacKinnon, K.R. & Knight, R. (2023). “Nowhere else to be found”: Drawing on peer support experiences among transgender and gender-diverse people to substantiate community-driven gender-affirming care. Social Science and Medicine, 339, 116406. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116406
Amato, A.T., Wonsiak, T., Handlovsky, I., Ferlatte, O., Kia, H. & Oliffe, J.L. (2024). Cultivating psychological well- being amongst older gay men: A qualitative exploration. SSM – Qualitative Research in Health, 5, 100403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2024.100403
Barborini, C., Goodyear, T., Kia, H., Gilbert, M., Ferlatte, O. & Knight, R. (2024). “To smoke feels gender”: Exploring the transformative and emancipatory capacities of cannabis among transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming (TGNC) youth. International Journal of Drug Policy, 131, 104536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104536
Ferlatte, O., Dromer, E., Salway, T., Bourne, A., Kia, H. & Gaudette, M. (2024). Self-perceived reasons for suicide attempts in sexual and gender minorities in Canada. Journal of Homosexuality. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2024.2384939
Goodyear, T., Jenkins, E., Fast, D., Oliffe, J.L., Kia, H., Katriana, I. & Knight, R. (2024). Homes of substance: Drugs and the making of home/lessness for 2S/LGBTQ+ youth. Social Science and Medicine, 360, 117352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117352
Handlovsky, I., Wonsiak, T., Zakher, B., Ferlatte, O., Kia, H. & Oliffe, J.L. (2024). Older, gay men’s navigation of mental health and substance use challenges: A qualitative exploration. SSM-Qualitative Research in Health, 6, 100484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2024.100484
Iyer, H., Underhill, A., Persad, Y., Lacombe-Duncan, A., Kennedy, V.L., Nation, K., Kia, H., Logie, C.H., Kaida, A., MacKinnon, K., Armstrong, I., Bilbao-Joseph, C., Tharao, W. & Loutfy, M. (2024). Operationalizing the women-centred HIV care model for trans women and persons with transfeminine experience living with and affected by HIV: A qualitative study. International Journal of Transgender Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2024.2323508
Tina Wilson
Tina Wilson’s scholarship explores interactions among social movement and scientific knowledge for how these exchanges influence popular understandings of equity, social justice and ethics. Within this broad domain, she focuses on the history and philosophy of social work, the natural environment, and disability.
For the 2023/2024 school year, her work included several projects focused on the history of Canadian social work and, with colleagues, investigating how social workers integrate environmental concerns into their direct practice.
She has continued to present her research nationally and internationally, including as an invited speaker. She became a consulting editor for Affilia: Feminist Inquiry in Social Work in 2024, and as co-editor, published special issues on critical temporalities (CRSW, with A. Joseph) and social work futures (SW&S, with H. Lynch).
As principal investigator, Tina secured an SSHRC IDG (2023-2025) and UBC Hampton Grant (2023-2025), both focused on the history of social work and the natural environment. She is also a co-investigator of a SSHRC IG (2023-2027) exploring autistic experience (PI M. Gibson).
She continues to co-convene the More-than-human Social Work Special Interest Group attached to the European Social Work Research Association, and is co-editing (with H. Lynch) a forthcoming special issue on “more-than-human ethics for social work” for the journal Ethics & Social Welfare.
Publications
Lynch H. & Wilson, T. E. (2023). Canonical critiques and geopolitical shifts: Revisiting the oppressive neoliberalism/authentic community dichotomy in social work. Social Work & Society, 21(1), 1-15. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:464-sws-2936
Lynch H. & Wilson, T. E. (2023). Special issue editorial: Social work futures—what social work does the world need now? Social Work & Society, 21(1), 1-13. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:464-sws-2915
Wilson, T. E. & Joseph, A. J. (2023). Special issue editorial: Critical temporalities in social work after “the end of history.” Critical and Radical Social Work. 11(3), 327-331. https://doi.org/10.1332/20498608Y2023D000000005
Wilson, T. E., Lynch, H., & *Fisch, V. (2023). Raising the “environmental question” in social work in Canada and Scotland. International Social Work, 66(6), 1816-1830 https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728221094415
Karun Karki
I joined the UBC School of Social Work as an Associate Professor in July 2024, the professional and intellectual ‘Home’ I had longed for, where collaboration and mutual respect are fundamental values. The School’s philosophy of the “Ethics of Care,” which emphasizes mutual respect, responsibility, and compassion, is a lived practice here, shaping the academic culture and a shared commitment to social justice and human well-being. The intellectual vibrancy and diversity of perspectives within the School and across the university have significantly enriched my own academic practice. I feel privileged and honoured to contribute to this community. The opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary work and explore innovative approaches to teaching, research, and service is intellectually stimulating and personally fulfilling.
