معرفی
Joanna N. Erdman serves as a Professor and holds the MacBain Chair in Health Law and Policy at Dalhousie University's Schulich School of Law. She is an active member of the Dalhousie Health Justice Institute and intervenes regularly before constitutional courts and international bodies. Her global influence includes chairing the Open Society Foundations' Global Health Advisory Committee and serving on the advisory board of their Women's Rights Program. Previously, she chaired the WHO's Reproductive Health and Research Gender and Rights Advisory Panel.
Education
- BA from the University of Toronto
- JD from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law
- LLM from Harvard Law School
- Completed a fellowship at Yale Law School
Research Focus
Erdman's scholarship centers on transnational sexual and reproductive health law, examining intersections of human rights, public policy, and social justice. Her work spans:
- Constitutional dimensions of abortion rights
- Harm reduction in morally contested health behaviors
- Gender equality in healthcare systems
- Global reproductive justice frameworks
- Legal responses to health crises like pandemics
Publication Trends
Her recent articles demonstrate a strong focus on abortion law evolution, particularly analyzing medico-legal paradigms, pandemic impacts on reproductive access, and global policy reform. She frequently employs comparative methodologies to examine constitutional traditions, human rights instruments, and the decriminalization of reproductive healthcare. Themes of bodily autonomy, harm reduction, and health equity permeate her scholarship.
Awards & Recognition
- Hanna & Harold Barnett Award in Teaching First Year Law (2013, 2015)
Grants & Leadership
Significant funded research includes:
- Co-investigator for CIHR Project Grant on harm reduction in morally controversial behaviors (2017-2020)
- Co-investigator for SSHRC Insight Grant on harm reduction principles (2017-2020)
- Co-investigator for Foundation for Legal Research Grant on Canadian health law (2016)
She holds leadership roles in:
- Inroads: International Network for Reducing Abortion Stigma (Steering Committee)
- Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (Law Program Committee)
- WHO Research Protocol Review Panel
Institutional Engagement
As part of Dalhousie's Health Justice Institute, she collaborates on interdisciplinary research addressing systemic health inequities through legal advocacy and policy reform.
