Women-led collaboration between scholars in Alberta and West Africa empowers social change

The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships project, Partnering for Innovation in Women-led Social Work and Social Science in West Africa, is fostering collaboration between scholars in Canada and West Africa. Emphasizing education and innovation systems, climate resilience and sustainable food systems, and ethics in development research, the project aims to enhance institutional capacity and generate transformative social workers and scientists.

The project is providing researchers with an international opportunity to explore new research questions and to consider social work practice in an international context. As the profession of social work aims to address local-global challenges in the field of international social work and social development, there is a need for researchers and practitioners to collaborate in addressing the most critical issues in society. 

This project brings together early-career social work faculty members and PhD student candidates for an international exchange with a robust research component and non-academic field placement in the host communities in Accra, Ghana, and in Calgary and Edmonton. 

Scholars are actively engaged to pursue new research questions, to develop new partnerships, and to meet with social work agencies for new learning. Participants are also sharing their research insights and presenting their work in conferences, webinars, guest lectures, and in writing academic papers.

Dr. Julie Drolet, PhD, a professor in the Faculty of Social Work says, "We are very fortunate to have been awarded this project from QES to advance this international program that provides social work scholars with opportunities to exchange with faculty and community members through innovative projects in Accra and Edmonton. 

"The impact of such an international experience is profound. The MOU between the University of Calgary and the University of Ghana is being implemented through research and field opportunities for faculty and students, which is critical in our interconnected world." The project provides Ghanaian and Canadian scholars with funding to participate in the program and to meet in person for this international experience.”

Patrina Duhaney: Championing racial and gender justice in Ghana

Dr. Patrina Duhaney, PhD, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Social Work, recently participated in this initiative as an outgoing scholar. Her research focuses on race, racism, victimization, intimate partner violence (IPV), and criminalization, using transformative approaches to advance racial and gender justice.

Reflecting on her 37-day research placement in Ghana, Duhaney shared insights into her background and motivations: "My interest in advancing racial and gender justice aligned well with one of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship program’s focus areas: Education and Innovation Systems. Specifically, I focused on intimate partner violence in Black communities." 

Duhaney’s extensive experience in the violence against women sector, coupled with her commitment to raising awareness of anti-Black racism, made her a perfect fit for the program. Encouraged by colleagues, she saw the Queen Elizabeth Scholars Program as an opportunity to contribute to meaningful domestic violence research and gain international experience.

In Ghana, Duhaney engaged with local communities through her placement at the Ark Foundation, providing therapeutic intervention, participating in shelter activities, and delivering workshops. She also guest-lectured at universities and explored historical landmarks to understand the intergenerational effects of the trans-Atlantic slave trade on Black people.

"This experience has given me a renewed appreciation for scholars in the Global South. To effectively address anti-Black racism and domestic violence, I must gain insights from transdisciplinary perspectives," she says. 

Duhaney emphasizes the importance of Black scholars conducting international research and ensuring that white scholars do not cause harm or merely extract from these communities. “I often teach about the effects of slavery and colonization on Black communities but until I visited Ghana, I did not understand the atrocious conditions Black people were subjected to. I was exposed to remnants of the Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle, two of the main hubs for the transatlantic slave trade, where slaves were sold and shipped.”

Looking ahead, Duhaney plans to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange between Canadian and West African institutions. Several professors at the University of Ghana have expressed interest in future collaborations, and she is eager to contribute to ongoing and new projects.

Gertrude Aba Mansah Eyifa-Dzidzienyo: Enhancing archaeological and museological research

Dr. Gertrude Aba Mansah Eyifa-Dzidzienyo, a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, came to UCalgary for a three-month research exchange. With a background in archaeology and museology, her work has been fuelled by a deep curiosity about past cultural lifeways and a strong commitment to increasing the presence of Ghanaian female archaeologists in academia. 

This foundation naturally led her to pursue the QES project, where she saw an opportunity to not only expand her academic horizons but to also contribute meaningfully to the cross-cultural exchange of knowledge.

Eyifa-Dzidzienyo applied for this project to build professional and personal capacity as an African and Ghanaian female researcher through networking with faculty and accessing research resources at UCalgary. Cross-cultural sharing and knowledge exchange enhanced her perspectives and provided knowledge applicable in the Ghanaian context.

"I am most interested in the QES project’s focus on climate resilience and sustainable food systems," Eyifa-Dzidzienyo says. Her research explores how shrine systems and Indigenous knowledge practices relate to the environment, food systems, ethnomedicine, and adaptability to environmental changes. 

She believes her work in Canada will lead to future research collaborations and impact her teaching and research, benefiting her students. By engaging with her home community, she aims to build stronger relationships for research collaborations and community projects.

Charles Mather, PhD, associate professor, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, UCalgary, expresses optimism about the future: “The project was fortunate to attract a scholar and person of the caliber of Dr. Eyifa Dzidzienyo. She will draw upon her experiences in Calgary and the relationships she has forged with members of both the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology and the consulting firm Lifeways of Canada to establish a new research program focused upon sustainability of heritage in Ghana.  

"She was an amazing professional and academic ambassador in Calgary, and she made a remarkable number of friends in the diasporan Ghanaian community in Calgary.  Members of her church group in Calgary are keen on bringing her back!”

By connecting Canadian and West African institutions, the QES project is building a foundation for long-lasting collaboration and advancing critical social work and social science research on a global scale.