Nancy Ross
Associate Professor
Email: nancy.ross@dal.ca
Phone: 902-494-4049
Fax: 902-494-6709
Mailing Address:
School of Social Work
H University
Suite 3204, Mona Campbell Building,
1459 LeMarchant Street
PO Box 15000 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2
Research Topics:H University
Suite 3204, Mona Campbell Building,
1459 LeMarchant Street
PO Box 15000 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2
- Peacebuilding and prevention of interpersonal violence
- Gender-based violence
- Childhood adversity and resilience
- Trauma and violence informed and family centered systems (Canadian Criminal Justice System, Mental Health and Addiction System, Child Protection Services)
- Mindfulness
- Culturally responsive care and calls to decolonize
Education
- PhD, Peace Studies and International Development, University of Bradford, UK
- Peace and Conflict Studies Diploma, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
- MSW, H University
- BSW, H University
- BA (Hons) H University
Courses Taught
SLWK 6660 | Social Work and Restorative Approaches: Theory and Skills for Dialogue, Peacebuilding, and Healing |
SLWK 2334 |
Beginning Social Work Practice |
SLWK 3135 | Social Work and Mental Health |
SLWK 3270 | Social Work in Addiction |
HLTH 5130 | Concurrent Disorders and Complex Case Work: Working with Persons, Families and Communities (Distance) |
SLWK 3030 | Theoretical Foundations of Social Work Practice |
SLWK 6540 | Critical Approaches to Mental Health & Addiction in Social Work Practice (Distance) |
SLWK 3130 | Women and Violence |
SLWK 2444 | Life Processes: Concepts and Practices for Critical Social Work (Distance) |
SLWK 4010 | Advanced Social Work Practice |
SLWK 6370 | Advanced Practice Skills |
Additional Teaching Duties | Supervision of Independent Studies, Graduate and PhD Thesis Committees |
Awarded Research Funding
2022 | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) & Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR). PIs: Ross, N. & Lewis, T. (Co-I): Awogiya, F. Partner Organizations: Association of Black Social Workers, Be the Peace Institute, Leave out Violence Nova Scotia and Generation 1 Leadership. Moving Forward Together: Unsettling Racism, Silence and Violence in Health and Social Services. Funds Awarded: $450,000. |
2022 | Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). PI: Brown, C., Co-Is: Ross, N., Johnstone, M. & Augusta Scott, T. Family violence online programming in rural and remote areas of Atlantic Canada (PEI, Newfoundland/Labrador, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia). Funds Awarded: $635,000. |
2022 | Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women. Ross, N. Bridge Funds for continuation of research program. Funds Awarded: $5,000. |
2022 | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. PI Torres, T. Co -Is: Hamilton-Hinch, B. & Ross, N. Collaborators: Moriah, J., Metallic, N., Gausdal, W., Grant, W. Knowledge Mobilization Focusing on Protective Factors for Children’s Welfare: The case of Urban Indigenous, African Nova Scotian, and Immigrant and Refugee communities. Value: $33,456. |
2021 | Justice Canada. Ross. N. Family-Centred and Trauma-Informed Responses to Gender-Based Violence-Implications for Transforming Justice and Community Systems Community Partners: Law Reform Commission of Nova Scotia & Be the Peace Institute. Funds Awarded: $252,000 |
2020 | Nova Scotia Covid-19 Health Research Coalition. Ross, N., Thomas-Bernard, & Bookchin, S. Culturally Responsive Healthcare to Reduce Gender Based Violence. Funds Awarded: $75000 + Mitac Training Awards x 2 = $6,000 |
2019-2021 | Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women. Ross, N. Bridge Funds Awarded: $11,103 |
2019 | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Ross, N. & Ryan, C. Improving Lives of Families or Punishing Women? Understanding the experiences of criminalized women in Nova Scotia’s domestic violence court programs. Funds Awarded: $25,000 |
2019 | Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW). Brown, C., Johnson, M. & Ross, N.Repositioning Social Work Practice in Mental Health and HealthEquity in Nova Scotia.Funds Awarded: $19,846. |
2018 | SSHRF Explore Grant. Ross, N., Torres S., Gilbert, R., Munroe, A., Hamilton-Hinch, B. & Haslam, K. Project Title: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Profession Students: Measuring Prevalence and Identifying Preventative Approaches. Funds Awarded: $ 6,595. |
2018-2020 | Justice Canada. Ross, N. Are Pro-Arrest, Pro-Charge and Pro-Prosecution Policies the most effective response to domestic violence in NS? Community Partners: Halifax Police & Be the Peace Institute. Funds Awarded: $150,000. |
2018-2021 | Social Sciences Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Torres, S., Parada, H., Yohani, S., Ross, N., Andrew, C., Chiu, Y. & Campbell, K. Exploring the role of cultural brokers as intermediaries between immigrant and refugee families and child welfare workers. Funds Awarded: $187,107. |
2017-2018 | Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation. Ross, N., Torres, S., Savage, S., Gilbert, R., Ungar, M. & McDonald, S. Measuring Adverse Childhood Experiences, Current Health Challenges and Factors that Promote Resilience Among Patients of the Lunenburg Family Health Clinic. Funds Awarded: $15,000. |
2017-2018 | Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation. Torres, S., Waldron, I., Moriah, J., Downey, N., Metallic, N., Karabanow, J. & Ungar, M. Examining protective factors for children’s welfare: the case of Indigenous, African Nova Scotian, and Immigrant and Refugee Children in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Funds awarded: $14,988.00. |
2017-2018 | School of Social Work. ROSS, N. Adverse Childhood Experiences Study: Exploring Resilience Factors Among Adults. Funds Awarded: $1,200. |
Publications
- Ross, N., Raluca, B. & Zubriski, S. (November 21, 2022). University and school strikes across Canada are about workers’ rights — and protecting education as a public good.
