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Dr Tracy Morison PhD
Senior Lecturer
Doctoral Supervisor School of PsychologyTracy Morison is a senior lecturer in health psychology. She is also an Editor of Feminism & Psychology and an Honorary Research Associate of the Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction programme at Rhodes University (South Africa) where she obtained her PhD. Her postdoctoral work was conducted at the Human Sciences Research Council in South Africa, where she subsequently worked as a senior researcher before returning to the academe. Dr Morison’s research is located at the intersection of health psychology, critical psychology, and feminism. Her work explores how the socio-political context shapes sexual and reproductive decision-making, relations, and practices, focusing on how these are enabled or restricted for different groups of people, according to gender, sexuality, and other social categorisations. She draws on feminist and other critical theories and in-depth qualitative methodologies to illuminate the multiple, complex processes and settings in which sexualities and reproduction are embedded.
In 2019 Dr Morison was awarded a grant by the Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund for a transnational project (between New Zealand and South Africa) intended to develop Reproductive Justice theory. The project concerns the reproductive politics surrounding long-acting reversible contraception. In addition to academic articles and chapters, Dr Morison has published a monograph based on her doctoral research, entitled Men’s pathways to parenthood (Morison & Macleod, 2015, HSRC Press) and =2 co-edited books, Sexual and Reproductive health and justice: From the margins to the centre (Morison & Mavuso, 2022) and Queer Kinship (Morison, Lynch, & Reddy, 2019, Routledge/Unisa Press).
Tracy Morison is a senior lecturer in health psychology, an honorary research associate of the Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction programme at Rhodes University (South Africa), and an Editor for Feminism & Psychology. Her research is located in the overlapping areas of health psychology, critical psychology, and feminism. She uses feminist and critical theories, alongside in-depth qualitative methodologies to investigate the multiple, complex processes in which sexual and reproductive health is embedded.
Professional
Contact details
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Ph: X86216
Location: 3.04, School of Psychology
Campus: Manawatu
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy - Rhodes University (2011)
Certifications and Registrations
- Licence, Supervisor, Massey University
Prizes and Awards
- Mid-career Researcher Award - International Society for Critical Health Psychology (2021)
- Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) Humanities Book Award - Long List: Morison & Macleod (2015) Men's pathways to parenthood. - Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) Humanities Book Award (2016)
- I am an Honorary Research Associate Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction, Department of Psychology, Rhodes University, South Africa. - Rhodes University (2012)
- Selected for Emerging Psychologists’ Programme - International Congress of Psychology (2012)
Research Expertise
Research Interests
My main areas of interest and expertise are in sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice including, but not limited to the following.
- Main focus areas: Contraception, abortion, and pregnancy
- Reproductive decision-making (including choosing parenthood or voluntary childlessness)
- Gendered aspects of Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Sexualities (including heterosexuality) and Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Sexual and Reproductive Health services, especially for LGBTQ+ and other marginalised groups
- Related topics like sex education, activism/advocacy, or health service access and use
- Feminist theory, including Feminist Poststructuralism and Reproductive Justice Theory
Thematics
21st Century Citizenship, Health and Well-being
Area of Expertise
Field of research codes
Developmental Psychology and Ageing (170102):
Gender Psychology (170105):
Health, Clinical and Counselling Psychology (170106):
Psychology (170100):
Psychology And Cognitive Sciences (170000):
Social and Community Psychology (170113)
Keywords
- Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, & Justice
- Gender and feminism
- Critical theory
- Qualitative methods
Research Projects
Summary of Research Projects
Position | Current | Completed |
---|---|---|
Project Leader | 1 | 3 |
Current Projects
Project Title: Balancing access and agency in Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) programming: Developing a reproductive justice framework for Aotearoa New Zealand
Date Range: 2019 - 2023
Funding Body: Royal Society of New Zealand
Project Team:
- Dr Tracy Morison - Project Leader
- Dr Jade Sophia Le Grice - Team Member
- Catriona Macleod - Team Member
Research Outputs
Journal
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T., Taylor, J.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T., Ross, K., Taylor, J.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T., Stephens, C.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T., Ross, K., Taylor, J.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T., Ross, K., Taylor, J.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T., Stephens, C.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Book Review]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Journal article]Authored by: Morison, T.