As an emerging diasporic scholar, my research and academic pursuits are profoundly shaped by a commitment to amplifying the voices of historically marginalized communities, including immigrants, refugees, migrant workers, and LGBTQ+ individuals, both within Canada and in global contexts. These minoritized communities, often excluded or rendered invisible in mainstream social and political discourse, face unique challenges that require critical examination and a nuanced understanding of intersecting identities, social inequalities, and systemic oppression. Below, I provide some of my recent research projects, international collaborations, scholarly publications, and community engagement. These endeavours reflect my ongoing commitment to advancing knowledge in the field of social work, fostering cross-cultural academic partnerships, and contributing to the broader social work community.
Community Engagement and Collaborative Initiatives
Vice-President and Director, Higher Education & Professional Development, Emotional Well-being Institute, Canada
I have co-founded the Emotional Well-Being Institute Canada (EWBI Canada) in 2022, a non-profit multicultural organization dedicated to promoting emotional well-being and fostering human flourishing, prosperity, and happiness within our communities and societies. I currently serve as the Vice-President and Director of Higher Education & Professional Development at the EWBI Canada. This is a volunteer service to the community offered without remuneration. I have been actively engaged in a variety of initiatives, including grant writing, and collaborating with both local and global partners to support historically marginalized communities for promoting human flourishing. These efforts aim to create sustainable, positive change by addressing systemic challenges and fostering inclusive society.
At EWBI Canada, we actively collaborate with community partners, stakeholders, and international organizations to foster global professional networks dedicated to emotional well-being. We are committed to leveraging these partnerships to promote the objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), mainly Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages, and Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development. EWBI Canada is working closely with EWBI Geneva to contribute to these global initiatives, aiming to create a world where emotional well-being is prioritized and accessible to all.
Co-Director, Education and Professional Development, EBWI Geneva, Member, EWBI Publication Committee
I serve as a co-Director of Education and Professional Development with the Emotional Well-being Institute (EWBI), Geneva. EWBI is in the process of becoming a UN ECOSOC member and is building a global network with select UN-registered organizations, governments, NGOs, and professional bodies to advance emotional well-being initiatives. I also serve on the EWBI Publication Committee and co-edited a book titled, Emotional Well-being: Contemporary Approaches and Practices, launched at the Kerala Conference in December 2024. Our first International Emotional Well-Being Conference was in Mauritius (2023), followed by the second and the International Social Work Conference in India (2024).
These conferences brought together scholars, experts, community leaders, social work practitioners, and stakeholders from around the world to exchange knowledge and insights on the critical role of emotional well-being in fostering human flourishing. To advance university research and collaboration, EWBI Geneva is partnering with multiple universities. As part of this effort, the De Paul Institute of Science and Technology signed an MOU with EWBI Geneva at the Kerala conference, December 4-7, 2024.
Advisory Council Member and Member of the Standing Committee on Student and Junior Scholar Engagement, Pathways to Prosperity: Canada
Since 2015, I have been actively involved with Pathways to Prosperity: Canada (P2P), a national alliance dedicated to providing evidence-based solutions for newcomer settlement, integration, and the promotion of welcoming communities across the country. I started as a member of the Student Committee, later served as Co-Chair, and now serve on the Advisory Council while also contributing to Student and Junior Scholar Engagement Committee (SJSEC). Throughout my involvement, I have played a key role in initiatives and collaborations to enhance the newcomer settlement experience and have also been part of the conference organizing committee.
We successfully hosted the 12th Annual National Conference from November 25-27, 2024, in Vancouver. The event brought together policymakers, community practitioners, academics, and newcomer settlement organizations from across Canada to exchange knowledge and discuss key issues related to immigration, integration, and settlement.
Recent and Ongoing Grants (Selected)
- SSHRC Insight Development Grant (2023-2025): Employment Experiences of Skilled Immigrants in the Canadian Labour Marke. Principal Investigator.
