Marleny M. Bonnycastle

• Doctor of Philosophy (Social Work) - University of Calgary, 2011
• Master of Arts (International Development) - University of Calgary, 2002

Dr. Bonnycastle’s interdisciplinary research focuses on the impacts of social justice, oppression, immigrants and refugees, community development. Her research interests include:

• Homelessness and housing
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
• Immigrants, refugees, and newcomers
• Community-based participatory research
• Women and feminism
• Stigma and dignity
• Critical social work

Dr. Bonnycastle's research projects include:

Bonnycastle, M. (PI). Co-Is: Vyrauen, K.; Praznik, J.; Daudet, R. Building Newcomer Leadership and Board of Director Capacity. SSHRC-MRA (2020-2021). $21,500.

Bonnycastle, M. (PI). Co-Is: Bonnycastle, C.; Deegan, L.A.; Hughes, J. Housing and COVID-19 in Thompson Study.  Subproject of: At Home in the North: New Partners in Northern Housing and Home (2020-2022). $19,640.

Brenda Elias (Principal Investigator). Co-Is: Bonnycastle, M.; Levine, K.; Bennett, M. Janzen, M.; Linton, J. A dignity promotion project partnership for those living with FASD. SSHRC Partnership Grant 2017-2022). $2,500,000.

Thompson, S. (PI), Co-Is: Bonnycastle, M. It involves academics from several academics from post-secondary institutions, individual community researchers and local community partners. Northern teaching lodges: Learning partnership for community development and Mino Bimaadizwin in First Nations communities (2017-2023). SSHRC Grant. $2,500,000.

Christensen, J, (PI). Co-Is: Bonnycastle, M.  It involves academics from several post-secondary institutions, individual community researchers and dozens of local community partners. At Home in the North: New Partners in Northern Housing and Home. SSHRC CMHC Partnership Development Grant (2019-2024). $1,373,910.

Isaak, C. (PI). Co-Is: Mignone, J.; Bonnycastle, M.; Hinds, A.; Rappaport, L.; Hendrickson, P.; McGowan, R. Housing needs and preferences of Indigenous people experiencing homelessness. National Housing Strategy – CMHC (2019-2021). $56,881.15.

MacKinnon, S. (PI). Co-Is: Bonnycastle, M. It involves academics from six post-secondary institutions, individual community researchers and dozens of local community partners. Community-Driven Solutions to Poverty: Challenges and Possibilities. SSHRC partnership grant (2020 – March 2027). $2.5 million.

McLachlan, S. (PI). Co-Is: Bonnycastle, M.  It involves academics from several post-secondary institutions, individual community researchers and dozens of local community partners. Wa Ni Ska Tan: cross-regional research alliance on the implications of hydro development for environments and Indigenous communities in northern Canada (2016-2023). SSHRC Grant. $2,500,000.

Christensen, J, (PI). Co-Is: Bonnycastle, M.  It involves academics from several post-secondary institutions, individual community researchers and dozens of local community partners. New Partners in Northern Housing and Homelessness: Inter-Community, pan-northern partnerships in knowledge sharing, mobilization, and collaboration (2019 – 2020). SSHRC-CRSH Partnership Grant. $79,990.

Bonnycastle, M. (PI). Co-Is: Deegan, LA.; Warnar-Brown, H. Perspectives and causes of homelessness in Thompson and surrounding communities.  SSHRC – MRA grant. $19,102.12.

Illsley, S. & Mignone, J. (PIs). Co-Is: Dame-McKinnon, S.L.; Migliardi, P.; Bonnycastle, M.; Amirault, M.D. Collaborators: Cree Nations Tribal Health, The Aboriginal HIV and AIDS Collaborative Centre, The Play is Safer Network. Remote control: Implementing community-based research in northern Manitoba (2016-2019). CIHR-Operating Grant. $448,841.80.

Bonnycastle, C. (PI). Co-Is: Hughes, J.; Nixon, K.; Hickes, K.; Bonnycastle, M. Re-establishing their lives:  The issues of affordable housing for women and their children escaping violent relationships in Northern Manitoba (2016-2017). SSHRC-MRA. $11,570.

Bonnycastle, M. (PI). Co-I: Simpkins, M. Youth homelessness: Including the voices of youth who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in Thompson, MB (2015-2017). SSHRC-UAKN. $30,000.

Bonnycastle, M. (PI). Co-I: Simpkins, M. Youth homelessness: Including the voices of youth who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in Thompson, MB. (2015-2019). SSHRC-MRA. $15,000.

Bonnycastle, M. (PI). Co-I: Bonnycastle, C. Research and evaluation component of the Tobacco Control Strategy (2015-2018). Health Canada: First Nations and Inuit Health Branch - Fund granted to the Keewatin Tribal Council. $35,000.

