College of Humanities and Social Sciences staff

Dr Shemana Cassim staff profile picture

Contact details +6469517966

Dr Shemana Cassim BSc, MasPsy, PhD

Lecturer in Psychology

Doctoral Co-Supervisor
School of Psychology

Dr Shemana Cassim has a background in Community Psychology. Her intellectual roots are located in Social and Indigenous Psychologies, and she takes an interdisciplinary approach to research and teaching. Her areas of interest and expertise include working alongside Muslim, migrant and ethnic communities to promote wellbeing, social justice, equitable outcomes and ultimately the flourishing of our communities.

Shemana was a co-convenor of the Aotearoa Migration Research Network from 2019-2023, an executive council member of CEAD (Contemporary Ethnographies Across Disciplines) from 2018-2022 and is currently on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology and the Journal of Political Psychology. Her areas of interest and expertise include working alongside Muslim, migrant and ethnic communities to promote wellbeing, social justice, equitable outcomes and ultimately the flourishing of our communities.

Previously, Shemana was a Research Fellow at the University of Waikato, where she was involved in multiple externally funded projects aimed at promoting equitable outcomes for communities of colour. She has also held a Research Fellowship with Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence. Shemana has published widely in the scholarly arena. Her most recent collaborative book is entitled Transforming the Politics of Mobility and Migration in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Shemana has a background in Community Psychology. Her intellectual roots are located in Social and Indigenous Psychologies, and she takes an interdisciplinary approach to research and teaching. Her areas of interest and expertise include working alongside Muslim, migrant and ethnic communities to promote wellbeing, social justice, equitable outcomes and ultimately the flourishing of our communities.

Shemana was a co-convenor of the Aotearoa Migration Research Network from 2019-2023, an executive council member of CEAD (Contemporary Ethnographies Across Disciplines) from 2018-2022 and is currently on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology and the Journal of Political Psychology. 

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Professional

Contact details

  • Location: 3.14, School of Psychology
    Campus: Albany

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science - University of Melbourne (2010)
  • Master of Applied Psychology - University of Waikato (2013)
  • Doctor of Philosophy - University of Waikato (2017)

Certifications and Registrations

  • Licence, Co-Supervisor, Massey University

Research Expertise

Research Interests

Indigenous Psychologies; working with Muslim migrant communities, Sri Lankan migrants and/or migrants of colour, and Indigenous psychologies as relating to Asia-Pacific contexts;

Social and Community Psychology;

Community Research;

Qualitative Research

Thematics

Health and Well-being

Area of Expertise

Field of research codes
Psychological Methodology, Design and Analysis (170110): Psychology (170100): Psychology And Cognitive Sciences (170000): Social and Community Psychology (170113)