- Hampton Fund Research Grant (2024-2025) The Mental Health and Well-being of Elderly Refugees: Evidence from Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal. Principal Investigator.
- SSHRC Connection Grant (2025-2026): Empowerment and Capacity Building of Women Living with HIV: Speaker Series. Co-applicant.
Scholarly Publications (Selected)
- Adhikari, R., Francis, A. P., Karki, K. K., Jeeawody, B., & Abhram, L. (Eds) (2024). Emotional well-being: Contemporary approaches and practices. De Paul Centre for Research and Development (DCRD) Publications.
- Karki, K. K., & Moasun, F. (2024). Transnational migration as an engine for socio-economic Transformation in the age of globalization. In R. Baikady, et al. (Eds). The Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Change (p. 1-16). Springer.
- Brunner, L. R., Karki, K. K., Valizadeh, N., Shokirova, T., & Coustere, C. (2024). Unfamiliarity, uncertainties, and ambivalent long-term intentions: Conceptualizing international student-migrant settlement and integration. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 25, 973-996.
- Karki, K. K., & Shrestha, A., Jain, R., & Al-Saadi, R. (2024). Mental health and well-being of healthcare professionals amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, 14(2), 267-280.
Invited Speaker and Workshops Organization (Selected)
- Invited speaker at the Second International Emotional Well-being conference, Kerela, India, December 4-6, 2024.
Topic: Fostering the understanding of emotional well-being: Leveraging flourishing and cohesive societies.
- Organized an academic talk to commemorate World AIDS Day, UBC, Vancouver, Nov. 29, 2024.
Speakers: Dr. Karun K. Karki and Dr. Rita Dhungel
Topic: Collective action: Global to local voices of people living with HIV.
- Workshop organized at the Pathways to Prosperity National Conference, November 25, 2024.
Topic: Bound by borders, defined by roles: International student partners and the renegotiation of gender relations
Organizers: Lisa R. Brunner & Karun K. Karki, UBC; Takhmina Shokirova, WLU
Invited Conference Presentations (Selected)
- Khatiwada, K., Karki, K.K. (2025, January 16-18). Demographic engineering as a tool for ethnic erasure: A study of Nepali-speaking Lhotshamps in Bhutan. Population Settlements in the Ethnic Territories of South Asia: Objectives and Strategies, Wilfrid Laurier University, ON.
- Karki, K. K., & Gyan, C. (2024, June 27). The Intersection of race, gender, and immigration status in the Canadian labour market. Migration and Research Group, University of Sheffield, UK.
- Karki, K. K., & Moasun, F. (2024, June 18-19). Legacy of colonialism in Canada’s immigration policy: Experiences of skilled, racialized immigrants in the Canadian labour market. International Conference on Administrative Science, Migration, Mobility and Human Rights. Paris, France.
Barbara Lee
2024-2025 Academic Year Highlights
This year has been dedicated to advancing knowledge exchange, community engagement, and transformative practices within the field of child welfare.
Key highlights include:
- Knowledge Exchange: A Partnership-in-Action Podcast: Launched to connect scholars and practitioners, the podcast serves as a platform for sharing research insights and bridging academic and professional communities in child welfare.
- Engaging in Critical Conversations to Transform Child Welfare Praxis in BC: Supported by a SSHRC Connection Grant, this initiative facilitated four virtual dialogue circles focused on reimagining child welfare practices. These dialogues will culminate in an in-person colloquium aimed at fostering deeper collaboration and actionable change.
- Kinship Stories: A Time to Be Heard: funded from the UBC Community University Engagement Support Fund, this initiative will showcase eight digital stories from kin caregivers, providing a platform for their experiences, challenges, and successes. A panel discussion will follow to promote policy dialogue and increase public awareness.
Additionally, I received two Collaborative Mobility Research Awards to further build upon these initiatives, expanding their reach and impact. I was also honored with the Dean of Arts Faculty Research Award, which has enabled me to dedicate significant time to my SSHRC-funded research project, “Exploring the Barriers and Facilitators for Effective Child Welfare Intervention for Asian-Canadian Children and Families: Perspectives of Service Users and Service Providers”. This research seeks to generate insights that will improve outcomes for Asian-Canadian children and families involved or at risk of involvement in the child welfare system.
