Rhonda Breitkreuz, MA, PhD

Area of Study / Keywords

maternal employment social policy gender equality women's economic empowerment

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About

Origins of My Work

I have been at the U of A since 2007, first as an Assistant Director/Research Associate at the Community-University Partnership for the Study of Children, Youth and Families (CUP), and then as a faculty member in the Department of Human Ecology, ALES, where I am a social policy scholar. Before I became an academic, I worked with disadvantaged populations in a range of positions: as a Support Worker for a home for homeless men (summers, 1985-1989); as a Probation Officer in two Northern First Nations communities (1990); and most notably as the Executive Director of Lurana Shelter, a shelter for abused women and children (1994-1999). After completing my PhD in 2005, I worked as the Senior Manager of Policy Research for the Alberta Ministry of Children’s Services where I co-chaired the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Social Research and Information Working Group with a federal government counterpart in Ottawa. 

Selected Awards

Great Supervisor Award. (2020). Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. University of Alberta. 

Inspirational Educator Award. (2019). Rhodes Trust. Oxford University. Awarded to professors who have provided exceptional mentorship to Rhodes Scholars. 

Teacher of the Year. (2019; 2012; 2010). Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences. University of Alberta. 

Faculty Teaching Award. (2013). Faculty of ALES. Awarded to one faculty member per year for excellence in teaching. 

President’s Achievement Award. (2012; 2006). “Dare to Discover” – Learning, Discovery and Citizenship (staff category, team award). For contributions  to Student Engagement in the Faculty of ALES as Co-Coordinator  of ULead Leadership Program, 2012, and the Community-University Partnership, 2006. University of Alberta.

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Research

Focus of Scholarship

I lead the Gender, Family and Policy Research Initiative in the Department of Human Ecology. In all my research, I ask this broad question: under which circumstances, and to what extent, is the state responsible for the well-being of citizens? As a result, many of my research projects explore the relationship between individuals and the state, focusing particularly on the ways in which specific policies affect wellbeing, social equality, and access to resources for individuals and families. My past research focused on the impact of child care policy on family well-being and maternal employment. I have also done international work, exploring the impacts of social policy on marginalized citizens in developing countries. My previous research on the gendered nature of welfare-to-work, the work-family integration of those in marginalized employment, and child care policy has been published in leading inter-disciplinary social science journals, including Critical Social Policy, Community, Work & Family, Journal of Family Issues, and Development Policy Review. I currently have funding from the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council and the Worldwide University Network to explore the economic empowerment of women in seven countries across the globe. 

Current research projects:

1. Global Research Network on the Economic Empowerment of Women (ReNEW). (2020-present).  Principal Investigator: Rhonda Breitkreuz. (with 12 Co-Investigators).Sixteen academics from 7 universities in 6 countries are involved in this network to explore ways to improve women's economic outcomes in different contexts. Funding sources: the Worldwide University Network; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada; University of Alberta (Canada); University of Sydney (Australia); University of Ghana (Ghana); UFMG (Brazil) and University College Dublin (Ireland). For more information, please see https://wun.ac.uk/wun/research/view/global-research-network-on-the-economic-empowerment-of-women-renew/
2. Are mothers opting out? Exploring maternal employment in Alberta. (2019-2022). Principal Investigator: Rhonda Breitkreuz. This study examines the employment experiences of mothers in Alberta. Funding source: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
3. Effects of Empowered World View on mindset, behaviour and child well-being outcomes. (2019-2023). PIs: Amy Kaler and Brent Swallow. Co-Investigators: Rhonda Breitkreuz and John Parkins. This study, currently being conducted in Tanzania, aims to explore if and how the World Vision program, Empowered World View, impacts child wellbeing. Funding source: World Vision International.