Research Projects

Summary of Research Projects

Position Current Completed
Project Leader 2 0

Research Outputs

Journal

Norman, K., Cassim, S., Papa, V., Te-Karu, L., Clark, P., Mullins, H., . . . Chepulis, L. (2023). “Prescribing for the whole person”: A qualitative study exploring prescribing pharmacist views on type 2 diabetes management in New Zealand. BMC Health Services Research. 23(1)
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S., & Keelan, TJ. (2023). A review of localised Māori community responses to Covid-19 lockdowns in Aotearoa New Zealand. AlterNative. 19(1), 42-50
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Chepulis, L., Papa, V., Morison, B., Cassim, S., & Martis, R. (2022). Barriers to Screening for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in New Zealand Following the Introduction of Universal Screening Recommendations. Women's Health Reports. 3(1), 465-472 Retrieved from https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/whr.2021.0149
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S., Kidd, J., Ali, M., Abdul Hamid, N., Jamil, D., Keenan, R., . . . Lawrenson, R. (2022). 'Look, wait, I'll translate': Refugee women's experiences with interpreters in healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand. Australian Journal of Primary Health. 28(4), 296-302
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S., Ali, M., Kidd, J., Keenan, R., Begum, F., Jamil, D., . . . Lawrenson, R. (2022). The experiences of refugee Muslim women in the Aotearoa New Zealand healthcare system. Kotuitui. 17(1), 75-89
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Masters-Awatere, B., Cassim, S., Tamatea, J., Scott, N., Simpson, C., & Paekau, C. (2021). Erratum: He Pikinga Waiora Kimi Ora lifestyle programme: case study of a successful community-based Indigenous diabetes intervention (The New Zealand medical journal). The New Zealand medical journal. 134(1547), 135
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S., Kidd, J., Rolleston, A., Keenan, R., Aitken, D., Firth, M., . . . Lawrenson, R. (2021). Hā Ora: Barriers and enablers to early diagnosis of lung cancer in primary healthcare for Māori communities. European Journal of Cancer Care. 30(2)
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S., Kidd, J., Keenan, R., Middleton, K., Rolleston, A., Hokowhitu, B., . . . Lawrenson, R. (2021). Indigenous perspectives on breaking bad news: Ethical considerations for healthcare providers. Journal of Medical Ethics. 47(12), E62
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Masters-Awatere, B., Cassim, S., Tamatea, J., Scott, N., Simpson, C., & Paekau, C. (2021). He Pikinga Waiora Kimi Ora lifestyle programme: case study of a successful community-based Indigenous diabetes intervention. New Zealand Medical Journal. 134(1545), 68-78
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Kidd, J., Cassim, S., Rolleston, A., Chepulis, L., Hokowhitu, B., Keenan, R., . . . Lawrenson, R. (2021). Hā Ora: secondary care barriers and enablers to early diagnosis of lung cancer for Māori communities. BMC Cancer. 21(1)
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Chepulis, L., Morison, B., Cassim, S., Norman, K., Keenan, R., Paul, R., . . . Lawrenson, R. (2021). Barriers to Diabetes Self-Management in a Subset of New Zealand Adults with Type 2 Diabetes and Poor Glycaemic Control. Journal of Diabetes Research. 2021
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Kidd, J., Cassim, S., Rolleston, A., Keenan, R., Lawrenson, R., Sheridan, N., . . . Hokowhitu, B. (2021). Hā Ora: Reflecting on a Kaupapa Māori Community-Engaged Co-design Approach to Lung Cancer Research. International Journal of Indigenous Health. 16(2), 192-207 Retrieved from https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/ijih/article/view/33106
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G., Sheridan, N.
Blackmore, T., Norman, K., Kidd, J., Cassim, S., Chepulis, L., Keenan, R., . . . Lawrenson, R. (2020). Barriers and facilitators to colorectal cancer diagnosis in New Zealand: A qualitative study. BMC Family Practice. 21(1)
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Egan, R., Kidd, J., Lawrenson, R., Cassim, S., Black, S., Blundell, R., . . . Broughton, J. (2020). Inequalities between Māori and non-Māori men with prostate cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal. 133(1521), 69-76
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Rolleston, AK., Cassim, S., Kidd, J., Lawrenson, R., Keenan, R., & Hokowhitu, B. (2020). Seeing the unseen: evidence of kaupapa Māori health interventions. AlterNative. 16(2), 129-136
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S., Hodgetts, D., & Stolte, O. (2020). Exploring distancing among Sri Lankan migrants in New Zealand. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 79, 165-176
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G., Hodgetts, D.
Cassim, S., Stolte, O., & Hodgetts, D. (2020). Migrants straddling the “here” and “there”: Explorations of habitus and hybrid identities among Sri Lankan migrants in New Zealand. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology. 30(2), 185-198
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G., Hodgetts, D.
Kidd, J., Cassim, S., Rolleston, A., & Keenan, R. (2019). Co-opting or Valuing the Indigenous Voice Through Translation? A Decision for Research Teams. The Ethnographic Edge. 3(1) Retrieved from https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/ethnographic-edge/article/view/224
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Kidd, J., Raphael, D., Cassim, S., Black, S., Blundell, R., & Egan, R. (2019). Health service provider responses to indigenous peoples with cancer: An integrative review. European Journal of Cancer Care. 28(2)
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S., Chepulis, L., Keenan, R., Kidd, J., Firth, M., & Lawrenson, R. (2019). Patient and carer perceived barriers to early presentation and diagnosis of lung cancer: A systematic review. BMC Cancer. 19(1)
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S., Hodgetts, D., & Stolte, O. (2019). Hybrid identities and interconnected spatialities: The role of cricket in the settlement of Sri Lankan migrants in New Zealand. Community Psychology in Global Perspective.. 5(2), 30-45
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G., Hodgetts, D.
Cassim, S., Stolte, O., & Hodgetts, D. (2015). Metonymic objects, cultural practices and narrative repair: Sri Lankan responses to the Indian Ocean tsunami. Journal of Health Psychology. 20(7), 974-983
[Journal article]Authored by: Cassim, G., Hodgetts, D.

