Karun K . Karki, MA, B.Ed, MA, MSW, PhD, RSW | University of British Columbia (original) (raw)

Papers by Karun K . Karki, MA, B.Ed, MA, MSW, PhD, RSW

Contemporary research, Jun 25, 2024

Journal of international migration and integration, Jan 27, 2024

International journal of occupational safety and health, Mar 25, 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a massive humanitarian crisis across the globe. In times of emergenc... more The COVID-19 pandemic caused a massive humanitarian crisis across the globe. In times of emergency response, such as the pandemic, forcibly displaced people are among the most vulnerable groups who often face socio-economic marginalization, and other forms of intersecting oppression and discrimination, such as xenophobia and racism. In refugee
camps, they are more susceptible to contracting the virus because of their poor living conditions in overcrowded camps and/or substandard housing, difficulties in adopting social distancing and self-isolation, and lack of adequate public health services. Using predetermined inclusion criteria for the studies, we searched databases, including JSTOR, Social Work Abstract, Social Sciences Abstract, EBSCOhost, ProQuest, and PsycINFO,
to find relevant literature. We employed a theoretical construct of “uncanny,” often used by postcolonial thinkers, to critically analyze the selected studies. We identified four overarching themes: a) crisis within crises amid the pandemic, b) racism and xenophobia amid the pandemic, c) international solidarity and sharing responsibility, and d)neoliberal
global regime and displacement. Our paper concludes with policy recommendations and action plans to be implemented by international communities, governments, and civil society targeting forcibly displaced people to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 and future pandemics.

International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, 2024

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic posed unique challenges to healthcare professionals (HCPs) wi... more Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic posed unique challenges to healthcare professionals (HCPs) with increased risk of mental health and well-being globally. However, the psychological impact of the pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of HCPs in Canada is not fully understood. This paper critically reviews broadly available literature on the mental health and psychosocial status of HCPs amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Methods: A comprehensive online search was conducted using the guidelines outlined by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination for combining the findings of diverse primary studies within a single review. Online search was conducted through databases such as AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine), Embase, Global Health, Ovid Healthstar, Mental Measurements Yearbook, EBM Reviews-ACP Journal Club, EBM Reviews-Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Ovid MEDLINE(R) and Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process, In-Data-Review, and Google Scholar for the period between March 2020 and May 2023. Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach to identify the main themes across studies. Results: The analysis uncovers three key themes: 1) HCPs face diverse mental health impacts during the pandemic; 2) HCPs are dissatisfied with organizational approaches to COVID-19; and 3) HCPs express concerns about personal well-being and the safety of others during the pandemic. Conclusion: These findings emphasize the need for HCPs to cope effectively with stressors for their own, their patients, and their families' well-being. Therefore, future research should prioritize how HCPs can maintain their emotional, mental, and psychological well-being.

Molung educational frontier, Jun 28, 2023

When COVID-19 struck Canada in 2020, immigrants, newcomers, and migrant (agricultural) workers we... more When COVID-19 struck Canada in 2020, immigrants, newcomers, and migrant (agricultural) workers were among those most vulnerable to the pandemic. Their experiences of the pandemic were accentuated by an exacerbation of pre-existing racial and other forms of discrimination. The article emerged from a systematic review and thematic synthesis of the broadly defined literature on immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers’ experiences of multifaceted challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. We established inclusion criteria and systematically searched for articles in databases, including JSTOR Journals, Social Work (EBSCOhost), PsycINFO, and other grey literature published between March 2020 and January 2023. The findings suggest that immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers in Canada experienced systemic inequalities, which worsened their socio-economic status, placing them at higher risks of poor health outcomes. The following themes that underscore the experiences of immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers in Canada were identified: a) that immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers in Canada experienced negative socio-economic impacts due to COVID-19, b) that immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers in Canada experienced aggravated precarious and inequitable employment during COVID-19, c) that immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers in Canada experienced COVID-19 related racial discrimination, and d) that COVID-19 negatively impacted immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers’ mental health and well-being. Important directions for future research, including for studies that prioritize new immigrants, are provided.