- Ross, N.; Brown, C. & Johnstone, M. (2022) (in Press). Beyond Medicalised Approaches to Violence and Trauma: Empowering Social Work Practice. Journal of Social Work.
- Haslam, K.; Hamilton-Hinch, B; Torres, S.; Munroe, A.; Grant, T.; Gilbert, R.; & Ross, N.
(Submitted December 2022). Adverse Childhood Experiences, Maladaptive Coping Behaviours and Protective Factors in Undergraduate Students: A Descriptive Correlational Study. Social Sciences & Humanities Open.
- Doll, K., Brown, C., Johnstone, M. & Ross, N. (2022). "Neoliberalism, Control of Trans and Gender Diverse Bodies and Social Work". Resubmission in process.
- Haslam, K., Ross, N., Torres, S., Hamilton-Hinch, B. & Gilbert, R. (Submitted, November 29, 2021). "An Exploration of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Oral Health Students A Cross-Sectional Study". Journal of Dental Education.
- Ross, N.; Brown, C. & Johnstone, M. (2022). Dismantling Addiction Services: Neoliberal, Biomedical and Degendered Constraints on Social Work Practice. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Service, 1-14. DOI: 10.1007/s11469-022-00779-0.
- Johnstone, M.; Brown, C. & Ross, N. (2022). The McDonaldization of Social Work: a critical analysis of Mental health care services using the Choice and Partnership Approach (CAPA) in Canada. Journal of Progressive Human Services,33(3) 223-243.
- Ryan, C., Silvio, D., Borden, T. & Ross, N., Senior Author (2022). A review of pro-arrest, pro-charge and pro-prosecution policies as a response to domestic violence in Canada. Journal of Social Work, 22(1): 211-238.
- Ross, N. & Zubriski, S. (September 8, 2021) Federal election 2021: Gender-based violence is an issue we should all prioritize” for publication.
- Ross, N. (2021) Adverse Childhood Experiences: Implications for Social Work Practice Connection Magazine (3), 3:20-21.
- Ross, N. (2021) Pandemic Disruptions: The Subversion of Neoliberalism. Journal of Qualitative Social Work, 20(1-2):350-356.
Ryan, C., Silvio, D., Borden, T. & Ross, N., Senior Author (2021) A review of pro-arrest, pro-charge and pro-prosecution policies as a response to domestic violence in Canada. Journal of Social Work, 0(0) 1-28. DOI: 10.1177/1468017320979956.
- Ross, N. (2021) Pandemic Disruptions: The Subversion of Neoliberalism.Journalof Qualitative Social Work,20(1-2):350-356.
- Ryan, C., Silvio, D., Borden, T. & Ross, N., Senior Author (2021) A review of pro-arrest, pro-charge and pro-prosecution policies as a response to domestic violence in Canada.Journal of Social Work,0(0) 1-28. DOI: 10.1177/1468017320979956.
- Ross, N. & Morrison, J. (2020) Safety, Belonging and Voice: Critical Clinical Practice with Girls and Women Struggling with Substance Misuse. In C. Brown, & J. MacDonald, J. (Eds.)Critical Clinical Social Work Practice,pp.171-194. Canadian Scholars Press.
