FASHION TITLE
Kia ora! I’m Tracy Morison
Researcher | Writer | Teacher
About Me
I trained as a Research Psychologist at Rhodes University in South Africa, where I also earned my doctoral degree in 2010 under the supervision of Prof Catriona Macleod. I have worked as a full-time researcher (2011-2016) as well as in higher education (2011, 2016-present). I currently work as a lecturer at Massey University, Aotearoa New Zealand, on the Turitea campus in Palmerston North. I remain affiliated with Rhodes University as an Honorary Research Associate of the Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction programme. I am also a lead editor of Feminism & Psychology, a leading international journal.
My main research area is sexual and reproductive health, spanning the areas of feminist, critical, and health psychology. The central goal of my work is to identify structural and systemic problems that need to be fixed to support sexual and reproductive rights and justice. To do this, I use qualitative research methods, which help show the social context of sexual and reproductive relationships, practices, and decisions. I'm interested in how people's different social identities (e.g., gender, race, class etc.) affect how they can have relationships, make decisions, and act in ways that have to do with sexuality and reproduction.
My teaching is primarily in health psychology at present, and I coordinate 2 postgrad courses for our MSc endorsement programme: Promoting Health and the Health Psychology Practicum. I have also taught in the areas of social, developmental, and gender psychology, as well as research methods and skills.
Below is more detailed information about my professional and educational journey to date.
Professional Experience
Background & Expertise
Senior Lecturer (from 2020)
Lecturer
Massey University, New Zealand
05/2016 - Present
In 2016, I joined the Critical Health Psychology Programme at Massey, founded by internationally renowned academics from the School of Psychology, Kerry Chamberlain, Antonia Lyons, and Christine Stephens. Massey has been a leading light in critical health psychology, and in 2020 the programme celebrated its 30th Anniversary. (Read more about the history here.) As part of this role, I teach a 15-credit postgraduate course, Promoting Health, and am the course coordinator of our Practicum course, which gives students practical experience in a health organisation. I also conduct my funded research, supervise student research, and engage in academic service, including: peer review, examining student theses, editorial work, and community and media engagement.
Editor (from 06/2021)
Associate Editor
Feminism & Psychology Journal
2019 - Present
F&P is a leading international academic journal, ranked #1 in Women's Studies and #14 in Psychology.
Honorary Research Associate
Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction, Rhodes University, South Africa
2013 - present
This 3-year renewable appointment is made through a nomination process and based on scholarly experience, reputation, and departmental motivation. The CSSR is a multi-disciplinary research programme based at Rhodes University. It was founded in 2012 as part of the South African Research Chairs Initiative, regarded as South Africa’s most prestigious academic research platforms and intended to attract and retain excellence in research and innovation at public universities.
Senior Research Specialist (2015 - 04/2016)
Postdoctoral Fellow / Research Specialist (12/2011-2014)
Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa
December 2011 - April 2016
The HSRC is South Africa's national research coordinating body, which conducts and promotes research through funding, capacity building and resource sharing. Its mandate is to inform the effective formulation and monitoring of government policy; to evaluate policy implementation; to stimulate public debate through the effective dissemination of research-based data and fact-based research results; to foster research collaboration; and to help build research capacity and infrastructure for the social sciences.
Lecturer (contract)
Research Assistance
Dept. of Psychology, Rhodes University, South Africa
2006 - 2011
I taught Undergraduate courses in
Gender & Psychology (2007), Social Psychology (2010), Developmental Psychology (2011), and Health Psychology (2011).
I taught postgraduate courses in
Narrative Analysis (2011 + 2012, 2013), Research Skills (2010, 2011), Research Design (2012, 2013 as visiting lecturer).
In 2011, I supervised honours research and served as the department's Tutorial Coordinator.
As a research assistant, I worked on Prof Catriona Macleod's research project on public talk about abortion (literature search and review, information management, copyediting, organisation of research activities etc.).
Education
Tertiary Studies
2007 - 2010
Ph.D (Psychology), Rhodes University
Conferred April 2011
Thesis: ‘But what story?’: A narrative-discursive analysis of ‘white’ Afrikaners accounts of male involvement in parenthood decision-making (Supervisor: Catriona Macleod; Examiners: Karen Henwood, Sally Johnson, Carien Lubbe-de Beer) – Dissertation described as: “exemplary”; “an excellent PhD study”.
2005
MA in Research Psychology
2004
BA Honours (Psychology), Rhodes University
2001 - 2003