Michelle Stewart

Associate Professor; Director, Regina Improvisation Studies Centre; Researcher, Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit
PhD, MA, BA (University of California)

E-mail: michelle.stewart@uregina.ca
Phone: 306-585-4873
Fax: 306-585-4815
Pronoun(s): she/they

Current classes
Winter 2024 - WGST 380AY-001

Research interests

  • Applied anthropology
  • Disability justice
  • Settler colonialism
  • Forensic social sciences, science and technology studies
  • Harm reduction
  • Justice system

Dr. Michelle Stewart is an Associate Professor in Gender, Religion and Critical Studies and is also teaches in the Department of Justice Studies. Michelle is an interdisciplinary scholar working with research and evaluation teams at the regional, national and international level. As an applied anthropologist trained in Science and Technology Studies as well as visual and legal anthropology, Michelle focuses on research, interventions, evaluation and community collaboration in the area of cognitive disabilities, mental health and racialized inequalities as they present in the criminal justice and child welfare systems—but are traced back to Social Determinants of Health. Michelle was raised as a settler, and her research and community work focuses on the ongoing role of settler colonialism and systemic racism that creates racialized disparities in the justice system—with an aim to decolonize programs and practices. From the delivery of training to scholarly and artistic outputs, Michelle focuses on high-impact, community-driven, and action-oriented projects. Michelle recently completed two terms as the Academic Director of the Community Research Unit. She leads UR Evidence Liaison Team and is the Institutional Lead for Community-Based Research at the University of Regina. Michelle is the project lead for the Integrated Justice Program. This multi-year project focuses on Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #34 to deliver frontline supports and services that intervene on the over-representation of Indigenous peoples with disabilities in the justice system. Michelle is a certified Gladue writer leading a one-of-a-kind project that generates team delivered Gladue Reports meant to impact sentencing in Saskatchewan courts. Michelle’s work appears in academic journals and books as well as popular outlets including The Conversation.

Michelle's most recent article, “Risk, Rights, and Deservedness: Navigating the Tensions of Gladue, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Settler Colonialism,” with Jane Dickson, Behavioral Sciences & the Law, is an Open Access article. This article, co-authored with Dr. Jane Dickson, can be accessed here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bsl.2536