- Ross, N., Bookchin, S. (2020) Perils of Conversation: #MeToo and Opportunities for Peacebuilding.Gender and Management,35(4): 391-404.https://doi.org/10.1108/GM-12-2019-0237
- Ross, N., Gilbert, R., Torres, S., Dugas, K., Jefferies, P., McDonald, S., Savage, S. & Ungar, M. (2020) Adverse Childhood Experiences: Assessing the Impact on Physical and Psychosocial Health in Adulthood and the Mitigating Role of Resilience.Child Abuse and Neglect Journal,103(2020) 104440.
- Ross, N., Hall, C. & MacDonald, J. (2019) Myths, Misperceptions and Misunderstandings: the making of a social work documentary.Canadian SocialWork,20(2):135-151.
- Ross, N. (2019) Applying a Peacebuilding Framework to Gendered Partner Violence in Rural Canada.Peace Research: The Canadian Journal of Peace andConflict Studies,51(2):7-42.
- Ross, N. (2019) Imagining a Non-Violent World: ‘The Be the Peace, Make a Change Project’: A Rural Community Peacebuilding Initiative to End Gender-Based Violence.Peace & Conflict Studies, 26(1):1-23.
- Ross, N., Morrison, J. (2019) The Spiritual is Political: Owning our Interconnectedness in the Pursuit of Social Healing. In N. J. Profitt & C. Baskin (Eds.)Spirit in the Political Quest for an Equitable World: Spirituality, SocialJustice and Social Work,pp. 221-242. Canadian Scholars/Women’s Press.
- Profitt, N.J. & Ross, N. (2017) A critical Analysis of the Report Student Safety in Nova Scotia: Co-creating a Vision and Language for Safer and Socially Just Campus Communities. In E. Quinlan, A. Quinlan, C. Fogel & G. Taylor (Eds.)Sexual Violence at Canadian Universities: Activism, Institutional Responses andStrategies for Change,pp. 193-220. Wilfred Laurier Press.
- Ross, N., Morrison, J., Cukier, S., & Smith, T. (2015) Consuming Carcinogens: Women and Alcohol. In D. Scott (Ed.)Our Chemical Selves: Gender, Toxics, and Environmental Health.pp. 29-104. UBC Press.
- Ross, N., Morrison, J., Cukier, S., & Smith, T. (2015) (Peer reviewed) Consuming Carcinogens: Women and Alcohol. In D. Scott (Ed.)Our Chemical Selves: Gender, Toxics, and Environmental Health.Vancouver: UBC Press.
- Aston, S., Comeau, J. & Ross, N. (2007) Mapping Responses to Women with Substance Use Problems in Rural Canada In N. Poole & L. Greaves (Eds.)Highs and Lows. Canadian Canadian Perspectives on Women and Substance Use,pp. 305-311. Vancouver: BC Center for Excellence for Women’s Health. Center for Addiction and Mental Health.
- Aston, S., Ross, N. & Comeau, J. (2007) Mapping Uncharted Terrain: Women and Substance Use Problems in Rural Canada. In: N. Poole & L. Greaves (Eds.)Highs and Lows. Canadian Perspectives on Women and Substance Use,pp. 111-122. Vancouver: BC Center for Excellence for Women’s Health. Center for Addiction and Mental Health.
- Ross, N. (ed.) (2004-2011) Coming Home: Stories of Women in Recovery. The Lighthouse Log. Bridgewater: Lighthouse Publishing Ltd. (The aim of this column was to provide encouragement and reduce the stigma that exists for women coping with addiction).
Reports
- Ross, N. & Ryan, C. (2021) A Review of Pro-Arrest, Pro-Charge and Pro-Prosecution Policies: Redefining Responsesto Domestic Violence. URIDOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.19797.76000.
- Brown, C., Johnstone, M. & Ross, N. (2021) Repositioning Social Work Practice in Mental Health in Nova Scotia, Report. Halifax: Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (pages 172).
- Contributor to: Hearns, A. & Morrison, B. (2020) #Reimagine Nova Scotia: Protect and Support Cluster Consultation Contributor.
- Contributor to: Trauma-informed approaches An Introduction and Discussion Guide for Health and Social Service Providers. (2015)Halifax: Government of Nova Scotia.
Other Publications
- Ross, N. & Zubriski, S. (September 8, 2021) “Federal election 2021: Gender-based violence is an issue we should all prioritize” for publication.The Conversation.
- Ross, N. (2021) Adverse Childhood Experiences: Implications for Social Work PracticeConnectionMagazine (3), 3:20-21.