Book

Cassim, S. (2023). “PERMANENT TEMPORARINESS”— THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF MIGRATION AND WORK?. In Tackling Precarious Work: Toward Sustainable Livelihoods. (pp. 493 - 515).
[Chapter]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S., & Terruhn, J. (2023). Conclusion: Towards transforming the politics of mobility and migration in Aotearoa New Zealand. In Transforming the Politics of Mobility and Migration in Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 219 - 224).
[Chapter]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Terruhn, J., & Cassim, S. (2023). Introduction: Reimagining the politics of mobility and migration through decolonisation, social justice and solidarities. In Transforming the Politics of Mobility and Migration in Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 1 - 14).
[Chapter]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S., Khan-Janif, J., & Martiarini, N. (2023). Building enduring relationships for a shared sense of belonging: Culturally derived solidarities between Muslim migrants and Māori. In Transforming the Politics of Mobility and Migration in Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 157 - 172).
[Chapter]Authored by: Cassim, G.
(2023). Transforming the politics of mobility and migration in Aotearoa New Zealand.
[Edited Book]Authored by: Cassim, G.Edited by: Cassim, G.
Kukutai, T., Cassim, G., Clark, V., Jones, N., Mika, J., Morar, R., . . . Sterling, R.(2023). Māori data sovereignty and privacy. Tikanga in Technology Discussion Paper. Te Ngira Institute for Population Research.
[Discussion Paper]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S. (2018). Intercultural psychology: A case from Sri Lanka. In Asia-Pacific Perspectives on Intercultural Psychology. (pp. 157 - 174).
[Chapter]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S., Hodgetts, D., & Stolte, O. (2015). Cultural consideration and mixed methods for psychological research: A Sri Lankan perspective. In Ethnographies in Pan Pacific Research: Tensions and Positionings. (pp. 111 - 121).
[Chapter]Authored by: Cassim, G., Hodgetts, D.

Thesis

Cassim, S. (2017). Oceans away: Sri Lankan migrants in New Zealand – Explorations of hybrid identities, distance & everyday material practices. (Doctoral Thesis, University of Waikato)
[Doctoral Thesis]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S. (2013). Re-membering those lost: The role of materiality in narrative repair following a natural disaster. (Master's Thesis, University of Waikato)
[Masters Thesis]Authored by: Cassim, G.

Report

Cassim, GS., Khan-Janif, J., Ali, M., Ali, N., Shah Drew, S., Slaimankhel, J., . . . Hopner, V. (2023). Project Salaam: Evaluation Report. Massey University.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Cassim, G., Hodgetts, D., Hopner, V.
Lawrenson, R., Cassim, S., Kidd, J., Rolleston, A., Hokowhitu, B., Chepulis, L., . . . Keenan, R.(2021). Ha ora: Improving access to early diagnosis of lung cancer for Maori and rural communities. Understanding patient experiences in General Practice. Hamilton, New Zealand: University of Waikato
[Technical Report]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Kukutai, T., Clark, V., Mika, J., Muru-Lanning, M., Pouwhare, R., Sterling, R., . . . Cassim, S.(2021). The COVID 19 domestic vaccine pass: Implications for Māori. : University of Waikato
[Technical Report]Authored by: Cassim, G.
Cassim, S.(2012). Evaluation of the Waikato Valley Emergency Operation Centre’s response to evacuees from the Christchurch disaster. Hamilton, New Zealand
[Technical Report]Authored by: Cassim, G.

Teaching and Supervision

Summary of Doctoral Supervision

Position Current Completed
Co-supervisor 1 0

Current Doctoral Supervision

Co-supervisor of:

  • Kim Finkler - Doctor of Philosophy
    Precarity and the Justice System - The Case of a Community Law Centre in the 'Heart of Ngāpuhi