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Teaching

Graduate Student Supervision

1. Laura Woodman, PhD. 2022-present. Child care. 
2. Haneen Abraham, MSc (thesis). 2022-present. Maternal Employment.
3. Madeline Robbenhaar, MSc (thesis).2022-present. Maternal Employment. 
4. Vanessa Osei Bonsu, MSc (course-based). 2021-present. Women's Economic Empowerment. 
5. Natalie Schmitt, MSc (course-based). 2020-present. Women and Policy. 
6. Laura Cadrain, MSc (thesis). 2019-present. Present Day Decisions, Later-Life Precarity? Generational Continuity in Maternal Employment Trajectories
7. Semhar Berhe, MSc (course-based). Completed 2021. Immigration and The Canadian Employment Experience: Canada’s Role in Integrating the Skilled Immigrant
8. Kareema Batal, MSc (course-based). Completed 2021. Breaking the Barriers to Socially Conscious Business.
9. Julia Roy, MSc (thesis). Completed, 2020. Program development and evaluation for families of children with disability.
10. Laurel Sakaluk, PhD. Completed 2017. Work-family integration during the transition to parenthood: Longitudinal processes and ideological influences. 
11. Rebecca Horne, MSc (thesis). Completed 2017 (Co-supervised with Matt Johnson). A Labour of Love? Male and Female Partners’ Emotion Work in Intimate Relationships. 
12. Ropa Mamutse, MSc (course-based).Completed 2017. Aging out of the family. The experiences of youth aging out of youth services.
13. Vanessa Ostapchuk. MSc (course-based).Completed 2016. Canadian Provincial Child Care Subsidies and their “Fit” within the Lives of Working Poor Families.
14. Iryna Hurava MSc (thesis). Completed 2015. Institutional Child Care in Belarus.  
15. Roxana Marin, MSc (course-based). Completed 2013. Cell phone use and parent-child relationships in families with adolescents. 
16. Hannah Goa, MSc (thesis). Completed 2010. Outside the city walls: The construction of poverty in Alberta’s income and employment supports act.

HECOL 601 - Ways of Knowing in Human Ecology

Enquiry into the nature, scope and object of human ecology knowledge; the distinct contributions of various modes of inquiry; and the relationship between ways of knowing and selected issues related to the acquisition of knowledge, such as ethics and research methods.

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HECOL 692 - Professional Seminar 2

This professional development seminar is one in a series that focuses on career development and professional issues in human ecology. Includes topics such as writing for academic and non-academic audiences and research ethics. Typically taken in the first year of the graduate program.

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HECOL 694 - Professional Seminar 4

This professional development seminar is one in a series that focuses on career development and professional issues in human ecology. Includes topics such as funding agencies and preparing grant proposals, non-academic careers for PhDs, and post-doctoral fellowships. Typically taken in the second year of the doctoral program.

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HECOL 900 - Directed Research Project

Comprises the capping exercise for the course-based Masters programs. Requirements include conducting an applied research project, and both a written project report and an oral presentation to the Department, and where appropriate, to relevant practising professionals.

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Browse more courses taught by Rhonda Breitkreuz

Adeline Froehlich and Ewald Breitkreuz were born in a German settlement in Volhynia, Russia (Vohynia became Polish territory in 1918, and is now part of Ukraine). In 1915, when Germany invaded the area, the Russian government required German-speaking citizens of Volhynia to leave their homes. The vast majority of them were sent to Siberia in freight trains. The first part of this film documents the journeys of Adeline and Ewald during this forced migration. The second part of the film discusses the day-to-day life of Adeline and Ewald and their nine children in Onoway, Alberta, as German-speaking immigrants from 1935 onwards.

World Premiere of Film

Breitkreuz, R., Cadrain, L., Dyckerhoff, J., Robbenhaar, M., & Abraham, H.

Community, Work and Family. 2024 March; 10.1080/13668803.2024.2333871

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Adelakun, A., Adelakun, O., Bartolo, M., Boll, C.,Breitkreuz, R., Byrt, A., Chung, Y., Cook,K., Cuesta, L.,Griffin, A., Guarin, A., Haapanen, M., Hakovirta,M., Kim, Y, Lee, E., Meysen,T., Nor, A., Roots, H., Sinclair, S., & Skinner, C.

In Kay Cook, Thomas, Meysen & Adrienne Byrt (Eds). Single Parents and Child Support Systems. 2024 January; London: Edgar Elgar Publishing.

