معرفی
Kearsley A Stewart serves as Professor of the Practice of Global Health at Duke Global Health Institute since 2017 and Professor of the Practice in Cultural Anthropology at Trinity College of Arts & Sciences since 2024. She also holds faculty associate positions at the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities & History of Medicine and is associated with the Duke Initiative for Science & Society. Her work bridges global health research with humanities perspectives across multiple international contexts.
Stewart earned her Ph.D. from the University of Florida in 2000 and an M.A. from UCLA in 1986. Her academic journey reflects a deep commitment to understanding health systems through anthropological and ethical lenses.
Her research interests center on global health ethics, HIV/AIDS, mental health, and disability studies with particular focus on African contexts. Stewart pioneered the integration of humanities into global health through arts-based methodologies, developing innovative approaches like the Humument technique for exploring sexual and reproductive health. Her work consistently addresses power dynamics in North-South research partnerships and advocates for decolonizing global health practice.
Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on qualitative and arts-based methodologies to explore health challenges in resource-limited settings. Her research spans Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, and South Africa, with consistent focus on marginalized populations including youth with HIV, people with disabilities, and sickle cell disease patients. A notable trend is her commitment to ethical research practices that center community voices and challenge traditional power structures in global health.
Stewart leads significant research initiatives including the NIMH-funded Sustaining and Generalizing Evidence-based Mental Health interventions for children (SAGE-MH) project (2021-2025). She has directed multiple Bass Connections projects addressing sickle cell disease in Uganda, disability and health innovation across multiple countries, and global mental health programs.
As an educator, Stewart has developed innovative curricula integrating humanities into global health education. She leads community-engaged projects such as the Sickle Cell Disease Research and Educational Outreach in Kalangala, Uganda and the Leave No One Behind project exploring COVID-19's impact on people with disabilities in North Carolina. Her Bass Connections leadership spans multiple international collaborations focused on disability, mental health, and sickle cell disease across Africa and Europe.