Brown, J. (PI). Co-Is: Ursel, J.; Bonnycastle, M. Experiences of foster parents with children with FASD (2014-2020). SSHRC Insight Grant. $434,855.

Dr. Bonnycastle teaching interests include feminist perspectives, anti-oppressive social work practice, qualitative research, systematic inquiry, human behaviour, and community development. Dr. Bonnycastle supervises students at the master and doctoral levels at the Faculty of Social Work, Faculty of Health, Natural Resources Institute, and master’s in Human Rights.

Bonnycastle, C. R., Nixon, K., Bonnycastle, M. M., Hughes, J., & Groening, A. (2021). Re-establishing their lives: Issues relating to affordable housing for women and their children escaping violent intimate partner relationships in Northern Manitoba. Northern Review. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22584/nr51.2021.001

Hill, S., Bonnycastle, M. M., & Thompson, S. (2020). COVID-19 policies increase the inequity in Northern Manitoba First Nations. In A. Rounce & K. Levasseur (Eds.), Manitoba in Lockdown: Public Policy Conversations about COVID-19. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press. https://uofmpress.ca/files/9780887559501_web.pdf

Bonnycastle, M. & Simpkins, M. (2020). Research Relationships: Collaboration, Reflection, and Sustainability in a Northern Canadian Resource Town. Northern Review (Whitehorse), 49, 89–113. 

Deegan, C. L. A., & Bonnycastle, M. M. (2020). Displacement, Housing, and homelessness in northern Manitoba communities. Winnipeg: CCPA. https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Manitoba%20
Office/2020/11/Northern%20Homelessness.pdf

Thompson, S., Bonnycastle, M. M., & Hill, S. (2020). COVID-19 First Nations and poor housing. Retrieved from Winnipeg: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/covid-19-first-nations-and-poor-housing

Bonnycastle, M. M., Thompson, S., & Hill, S. (2020). “Wash hands frequently” and “Self-isolate” akin to “let them eat cake*” in First Nations with overcrowded homes lacking piped water. Retrieved from https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/commentary/fast-facts-“wash-hands-frequently”-and-“self-isolate”-akin-“let-them-eat

Bonnycastle, M. M., & Heinonen, T. (2019). Using arts to engage community: Nepal and Canadian experiences. In E. E. Huss & E. Bos (Eds.), Art in social work practice: Theory and practice: International perspectives (pp. 190-202). New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN 9780367584290

Bonnycastle, C., Hughes, J., Bonnycastle, M., Nixon, K., & Groening, A. (2019). Re-establishing their lives: Issues relating to affordable housing for women and their children escaping violent relationships in northern Manitoba. Retrieved from https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/re-establishing-their-lives.

Groening, A., Bonnycastle, C., Bonnycastle, M., Nixon, K., & Hughes, J. (2019). Housing needs of Indigenous women leaving intimate partner violence in northern communities. Retrieved from https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/housing-needs-indigenous-women-leaving-intimate-partner-violence-northern

Bonnycastle, M. M. (2017). What they bring to the new land: Stories of Colombian refugee women in Canada. International Social Work, 60(3), 654–666. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020872816633888

Bonnycastle, M. M., Simpkins, M., & Seddle, A. (2016). The Inclusion of Indigenous voices in co-constructing ‘home’: Indigenous homelessness in a Northern semi-urban community in Manitoba. In E. J. Peters & J. Christensen (Eds.), Indigenous homelessness: Perspectives from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Winnipeg, MB: University of Manitoba Press.

Bonnycastle, M. M. (2015). From victimization to agency: Refugee women's indicators of integration and adaptation. In M. Baffoe, L. Asimeng-Boahene & B. Ogbuagu (Eds.), Settlers in transition: Pathways and roadblocks to settlement and citizenship of newcomers in new homelands. New York: Linus Learning.

Bonnycastle, M. M., & Bonnycastle, C. R. (2015). Photographs Generate Knowledge: Reflections on Experiential Learning In/Outside the Social Work Classroom. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 35(3), 233–250. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2015.1027031

Simpkins, M., & Bonnycastle, M. M. (2015). "It's home": Listening to female post-secondary students in northern Manitoba, Canada. Reports & Studies. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. March 2015. https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/%E2%80%9Cit%E2%80%99s-home%E2%80%9D

Simpkins, M. & Bonnycastle, M. M. (2014). “We’re in this together”: Factors that influence and support success for female post-secondary students in northern Manitoba, Canada. 2014 Arctic Yearbook: Human capital in the north. Pp. 167-185. https://arcticyearbook.com/arctic-yearbook/2014