Bio
Dr. Debra D. Joseph is the coordinator of and tenured lecturer in Social Work at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados. She is also the Graduate coordinator. She is also a clinical social worker who has worked with individuals and families for over 14 years. She is involved with the issues of HIV/AIDS that affect women and children from a clinical and research standpoint. She is also an avid supporter and researcher of social work’s involvement in climate change, environmental sustainability and domestic violence and has published in these areas. Dr Joseph supports the None in Three EU initiative on Domestic Violence at the University of Huddersfield and has analysed the men and youth aspect of the qualitative research segment for Barbados and Grenada. She is presently an honorary consultant at that establishment. She has recently completed research on the ‘Women Fisher Folk Barbados-A Gendered Lens’ Research Project and ‘Female Headed Households: Aftermath of Hurricane Maria’.
Qualifications
Ph.D. Social Work, University of Huddersfield
Master of Social Work (MSW), The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine
B.Sc. Social Work with Psychology (First Class Honours), The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine
Research Areas
Avid supporter and researcher of social work’s involvement in climate change, environmental sustainability, women fisher folk and domestic violence and has published in these areas.
Recipient of the Jeremy Collymore Award for Research in Humanitarian Response and Disaster Risk Management 2019.
Scholarship to attend the ‘Women Deliver’ Conference in Vancouver in 2019 because of her research that sheds light on gender issues.
- Women Fisher-Folk Barbados- A Gendered Lens. Funded: Parts 1 and 2- Graduate Research fund
- Psychosocial Issues Affecting Female-Headed Households Post Hurricane Maria in Dominica. Funded: CEDEMA
Teaching Areas
Social work courses, entry level
Electives such as:
SOWK4005, Crisis Intervention
SOWK3031, Biopsychosocial Issues with HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean
Select Publications
Patrick Cloos, Maeva Belloiseau, Nickez Mc Pherson, Debra D. Joseph, Kate Zinszer (2023) “Discussing linkages between climate change, human mobility and health in the Caribbean: the case of Dominica. A qualitative study”- Research paper for the special issue: Transdisciplinary Collaborations on Climate Change and Health in The Journal of Climate Change and Health.
Doi : 10.1016/j.joclim.2023.100237
Joseph, D. D., & Jones, A. D. (2023). Understanding Violence Against Women in the Caribbean Through an Exploration of Men’s Perspectives. Violence Against Women, 29(5), 1005–1023. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012221104845
Joseph, D. Debra (2017) “Social Work models for climate adaptation: the case of small islands in the Caribbean”. Springer Regional Environmental Change (Special Issue) Vol 17 (4) pp. 1117 to 1126 doi:10.1007/s10113-017-1114-8.
Joseph, D. D. & Doon, R, A. (2022), The Social and Economic Implications of Environmental Justice for the Elderly: A Case for Social Work Interventions in the Caribbean. In D. Madhanagopal, C. Beer, B. Nikku and A, Pelser (eds.) Environmental, Climate, and Social Justice: Perspectives and Practices from the Global South. Palgrave Macmillan. [ISBN 978-981-19-1986-2 (NEW)
Joseph, D. Debra & Doon, A. Roshnie (2021). “The women in seafood landscape: a look at the social and economic challenges of gender -based violence”. Gender and Domestic Violence in the Caribbean”. Editors: Anne Marie Bissessar & Camille Huggins. ISBN (978-3-030-73471-8). Palgrave-McMillan (NEW)
Hayward, A. & Joseph, D. Debra (2017) “Climate Change and Vulnerable Populations in the Caribbean”: Environmental Justice and Environmental Health. Social Work Education. Vol 11 (5) pp 192-197.
Additional Info
Online Research Presence
Life Stories- Women Fisher Folk Barbados- A Gendered Lens Part 2 (completed)
Disseminated on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCLNpVp_1jVctqPz8sO9DTQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenfisherfolkbb/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenfisherfolkbb/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wffbarbados
Keywords
Climate change, disaster management, Caribbean, domestic violence, women in fisheries, HIV/AIDS, environmental justice and sustainability.