Geraldine Pratt

Geraldine Pratt is a full Professor and Head of the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia (Faculty of Arts). She holds the Canada Research Chair in Care Economies and Global Labour and has been a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada since 2011. Her work bridges

• feminist geography
• labour precarity
• transnational care economies
• climate justice
• housing equity

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Pratt earned her

• PhD in Geography (1984), University of British Columbia
• MA in Geography (1980), University of British Columbia
• BSc in Psychology (1977), University of Toronto

and has held academic appointments at UBC since 1986.

Her research focuses on labour migration, geographies of care, and climate-related housing justice, often employing collaborative methods with migrant organizations and community groups. Recent projects examine

• outsourcing and automation in elder care
• housing (in)justice amid climate change
• heat vulnerability in Vancouver
• testimonial theatre as research methodology

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Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2020–2023) reveals consistent engagement with migrant worker rights, transnational care systems, and urban climate resilience. These works span journals like Antipode, Global Networks, and Annals of the American Association of Geographers, often co-authored with collaborators like Caleb Johnston and Rafi Arefin.

Scientific awards include

• Canadian Association of Geographers’ Scholarly Distinction (2006)
• Killam Graduate Mentoring Award (2007)
• American Association of Geographers’ Distinction (2023)
• Jacob Biely Research Prize (2019)
• Honorary Doctorate, University of Oslo (2014)

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Pratt supervises PhD candidate Rachel Stern in projects linking climate justice to housing equity, including heat vulnerability studies post-2021 heat dome. Her Canada Research Chair (2015–) supports ongoing collaborations with migrant organizations on temporary foreign worker programs.

Labs/teams include the Centre for Climate Justice at UBC, where her housing justice research intersects with initiatives like the Public Scholars Initiative and partnerships with Vancouver Coastal Health and the South Vancouver Seniors Network.