In this conversation, Alexis Jemal, Associate Professor in the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, gives insights into the particular relationship and impact the field of Social Work has on public scholarship. Professor Jemal also speaks about her theories of critical consciousness and transformative potential, and their application in the formation of courses centered on methodologies of public scholarship.

The interview was recorded by Jess Applebaum on April 28, 2023.

PDF Transcript: Interview with PublicsLab Mentor, Professor Alexis Jemal

“As far as other people wanting to do public scholarship, I think teams, collaboration and partnerships, diversity in skill sets, in knowledges and experiences, is how you tap into radical imagination. People bring different ideas and different ways of thinking and different ways of knowing, together.”

– Alexis Jemal

Alexis Jemal, LCSW, LCADC, MA, JD, PhD, Associate Professor at Silberman School of Social Work-Hunter College, is a scholar, artivist, educator, social entrepreneur and critical/radical social worker whose work facilitates the potential to transform consciousness into action. Dr. Jemal studies and practices the consilience of racial justice and healing with the mission to recognize and respond to oppressive policies and practices to prevent and eliminate domination, exploitation, and discrimination that pose barriers to life, wellness, liberty, and justice. Dr. Jemal’s scholarship uses participatory action research methods to develop and test multi-level and multi-systemic socio-behavioral health practices that integrate the creative arts (e.g., applied theatre), sociodrama, critical theory, community and cultural organizing, restorative justice frameworks, radical healing and liberation health models to address structural, community and interpersonal violence. Dr. Jemal’s work spans epigenetics to cultural study, and draws from the disciplines of Public Humanities, Social Sciences, Education, Public Health, Criminal Justice, and Neuroscience. The interdisciplinary nature of Dr. Jemal’s research and practice creates an innovative synergy leading to holistic and dynamic discoveries for intervention.

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