Christina Erickson
- Associate Dean, Dean's Office CNPD
Contact Info
- Email: christina.l.erickson@UND.edu
- Office: 701.777.4523
Office Address
NPCBR Building Room 380C
400 Oxford Street Stop 9025
Grand Forks, ND 58202-9025
Biography
Christina Erickson, PhD, is Associate Dean in the College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines. Dr. Erickson is a social worker with practice experiences across the human lifespan in settings that are community based and non-profit to large medical and educational settings. Dr. Erickson's research interests include prevention of all forms of family violence and connecting social work practice methods in the pursuit of environmental justice.
Dr. Erickson's interest in environmental justice began in her first years as a community based social worker and as she continued in leadership roles in agencies and higher education. She co-developed and directed the Environmental Studies program at Augsburg University and held the rotating chair of the Batalden Faculty Scholar in Applied Ethics where she focused on environmental ethics. Dr. Erickson has been trained in sustainability across the higher education curriculum through the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. She is the author of the textbook Environmental Justice as Social Work Practice published by Oxford University Press.
Dr. Erickson began her interest in family violence while working on community peace producing initiatives in Chicago, Illinois (Peace Power) and St. Paul, Minnesota (The Wakanheza Project). Focused on reducing all forms of violence, including family violence, Dr. Erickson began an interest in prevention during the earliest stages of family life. After feeling compelled to spank her own children, Dr. Erickson started a 10-year journey to reveal the historical, social, and cultural underpinnings that support spanking. Research has long shown that spanking has negative impacts on children’s behavior. Dr. Erickson reveals how it harms the adults who hit children too. In 2022 her book, Spanked: How Hitting Our Children is Harming Ourselves was published by Oxford University Press.
Dr. Erickson's PhD is in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and her Master of Social Work is from the University of Minnesota, Duluth. She is Professor and Chair Emerita of the Social Work Department and the Environmental Studies Program at Augsburg University.
Environmental justice
Organizational efforts, especially higher educational environments, in developing and supporting environmental and cultural sustainability
Connecting academic disciplines to environmental knowledge and practices
Preventing family violence
Parental spanking of children
Books
Erickson, C.L. (2022). Spanked: How Hitting Our Children is Harming Ourselves. New York: Oxford University Press.
Erickson, C.L. (2018). Environmental Justice as Social Work Practice. New York: Oxford University Press.
Book Chapters and Peer-Reviewed Publications
Erickson, C. L. (2021). Environmental Justice. Encyclopedia of Social Work. New York: Oxford University Press.
Chalise, N., Erickson, C.L., Lee, N. (2020). Hand-maidens to Environmentalists? Claiming Social Work’s Niche for Environmental Justice. Journal of Social Work Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2020.1798313.
Hill, K., Erickson, C.L., Plitt Donaldson, L., Fogel, S.J., Ferguson, S.M. (2017). Perceptions of Macro Social Work Education: An Exploratory Study of Educators and Practitioners. Advances in Social Work, 18(2), 522-542.
Hill, K., Fogel, S., Plitt-Donaldson, L. & Erickson, C.L. (2017). State Definitions of Social Work Practice: Implications for our Professional Identity. Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work. DOI: 10.1080/23761407.2017.1319775.
Plitt-Donaldson, L., Fogel, S., Hill, K., Erickson, C.L. & Ferguson, S. (2016). Attitudes toward advanced licensing in macro social work practice. Journal of Community Practice, 24(1), p. 77-93.
Erickson, C.L. (2015). Sustainable Policy for Older Adults. In Van Wormer, K. & Link, R. (Eds.) Social Welfare Policy for a Sustainable Future. Los Angeles: Sage.
Erickson C.L. (2015). The Field Learning Agenda: Maximizing the Essential Tool. In Hensley, M. (Ed.) Field Instructor Survival Guide. Springer: New York.
Plitt-Donaldson, L., Hill, K, Ferguson, S.M., Fogel, S., Erickson, C.L., (2014). Contemporary Social Work Licensure: Implications for Macro Social Work Practice and Education. Social Work (59)1, p. 52-61.
Erickson, C.L., Gault, D. & Simmons, D. (2014). The Wakanheza Project: A Public Health Approach to the Primary Prevention of Family Violence. Journal of Community Practice, (22),1-15.
Hamilton, B. & Erickson, C.L. (2012). Urban Heat Islands: A social work perspective. Advances in Social Work, 13(2), 420-430.
Erickson, C.L. (2011). Environmental Degradation and Preservation. In Healy, L. and Link, R. (Eds.) Handbook for International Social Work. Oxford University Press: New York.