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Roots, H. and Breitkreuz, R.

Single Parents and Child Support Systems: An International Comparison. Kay Cook and Thomas Meysen (Eds). 2024 January; London: Edgar Elgar Publishing.

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Richardson, B., Cook, K., Breitkreuz, R., & Wu, B.

Journal of Women, Politics & Policy.. 2023 April; 10.1080/1554477X.2023.2201916

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Breitkreuz, Rhonda

Social Sciences and Humanities Open. 2022 October; 6 (1):1-7

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Sakaluk, L., Breitkreuz, R., & Kushner, K.

Journal of Family Studies. 2022 February; 28 (1):308-331 10.1080/13229400.2019.1705875

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Breitkreuz, R., Colen, K., & Horne, R.

Journal of Family Studies. 2021 July; 27 (3):436-459

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Goodall, Z., Cook, K., & Breitkreuz, R.

Social Policy and Society. 2021 March; 22 (2):247-263

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Colen, K., Breitkreuz, R.

Community, Work & Family. 2020 January; 23 (4):457-473

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Breitkreuz, R. & Swallow, B.

Sage Research Methods Cases: Politics & International Relations.. 2019 January;

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Horne, R., and Breitkreuz, R.

Journal of Family Studies. 2018 January; 24 (2):126-145

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Breitkreuz, R. & Colen, K.

Journal of Family Issues. 2018 January; 39 (17):4066-4088

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Breitkreuz, R., Stanton, C.J. Brady, M., Pattison, J., King, O., Chudhury. M., & Swallow. B

Development Policy Journal. 2017 January; 35 (3):397-417

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Kushner, K., Sopcak, N., Breitkreuz, R., Pitre, N., Williamson, D., Rempel, G. Stuart, M., & Letourneau, N.

Community, Work, & Family. 2017 January; 20 (2):119-141

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Cook, K., Corr, L., Breitkreuz, R.

Critical Social Policy. 2017 January; 37 (1):42-63

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Botey, A. Vinturache, A., Bayrampour, H., Breitkreuz, R. Bukutu, C., Gibbard, B., & Tough, S.

Child Care in Practice. 2017 January; 23 (4):404-416

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McConnell, D., Breitkreuz, R., Savage, A., & Sobsey, R.

Journal of Child and Family Studies. 2016 January; 25 (2):530-544

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Jennings, J. Breitkreuz, R., & James. A.

The Sage Handbook of Family Business. 2014 January;

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Kushner, K.E., Pitre, N., Williamson, D., Breitkreuz, R., & Rempel, G.

Marriage & Family Review. 2014 January; 50

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Breitkreuz, R., Wunderli, L., Savage, A. & McConnell, D.

Community, Work and Family. 2014 January; 17 (3):346-365

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McConnell, D., Savage, A., & Bretkreuz, R.

Research in Developmental Disabilities. 2014 January; 35 (4):833-848

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McConnell, D., Breitkreuz, R. & Savage, A.

Journal of Social Work. 2013 January; 13

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Jennings, J. Breitkreuz, R., & James. A.

Family Relations. 2013 January; 62

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Breitkreuz, R. & Williamson, D.

Social Service Review. 2012 January; 86

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James, A. Jennings, J. & Breitkreuz, R.

Family Business Review. 2012 January; 25

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McConnell, D., Breitkreuz, R. & Savage, A.

Child & Family Social Work. 2012 January; 17

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Williamson, D., Choi, J., Charchuk, M., Rempel, G., Pitre, N., Breitkreuz, R., & Kushner, K.

Qualitative Research. 2011 January; 11 (4):381-394

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Breitkreuz, R., McConnell, D., Savage, A. & Hamilton, A.

Prevention Science. 2011 January; 12

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McConnell, D., Breitkreuz, R. & Savage, A.

Child: Care, Health & Development. 2011 January; 37

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Breitkreuz, R., Williamson, D, & Raine, K

Community, Work and Family. 2010 January; 13

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Breitkreuz, R

Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare. 2005 January; 32