Molung educational frontier, Jun 17, 2021

His scholarly inquiries are grounded in critical theories, including anti-racism, anti-colonialis... more His scholarly inquiries are grounded in critical theories, including anti-racism, anti-colonialism, intersectionality, and anti-oppressive social justice praxis. More precisely, he explores the socioeconomic integration the racialized diaspora and minoritized communities, including immigrants, refugees, and LGBTQ+ people in Canada and beyond.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Mar 23, 2022

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are at increased risk of psychological and mental health problems... more Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are at increased risk of psychological and mental health problems amid the COVID-19 pandemic due to the high risk of infection, increased work stress, and fear of spreading the virus to their families. The psychological burden and mental health implications experienced by HCPs during the pandemic are not well understood in Canada. The purpose of this review was to critically explore the main findings from the existing literature examining the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on healthcare professionals in Canada and internationally. Three main themes were identified and discussed: 1) HCPs experienced varied adverse mental health impacts during the pandemic; 2) HCPs expressed dissatisfaction with organizational approaches to COVID-19; and 3) HCPs expressed the greatest concern for the contraction of COVID-19 of themselves and their loved ones. This study thus informs that the ability of HCPs to cope with stressors adequately is important for their patients, their families, and themselves. To conclude, future research should prioritize maintaining mental health and psychological wellbeing amongst HCPs.

Qualitative Social Work, Sep 1, 2016

In this article, I tell the autoethnographic stories of epistemological tensions emerging from my... more In this article, I tell the autoethnographic stories of epistemological tensions emerging from my entanglement with Indigenous and Western ways of knowing in my journey towards my doctoral research in social work. I link these tensions to broader socio-political and historical tensions that tie together the West and the Global South. I highlight the sharp contrasts and contradictions as well as the nuanced contestations in the production of knowledge. I follow a chronological order to organize my narratives into four parts. In the first part, I describe my experiences of walking in two worlds. In the second part, I explore how I knew what I knew, depicting my indigenous ways of knowing. In the third part, I examine Western ways of knowing, depicting the subjugation of my indigenous ways of knowing. In the final part, I address the hybrid ways of knowing that I embody by walking in many worlds.

International Journal of Educational Development in Africa, 2022

of action that was familiar to them instead of developing deeper levels of understanding in worki... more of action that was familiar to them instead of developing deeper levels of understanding in working with Black, Indigenous, and racialised populations. This article details one aspect and the process of community engagement undertaken by the class and provides a critical reflection on how the students could have better engaged the community and challenged power dynamics and epistemology while using CRT.

International Journal of Educational Development in Africa, 2022

Social work education and practice have been implicated in colonial violence against Black and In... more Social work education and practice have been implicated in colonial violence against Black and Indigenous people in Canada. Notwithstanding, undergraduate students enter social work programmes ready to "help" service recipients. Schools of social work also continue to centre social work education around the notion of "helping" alongside other key activities such as advocacy and counselling. Regarding the intent, social work education and practice have and continue to perpetuate anti-Black racism, racism, and colonialism at the intersections of race, among some of the most vulnerable and systemically disadvantaged in society. This article demonstrates how to combine decolonising social work education and community service learning (CSL) to provide students an opportunity to critically and consciously work with community groups to meet the community's needs. This reflective paper practitioners. The paper discusses the importance of CSL and decolonising social work education; then outlines the class's context, process, and actions; next, through excerpts, CSL reflections are shared, and the paper concludes with a brief discussion.

University Affairs, Global Campus, 2023

Reimagining international graduate student orientation We need to be better at relating to and le... more Reimagining international graduate student orientation We need to be better at relating to and learning from each other, while also taking into account all of the complexities and power imbalances. Based on our study’s findings, we suggest six interconnected principles for orientation programming design:
1. Embrace all students as complex beings
2. Recognize the inseparable interconnectedness between international students, their families, the broader (university) community and global entanglements
3. Facilitate sober conversations about historical/ongoing (settler) colonialism, racism and other forms of violence and discrimination, including higher education institutions’ complicity and responsibility
4. Foster and model values of empathy, care and mutuality –without paternalistic or salvationist motives
5. Prioritize a cohesive sense of belonging through two-way/mutual orientation opportunities
6. Make space for critique, self-reflexivity and honest conversations about inequities and power imbalance within institutional structures