Hill, K. Ferguson, S.M. & Erickson, C.L. (2010). Strengthening and Sustaining Macro Social Work: A replicable model. Journal of Community Practice. 18(4), 513-527.
Erickson, C.L., Lee, S. & Mattaini, M.A. (September, 2009). A community prevention approach to peaceful schools: Application of Wakanheza. School Social Work Journal 34(1). 43-60.
Erickson, C.L. (2007). Living with Parkinson’s Disease: How Social Workers Help. Health Section Connection, Issue 1, 6-7.
Erickson, C.L. (2007). Social Work Practice and Parkinson’s Disease. In L.M. Grobman & D.B. Bourassa (Eds.), Days in the Lives of Gerontological Social Workers. White Hat: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Erickson, C.L. (2006). Living with illness - your options: Parkinson’s disease services available to individuals and families. www.helpstartshere.org, National Association of Social Workers.
Erickson, C.L. (2006). Kitchen table recovery. Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work. Spring, 21(1), 106-107.
Erickson, C.L. & Muramatsu, N. (2004). Parkinson's disease, depression and medication adherence: Current knowledge and social work practice. Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 42(3/4), 3-18.
Erickson, C.L. & Mattaini, M.A., and McGuire, M.S. (2004). Constructing non-violent cultures in schools: The state of the science. Children and Schools 26(2)102-116.
Select Presentations and Popular Press
Erickson, C.L. (2024). To Spank or Not to Spank, Guest Interview on Bonnie and Friends Radio Program, WDAY Fargo, ND. Bonnie & Friends: Wait where did the weekend go? – WDAY Radio – AM 970 and FM 93.1 (wdayradionow.com) Found at the 132:19 mark.
Erickson C.L. (2023). Environmental Justice as Social Work Practice. NASW Social Work Talks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKkwdoDqIjA
Erickson, C.L. (November 2023). Environmental Justice Through the Social Work Lens. National Association of Social Workers, MN Chapter. Virtual National Symposium.
Yuen, L. (September 18, 2022). The Case Against Spanking is Settled. Article and interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Andrew, J. (November, 2022). Professor’s Book Educates on the Mutual Harm of Spanking. Interview with The Echo, Augsburg University Student Newspaper https://books.thempxgroup.com/books/evkq/#p=10
Craig, P. (Oct-Nov, 2022). Augsburg University: Drilling Down on Diversity. Social Work Advocates, National Association of Social Workers, p. 12. https://www.socialworkers.org/News/Social-Work-Advocates/October-November-2022-Issue/Schools-of-Social-Work-October-November-2022
Laurio, A. (Feb-Mar, 2021) Climate Change: Social Work Addresses Environmental Impacts on Physical and Mental Health. Social Work Advocates, National Association of Social Worker. p. 14-21. https://www.socialworkers.org/News/Social-Work-Advocates/2021-Feb-March
Erickson, C.L. (2018). Environmental Justice as Social Work Practice. Bachelor Program Directors Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
Hill, K., Erickson, C.L., Fogel, S. & Plitt-Donaldson, L., (2015). State Definition of Social Work Practice: Discussion of Statute and Sanction. Council on Social Work Education, Denver, CO.
Plitt-Donaldson, L. Hill, K., Erickson, C.L., Fogel, S. & Ferguson, S. (2013). Impact of Licensing of Social Work Education and Practice. Council on Social Work Education, Dallas, TX.
Rodenborg, N. & Erickson, C.L. (2013). Faculty Hiring: Diversifying the Professoriate. Council on Social Work Education, Dallas, TX.
Hill. K., Erickson, C.L., Ferguson, S. Franck-Meyer, A., Ellerton, M. (2013). Impact of Licensing on Macro Social Work. Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers Annual Conference.
Erickson, C.L. (2011). The Wakanheza Project: A Public Health Approach to the Primary Prevention of Family Violence, National Research Council on Child and Family Programs and Policy.
Erickson, C.L. & Simmons, D. & Youngquist, G. (2010). The Science Behind Wakanheza, Minnesota Social Service Association, Minneapolis, MN.
Wheeler, W. (Summer, 2009). Making Peace in the Community. Augsburg NOW, Volume 71(3). https://www.augsburg.edu/now/2009/07/01/making-peace-in-the-community/
Erickson, C.L. (2008). Wash ‘em, don’t toss ‘em: This mom wants restaurants to reuse kids’ cups. Minnesota Women’s Press, 24(17), 5.
PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago
MSW, University of Minnesota, Duluth
BS, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities