Julie-Ann McCausland

PhD Student

Email: jp.mccausland@mail.utoronto.ca

Areas of Interest

• Black Feminism
• Postmodernism
• Black Atlantic Theory
• Transnational Feminisms
• Critical Race Theory
• Caribbean Studies
• Anti-Colonialism
• Queer Studies
• Caribbean's colonial-era Homophobic Laws

Biography

Julie-Ann Patricia McCausland is a poet, and African-Caribbean storyteller. Julie-Ann has a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree which she completed at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, St. George Campus. Previously, Julie-Ann completed a Bachelor with Honors degree with specialization in Gender Studies and a Minor in Equity Studies at the University of Toronto, St. George Campus. Julie-Ann is currently a PhD student at the Women & Gender Studies Institute, University of Toronto

Julie-Ann’s research focuses on the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) with an intent of emphasizing the labour hardships, discriminations, marginalization and invisibilization of Seasonal Agricultural Workers (SAWs) who are women and/or gender nonconforming individuals. Julie-Ann’s research examines the systemic barriers, such as labour hardships, violence and invisibilization faced by SAWs, and how their non-citizen status cumulatively impacts their wellbeing and health in adverse ways.

Julie-Ann research is meaningful to her because has always sought to make a positive difference in the lives of people affected by social exclusion and institutional and systematic oppression. Before coming to Canada, Julie-Ann spent several years as a Justice of the Peace in Jamaica. She is very passionate about advocating for human rights and social and cultural change.

Julie-Ann has written, self-published and distributed a not-for-resale children’s book written for her son. The book is in her son’s voice and focuses on his body, his thoughts, and his overall experience in school. The book is intended for boys with learning disabilities. She has also published a poetry piece titled: “Black Oman Badi”, which celebrates Black womanhood. This is a substantial accomplishment that she is very proud.

Program: PhD 2022

Education

Master of Social Work (MSW) degree which she completed at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, St. George Campus.

Bachelor with Honors degree with specialization in Gender Studies and a Minor in Equity Studies at the University of Toronto, St. George Campus

Dissertation

Supervisor: Dr. Shauna Sweeney and Dr. Alissa Trotz

Selected Works

McCausland, Julie-Ann. (May 2020). “Racial Capitalism, Slavery, Labour Regimes and Exploitation in the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program”. Caribbean Quilt, vol. 4. University of Toronto, Canada.

McCausland, Julie-Ann. (May 2020). “Book Review: Who is Claudia Jones?”. Caribbean Quilt, vol. 4. University of Toronto, Canada.

McCausland, Julie-Ann. (May 2019). “BLACK OMAN BADI”. University of Toronto’s Caribbean Studies Undergraduate Journal Caribbean Quilt, vol. 4. University of Toronto, Canada.

McCausland, Julie-Ann. (November 2017). “Likkle (Little) Black Boy”. Self-Published Children’s Book. link: https://wgsi.utoronto.ca/news/likkle-little-black-boy-story-by-julie-ann-mccausland

Honours and Awards