Ph.D., Social Work, 2018
M.A., Community Psychology, 2012
B.A., Philosophy and Social Psychology, 2007
Lakehead University Contribution to Teaching Award, 2022
CURRENT COURSES (2022-2023)
SOWK1100-ADE Introduction to Social Welfare
SOWK1100-YDE Introduction to Social Welfare
SOWK5214-WC/O Social Justice & Social Work
CURRENT GRADUATE STUDENTS
Brooklyn Wilson, H.B.S.W.
Mainline Protestant Religious Leaders' Responses to the Conversion Therapy Ban in Canada (2021-2023)
Ashley Rodericks-Schulwach, B.Sc., H.B.S.W.
Investigating the Implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action 59 Among Canadian Churches (2022-2023)
Joelle Chartrain, B.Sc., H.B.S.W.
Impact of religious affiliation within social service agencies on substance use treatment models (2022-2023)
Hakmatullah Sherzad, H.B.S.W.
Islam and basic income: A survey of Canadian Islamic scholars (2022-2023)
PAST GRADUATE STUDENTS
Mackenzie Street, M.S.W., R.S.W.
Ambiguity of Faith and Reason: Individual Accounts of Christian Support for Medical Assistance in Dying and Their Experiences (2022)
Breanna Sweers, M.S.W., R.S.W.,
Spirituality and Substance Use: Indigenous Healing in Northwestern Ontario (2021)
ACTIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS
Faith and Service Provision in Canada: Understanding the Dual Mandate in Evangelical Faith-Based Social Service Organizations
This is a SSHRC IDG-funded (2020-2023) study to understand how evangelical faith-based social service organizations manage two mandates - the first to serve the most vulnerable populations and the second to bring followers into the fold of evangelical Christianity.
PAST RESEARCH PROJECTS
Why Are So Many People Who Experience Homelessness in the City of Thunder Bay from Out of Town? A Report on a Preliminary Mixed Methods Study Using Machine Learning Models to Understand Migration and Homelessness
This was a SSHRC PEG-funded (2021-2022) mixed-methods study in formal partnership with the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board and Dr. Rebecca Schiff (Health Sciences), Dr. Vijay Mago (Computer Science), and Dr. Travis Hay (History). The project sought to understand why roughly two-thirds of people experiencing homelessnes in the City of Thunder Bay reported being from out of town or province. population are from out of town.
To read about what we found, you can access the report here.
To read about the report release event in the media please see the media release by Lakehead University or the following media articles: TBNews, The Chronicle Journal, TVO
Insights into the Human Face of Basic Income: Experiences with the Ontario Basic Income Pilot in Thunder Bay, Canada.
This was a qualitative study in informal partnership with Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic to understand how recipients of the Ontario Basic Income Pilot experienced being on the pilot and then having to withdraw due to a premature cancellation of the project.
You can read about the study and the public panel we hosted in the following media articles: CBC, TBNewswatch.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (2020-2022)
Gokani, R., Wiebe, S., Sherzad, H., & Akesson, B. (under review). “We’re looking for support from Allah”: A qualitative study on experiences of trauma and religious coping among Afghan refugees in Canada following the August 2021 withdrawal. Religions.
Liyanage, C. R., Mago, V., Schiff, R., Ranta, K., Park, A., Lovato-Day, K., Agnor, E., & Gokani, R. (under review). Understanding homlessness and migration to Thunder Bay, Canada using maching learning. JMIR. See the preprint here.
Gokani, R. & Thibault, J.(under review). Variations on the theme of class consciousness among recipients of the Ontario Basic Income Pilot in Thunder Bay, Canada.
Gokani, R., Thibault, J., & Sweers, B. (under review). Insights into the human face of basic income: experiences with the Ontario Basic Income Pilot in Thunder Bay, Canada.
Gokani, R. (2021). Client transformation: spiritual and non-spiritual outcomes in clients of evangelical faith-based organizations. Religions.
Gokani, R. & Caragata, L. (2021). Non-violent evangelism: A look at how members of Evangelical faith-based organisations share faith with service recipients in Southern Ontario, Canada. Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work.
Cait, C., Gokani, R., Ewan, R.A., Moasun, F., Razbani-Tehrani, A., Scarborough, J., Smith, S. J., & Woodstock, J.(2021). Epistemology and arts-based pedagogy: Insights from an autoethnographic case study.
Gokani, R. & Caragata, L. (2020). A life-saving issue: The Great Commission as institutional policy in evangelical faith-based organisations in Southern Ontario, Canada. Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work.
Gokani, R. & Smith, S. J. (2020). Preliminary insights into a pragmatic approach to religion in social work in clinical and community settings. Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work.
Akesson, B., Bogossian, A., Gokani, R. (2020). A model of paternal protection in the context of political violence. International Social Work.