Molung Educational Frontier, 2023

When COVID-19 struck Canada in 2020, immigrants, newcomers, and migrant (eg., agricultural) worke... more When COVID-19 struck Canada in 2020, immigrants, newcomers, and migrant (eg., agricultural) workers were among those most vulnerable to the pandemic. Their experiences of the pandemic were accentuated by an exacerbation of pre-existing racial and other forms of discrimination. The article emerged from a systematic review and thematic synthesis of the broadly defined literature on immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers’ experiences of multifaceted challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. We established inclusion criteria and systematically searched for articles in databases, including JSTOR Journals, Social Work Abstract (EBSCOhost), PsycINFO, and other grey literature published between March 2020 and January 2023. The findings suggest that immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers in Canada experienced systemic inequalities, which worsened their socio-economic status, placing them at higher risks of poor health outcomes. The following themes that underscore the experiences of immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers in Canada were identified: a) that immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers in Canada experienced negative socio-economic impacts due to COVID-19, b) that immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers in Canada experienced aggravated precarious and inequitable employment during COVID-19, c) that immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers in Canada experienced COVID-19 related racial discrimination, and d) that COVID-19 negatively impacted immigrants, newcomers, and migrant workers’ mental health and well-being. Important directions for future research, including for studies that prioritize new immigrants, are provided.

Small Business Economics, 2015

Using the 2004–2005 India Human Development Survey data, we estimate and decompose the earnings o... more Using the 2004–2005 India Human Development Survey data, we estimate and decompose the earnings of household businesses owned by historically marginalized social groups known as Scheduled Castes and Tribes (SCSTs) and non-SCSTs across the earnings distribution. We find clear differences in characteristics between the two types of businesses with the former faring significantly worse. The mean decomposition reveals that as much as 55 % of the caste earnings gap could be attributed to the unexplained component. Quantile regressions suggest that gaps are higher at lower deciles, providing some evidence of a sticky floor. Finally, quantile decompositions reveal that the unexplained component is greater at the lower and middle deciles than higher, suggesting that SCST-owned businesses at the lower and middle end of the conditional earnings distribution face greater discrimination.

International Journal of Migration and Border Studies, 2023

The paper analyses how the Nepali state imposed its sovereign power on the Nepali returning migra... more The paper analyses how the Nepali state imposed its sovereign power on the Nepali returning migrant workers from India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the deployment of border security forces, the state resorted to arbitrary detentions of these workers, leaving them stranded at Nepal-India borders. They were no longer wanted in India while being rejected and excluded by the state. To demonstrate the state's exclusionary bordering practices, we used the concepts of 'biopolitics' (Foucault, 1997), 'necropolitics' (Mbembe, 2019) and 'bare life' (Agamben, 1998). We employed visual methodology and the content analysis of the publicly available media reports and photographs pertaining to the interceptions of the migrant workers stranded at the Nepal-India borders when trying to enter the country. We contend that the attempts of some returning migrant workers to swim across the Mahakali River to enter Nepal were acts of agency and resistance in the face of the state's brutalities.

Journal of Teaching and Learning, 2022

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Licens... more This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Microfinance is a financial service aimed at economically underprivileged people who have no or l... more Microfinance is a financial service aimed at economically underprivileged people who have no or limited access to formal financial institutions such as banks due to the lack of financial resources, collateral, or low income. Microfinance institutions provide a collateral-free loan to low-income individuals with the principle of financial inclusion, which allows them to invest in various self-employment activities. In this article, we critically review the development of microfinance and its issues and challenges in Nepal. More specifically, using the concept of the Grameen Bank model and its relevance in the context of Nepali microfinance institutions, we explore how microfinance can be an effective tool of financial intervention to alleviate rural poverty in Nepal. Methodologically, we utilize secondary data sources such as government and non-government reports and existing empirical studies. We offer recommendations for policymakers to establish appropriate modalities, programs, a...