Book
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.Edited by: Morison, T.
[Edited Book]Edited by: Morison, T.

[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Authored Book]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.Edited by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.Edited by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.Edited by: Morison, T.
[Edited Book]Authored by: Morison, T.Edited by: Morison, T.

[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.Edited by: Hodgetts, D.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.Edited by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Authored Book]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Authored Book]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.Contributed to by: Morison, T.
[Chapter]Authored by: Morison, T.
Thesis
[Doctoral Thesis]Authored by: Morison, T.
Report
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Morison, T.
Conference
[Conference Other]Authored by: Morison, T.Contributed to by: Morison, T.

[Conference Paper]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Conference Paper]Authored by: Morison, T., Riley, S.
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Morison, T., Ross, K., Taylor, J.
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Conference Poster]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference Other]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Conference]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Conference]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Conference]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Morison, T.
Other
[Internet publication]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Internet publication]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Other]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Other]Authored by: Morison, T.

[Other]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Other]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Other]Authored by: Morison, T.Contributed to by: Morison, T.
[Other]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Other]Authored by: Morison, T.
[Internet publication]Authored by: Morison, T.
Consultancy and Languages
Languages
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English
Last used: Now
Spoken ability: Excellent
Written ability: Excellent -
Afrikaans
Last used: Today
Spoken ability: Average
Written ability: Average -
Xhosa
Last used: Today
Spoken ability: Needs work
Written ability: Needs work
Teaching and Supervision
Teaching Statement
Tracy is a member of the Health Pscyhology programme. She is the course co-odinator for the postgraduate Health Promotion and Health Psychology Practicum courses.
Graduate Supervision Statement
My approach to supervision is to see students as apprentice researchers and I try to balance formal guidance with pastoral care. Drawing on my background in research project management, I frame the task for students as a project with component parts, to scaffold the process as they work systematically through each phase. I also aim to help students develop generic research skills (e.g. project management, budgeting, information management).
I welcome students who wish to use qualitative methods and critical theories to explore sexual and reproductive health issues. My main areas of interest and expertise are in sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice including, but not limited to the following.
- Main focus areas: Contraception, abortion, and pregnancy
- Reproductive decision-making (including choosing parenthood or voluntary childlessness)
- Gendered aspects of Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Sexualities (including heterosexuality) and Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Sexual and Reproductive Health services, especially for LGBTQ+ and other marginalised groups
- Related topics like sex education, activism/advocacy, or health service access and use
- Feminist theory, including Feminist Poststructuralism and Reproductive Justice Theory
I would be interested in working on projects related to abortion and digital stories; contraception for gender non-conforming people; and (cisgender) men and contraception.
As an idea of the projects I supervise, here are some examples of student projects under my supervision:
- Sexuality education and youth engagement with online pornography
- Sexuality education policy analysis
- Support workers and the sexual and reproductive health and rights of intellectually disabled women
- Young women's experiences of painful sexual intercourse
- Young women's experiences of "period poverty" (aka menstrual inequity)
- Older childfree/voluntarily childless women's experiences of stigma
- Gay men, Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and sexual intimacy
- Working mother's breastfeeding in the context of Early-Childhood Education
- Smoking in pregnancy
Dr Tracy Morison is available for Masters and Doctorial supervision.
Summary of Doctoral Supervision
Position | Current | Completed |
---|---|---|
Co-supervisor | 1 | 2 |
Current Doctoral Supervision
Co-supervisor of:
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Jessica Tappin
-
Doctor of Philosophy
Understanding the social discourses that shape the way young women learn about sexual desire.
Completed Doctoral Supervision
Co-supervisor of:
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2022
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Made Lestari
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Doctor of Philosophy
Multigenerational caregiving for older people in Bali: Combining macro and micro perspectives to understand ageing, family, and caregiving -
2022
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Siobhan Healy-Cullen
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Doctor of Philosophy
'Porn Literacy’ as Pedagogy?: Key Stakeholder Perspectives on Understanding and Responding to Young People's Engagement with Internet Pornography
Media and Links
Media
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31 May 2013 - Magazine
Opinion editorial: Reproductive Justice
News Magazine article -
31 Jan 2015 - Magazine
Article: Family Diversity
News magazine article -
30 Sep 2015 - Magazine
Article: 'Non-conventional' families
News magazine article -
28 Mar 2019 - Newspaper
Interview for WIRED: voluntary childlessness
WIRED article by Emma Gray Ellis -
28 Jun 2022 - Television
Abortion laws in Aotearoa NZ
News Hub Late Edition - view more...
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28 Jun 2022 - Newspaper
Abortion Laws in Aotearoa NZ
News Hub Media - interview -
28 Apr 2015 - Radio
Interview: voluntary childlessness
Radio 702 (South African national Talk Radio station) -
26 Aug 2022 - Online
Who decides women’s best interests?
Opinion Editorial -
24 Feb 2022 - Radio
Interview on national telehealth abortion service
Interview with 95b FM -
23 Sep 2015 - Radio
Interview: Gay fathers & caregivers
Unisa Radio (South African campus radio station) -
22 Sep 2015 - Online
Article: Gay fathers & caregivers
Invited contribution for The Conversation -
20 Sep 2022 - Online, Newspaper
What the abortion statistics actually say
Provided expert advice and reviewed -
18 May 2022 - Newspaper
Interview with MU Journalism student, B. Stone
Interviewed for 3-part feature on abortion to be published freelance -
17 Aug 2017 - Radio
Interview: Men's Pathways to Parenthood
Interviewed on SAFM 'The Talk Shop' with Naledi Moleo (a South African national radio station) about my co-authored book (Morison & Macleod, 2015) -
15 Nov 2021 - Other
Linguistics lounge - expert contributor
Surfing the Crimson Wave: Talking and not talking about menstruation Tony Fisher talks to Dr Tracy Morrison and Professor Alma Gottlieb about menstruation, its meaning in different cultures, and the m -
13 Jun 2022 - Newspaper
Interviewed by S. Solomon
Talking to children about menstruation -
13 Jun 2022 - Newspaper, Online
Talking to kids about periods
Stuff News, Serena Solomon, talking about periods with children -
10 Sep 2021 - Online
Mid-Career Award feature
Rhodes University academic and alumnae win big at inaugural ISCHP awards -
07 Oct 2021 - Video
"MENSTRUATION MYTHS AND PERCEPTIONS" (EONZ)
Contributed to EONZ resource, which includes a four-part video series. The videos address some of the key topics covered in the resource. It is delivered in a youth-friendly and engaging way, so it’s -
07 Oct 2020 - Newspaper
Op-ed: social stigma behind & period poverty
We need to tackle the social stigma behind period poverty -
06 Jun 2019 - Newspaper
Interview NZ Herald: Voluntary childlessness
Jamie Morton for New Zealand Herald -
05 Nov 2018 - Newspaper, Online
Interview: same-sex parenthood & families
Interview for News24 about my queer parenthood and my forthcoming editted book, Queer Kinship, with Beth Amato. -
02 Dec 2015 - Radio
Interview: Gay fathers & caregivers
Interview on SAFM (national South African radio station) about my research -
02 Aug 2022 - Newspaper, Online
Interview
Stuff News, Michelle Duff, Abortion -
01 Nov 2022 - Newspaper
Telehealth service expands access to safe abortion
RNZ -
01 Nov 2022 - Radio
Interview on RNZ Morning Report
Phone option for abortions rolling out -
01 Mar 2013 - Magazine
"What to expect when you're not expecting"
Women's Health, Carrie Anton, March 2013 -
01 Jun 2022 - Online
Interviewed by S. Lang, CapsuleNZ on abortion
Provided expertise for a piece on abortion access in the USA and the impact on NZ and the rest of the world. -
01 Feb 2020 - Magazine
Interview North & South: Voluntary childlessness
- view less...
Other Links
- Professional website - Learn more about Dr Morison's work, access her publications, and connect with her here.