- Ross, N. (2018) Integrating the ‘Social” in Primary Health Care. Measuring Adverse Childhood Experiences, Current Health Challenges and Factors that Promote Resilience Among Patients of the Lunenburg Family Health Clinic.Connection Magazine(1) 4: 21-23.
Book Review
- Ross, N. (2013) [Review of the book Becoming Trauma Informed by N. Poole & L. Greaves]. Canadian Women’s Health Network. Retrieved from:
Films
- Ross, N. & Bagg, L. (2022) (Producers) They Didn’t Listen to My Story: Experiences of Women in the Domestic Violence Court.
- ‘I Work for Change’ [running time 54 min]. (2017) Hall, C. & Ross, N. (Co-Producers) This social work documentary that discusses the complexity of social work while celebrating the profession. Available online at: Vimeo:
- ‘Women of Substance’ [running time 8 min] (2012) Ross N. (Producer) Dealing with substance use can be challenging, but there is hope. In Women of Substance, you'll hear the stories of women who understand the challenges and the rewards individuals experience on the road to recovery. Available online at:
Media Interviews
- 630 CHED AM NEWS. November 23, 2022. Chelsea Bird and Daryl McIntyre Hosts. Interview regarding school strikes across Canada.
- Globe and Mail. October, 5, 2022. Cynthia McQueen. Interview regarding the costs of gender-based violence.
- CityNews 95.7 Radio. August 17, 2022. Todd Veinotte Show. Interview with Jordi Morgan: The Roots of Gender-Based Violence and promising prevention methods. (25:30-38 minutes)
- Global News Television. The Canadian Press, July 20, 2022. Michael Tutton. (Following Mass Casualty Commission Roundtable). Criminalize tactics of ‘coercive control’ of women used by N.S. mass killer: expert.
- The Halifax Chronicle Herald, July 20, 2022. Francis Campbell. ‘We Have to Reimagine Justice’. Coercive partner control discussion at inquiry parallels Banfield testimony.
- The Globe and Mail, June 14, 2022. Molly Hayes, Elizabeth Renzetti & Tavia Grant. Many women who suffer from intimate partner violence don’t trust the police. Why are they the default response?
- Dal News, May 10, 2022. Andrew Riley. Community First: Dal researchers work with African Nova Scotia and Mi’kmaq communities to get it right from the start. /news/2022/05/10/community-first--dal-researchers-work-with-african-nova-scotian-.html
- Halifax Herald, February 9, 2021. Nicole Sullivan. FACETS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE: ‘Take the veil of silence away’: Cyberbullying another kind of domestic abuse.
- The Signal, January 19, 2021. New report calls for better use of social workers in N.S. mental health services.
- Information Morning (CBC Radio), December 10, 2020. Do pro-arrest, pro-charge and pro-prosecution policies remain the most effective response to domestic violence in NS.
- CBC News (Website) December 11, 2020. N.S. justice system is harming domestic violence victims and needs to change, says report author.
- CBC Nova Scotia News December 10, 2020. Interviewed by Elizabeth Chiu related to Serrece Winter court case related to Gender-Based violence. CBC TV News: Nova Scotia at 6:00pm.
- Dal News, August 14, 2020. Matt Reeder: Ask an Expert Series: Social Work’s Nancy Ross Explains this year’s surge in domestic violence./news/2020/08/14/ask-an-expert--social-work-s-nancy-ross-explains-this-year-s-sur.html
- The Christian Science Monitor (June 15, 2020) Sara Miller Llana & Moira Donovan. As lockdown lingers, a rural reckoning with domestic violence. Available online:
- Global News (May 25, 2020) Jane Gerster N.S. mass shooting ‘completely senseless,’ Mounties said. Experts disagree. Available online:
- Global News (May 23, 2020) Jane Gerster Did we miss the Nova Scotia shooting warning signs-or dismiss them? Available online:
- National News Watch (April 26, 2020) N.S. mass murder shows the public threat of domestic violence, say experts.
- Toronto Star (April 26, 2020) N.S. mass murder shows the public threat of domestic violence, say experts.
- National Post (April 26, 2020) Adina Bresge. Nova Scotia mass murder 'catalyst' highlights an 'eerily familiar' threat of domestic violence, experts say.
- Halifax Examiner (April 26, 2020) Suzanne Rent. Male Violence: “A pandemic in its own right”.
- CTV Atlantic live (April 28, 2020) Heidi Petracek Focus on femicide: The Nova Scotia shootings’ connection to domestic violence.