Contemporary research, Jun 25, 2024

Journal of international migration and integration, Jan 27, 2024

International journal of occupational safety and health, Mar 25, 2024

International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, 2024

Molung educational frontier, Jun 28, 2023

Molung educational frontier, Jun 17, 2021

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Mar 23, 2022

Qualitative Social Work, Sep 1, 2016

International Journal of Educational Development in Africa, 2022

University Affairs, Global Campus, 2023

Molung Educational Frontier, 2023

Small Business Economics, 2015

International Journal of Migration and Border Studies, 2023

Journal of Teaching and Learning, 2022

Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Higher Education, 2020

This review paper scrutinizes a critical ethnographic methodology and its implication in the rese... more This review paper scrutinizes a critical ethnographic methodology and its implication in the research Saubhagya Shah, a renowned anthropologist, conducted in a rural village in Nepal. The book, entitled A Project of Memoreality: Transactional Development and Local Activism, was published in 2018, nine years after his sudden cardiac death. As a field site for his doctoral research at Harvard University, Shah chose a rural village called Viman, located in the mid-central part of Nepal. Since the village was linguistically diverse, the author experienced complex challenges in the research process for his ethnographic study in this community. This book investigates how women in Viman were involved in the social activism and development process to fight collectively against domestic violence, gambling and alcoholism, and political repression. It also uncovers how crucial were the national and international agencies in promoting and transforming women's socio-political life through women's activism. In this review, we critically examine the overall research methodology that shah (2018) utilizes, including theoretical framework, methodological implementation, and reflexivity and objectivity in its entirety of the research process. To help readers understand the methodological implementation, we divided this paper into seven sections in terms of the author's excursion from an ordinary person into becoming a well-known anthropologist contributing to the lacuna of Nepali academic knowledge and research. Following the introduction, the second section discusses the ideas used for and the activities performed in his fieldwork. Methods implemented in the research and the challenges the author

10th Annual Pathways to Prosperity National Conference, Ottawa, November 14, 2022, 2022

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified heightened risks for severe physical and me... more The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified heightened risks for severe physical and mental health issues for people, especially immigrants and refugees living with HIV (IRLH). When seeking healthcare services, the IRLH, with no access to outpatient care, often resort to the emergency room. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many emergency departments had to change their procedures to manage the influx of COVID-19 patients. Such changes in the delivery of healthcare services have, in turn, caused a reduction in access to care for many IRLH. Further, the IRLH often experience socially produced inequalities, such as stigma, hate, discrimination, racism, isolation, food security, homelessness, lack of information, and transportation. The purpose of this study was to explore the intersectional oppressions experienced by IRLH, focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspectives of social determinants of health.
We employed the concurrent parallel mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were collected using a self-developed survey (n=124), and qualitative data were collected through three photovoice sessions (n=13) among IRLH across Alberta. The participants in the photovoice sessions eloquently stressed that COVID-19 and lockdown measures had escalated their vulnerabilities to mental health, psychological wellbeing, and socio-economic marginalization. The survey results indicated that 51.5% reported having issues accessing healthcare services during COVID-19 compared to 38.4% before the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, 45.4% reported having difficulty accessing an HIV organization during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to 35.3% before the pandemic. We conclude that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a dramatic toll on the IRLH. It is, thus, critically important to develop well-coordinated health programming services between healthcare providers, public health programs, and HIV programs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic to address the challenges and barriers the IRLH face in their social determinants of health support systems. Finally, equitable healthcare programs and resource needs of the IRLH, as well as their dignity and social justice, must be considered when addressing this crisis.

Employing a collaborative auto-ethnography, we interrogate the colonial logics underpinning the o... more Employing a collaborative auto-ethnography, we interrogate the colonial logics underpinning the orientation of international graduate students at research-intensive Canadian universities. We, five co-authors, embody diverse ethnic, racial, and gender positionalities, yet share the experience of being international graduate students in Canada. Each co-author contributes a personal narrative to critically examine and destabilize the settled notion of ‘orientation.’ We argue that orientation should be understood as a fluid concept and more deeply consider the intersecting identities of international students and the expectations of one-way integration into settler colonial Canadian society and institutions. We propose a different orientation model, highlighting the role of universities not only in supporting their students but also uniquely contributing to the settlement of potential Canadian citizens.

De Paul Institute of Science and Technology (DiST) Press, 2024

In 2011, the National Institutes of Health classified yoga as a form of complementary and alterna... more In 2011, the National Institutes of Health classified yoga as a form of complementary and alternative medicine. The same year, the United Nations General Assembly also adopted a resolution declaring June 21 as the International Day of Yoga to raise awareness of the various benefits of practicing yoga. In modern times, Yoga is recognized as a matter of philosophy, psychology and a method of self-improvement. In recent years, yoga has been exclusively used to explore diverse physical and mental ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis, depression, heart disease, and neurology. Although the therapeutic value of yoga is recognized and yoga practice is rising in popularity, research exploring the inclusion of yoga as a holistic embodied practice in social work practice and education is limited. Grounded in mindfulness-to-meaning theory as a theoretical framework, this chapter explores how social workers can use various yoga methods as a holistic intervention and self-care tool in their personal and professional practices. Yoga can be an intervention for physical and mental therapeutic effects and a biopsychosocial dysregulation tool for overall wellness. The chapter highlights the importance of yoga as a complementary therapeutic intervention in social work practice and thus urges to incorporate yoga in social work education.

De Paul Institute of Science and Technology (DiST) Press., 2024

Emotional well-being contributes to overall happiness, fulfillment, and the ability to thrive in ... more Emotional well-being contributes to overall happiness, fulfillment, and the ability to thrive in various aspects of life. Emotional well-being is not merely the absence of negative emotions but encompasses the cultivation of positive emotions, resilience, self-awareness, and the development of strong interpersonal relationships. There has been gaps in the literature on emotional well-being, especially among Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities. With the objectives of identifying their challenges and strategic interventions in achieving emotional well-being through a social justice and equity lens, a scoping review of literature was undertaken, utilizing databases namely, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Social Sciences Abstracts. We extracted 23 peer-reviewed articles as selected out of 170 articles in the literature search. The review findings highlighted the need to delve deeper into understanding the distinct components of emotional well-being within BIPOC populations: (1) Protective and risk factors, (2) Land tenure/ownership, (3) School climate, (4) Racism as determinants of health, (5) Nature-based health and well-being practices, (6) Healthy dose of nature, yoga, and meditation, (7) Indigenous approaches and inter-cultural diversity, (8) East Kimberly concept of health and illness, (9) Deficit-based mental health and paleo-deficit disease and, (10) Strategies for promoting emotional well-being. Our findings suggest that the systemic challenges the BIPOC communities encounter significantly impede their capacity to achieve and sustain optimal emotional well-being, ultimately resulting in adverse outcomes for their overall health and quality of life. We conclude that culturally informed community care and intervention can promote emotional well-being and contribute to human flourishing.

Palgrave Macmillan, 2024

Globalization has intensified the transnational mobility of human capital across national boundar... more Globalization has intensified the transnational mobility of human capital across national boundaries with concomitant benefits and challenges to the migrants, their home, and host countries. The migration flow often tends to be from developing countries to more developed and industrialized countries with the aim of escaping increasingly harsh socio-economic conditions. This conceptual chapter addresses two questions: In what ways does transnational migration contribute to socio-economic transformation in the home and host countries of transnational migrants? What are the opportunities for, and challenges faced by, transnational migrants in their host countries? By answering these questions, the chapter contributes to existing scholarship on the settlement and labor market integration of transnational migrants. The chapter concludes with recommendations aimed at ensuring the achievement of the triple-win benefits of transnational migration for migrants, their home, and host countries.

Springer , 2013

social work, as a profession, recognizes that it meets no borders in its interventions and the ne... more social work, as a profession, recognizes that it meets no borders in its interventions and the needs to which it responds. This is also true for public health social work practice. As a profession, social workers are regularly called to mediate in crises abroad or intervene in situations that may surface domestically, but originated in some other global location. This chapter will focus on public health social work within the global arena, discuss some of the challenges for public health social work, and provide an overview of some of the current practices and opportunities. These themes will be explored through the lens of the core functions of public health, Healthy People 2020 objectives, and public health social work standards and competencies.

Springer, 2023

Canada's economic development is built through waves of migrants and immigrant labor. The Canadia... more Canada's economic development is built through waves of migrants and immigrant labor. The Canadian labor market, however, is characterized by discriminatory divisions rooted in its history of racism. Discrimination is prejudgment and unjust treatment of individuals and groups based on socially constructed identity markers such as race, ethnicity, gender identity, and immigration status. It is the exclusion of individuals or groups from full participation in the society. This chapter focuses on two dimensions of disparity among racialized immigrants in the Canadian society: economic disparity and social disparity. This chapter begins with an introduction of immigration to Canada. The third section further substantiates the theoretical construct through an extent review of literature on socioeconomic disparities among racialized immigrants in the Canadian labour market, followed by conclusion and recommendations.