Dr. Christina Erickson is former Chair of the Social Work Department and Program Director and faculty in Social Work and Environmental Studies. She served varied roles in the Social Work Department including BSW Program Director, Field Education Coordinator, and BSW Field Director. Her service to Augsburg includes a range of University wide committees and appointments.
Dr. Erickson held a rotating endowed professorship as the Batalden Faculty Scholar in Applied Ethics from 2015 to 2018. She focused on environmental ethics and campus culture and operations to promote environmental sustainability.
Dr. Erickson’s research focused on two key areas, environmental justice as part of social work practice and creating families free of violence. Both of these research areas stemmed from her social work practice experiences in non-profits, health care settings, and community-based services. In addition to numerous articles and chapters, her research brought forward two books published by Oxford University Press.
Books
- Erickson, C.L. (2022). Spanked: How Hitting Our Children is Harming Ourselves. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Erickson, C.L. (2018). Environmental Justice as Social Work Practice. New York: Oxford University Press.
TEACHING
Augsburg University Department of Social Work and Environmental Studies Program
- Social Work 100: Introduction to Social Work Practice
- Social Work 210: Environmental Justice and Social Change
- Environmental Studies 295: Nature, Humans and Environmental Justice
- Social Work 301: History and Analysis of Social Policy
- Social Work 307/317: Integrated Field Seminar I & II
- Social Work 316: Methods with Families and Groups
- Social Work 401: Practice IV: Methods in Research and Evaluation
- Social Work 506: Practice II: Methods with Families and Groups
- Social Work 515: Theories of Families
- Social Work 516: Community Development for Social Change
- Social Work 639: Family Violence
- Social Work 640: Capstone Seminar
- Social Work 667, 668, 669: Organizational Practice I, II & III
- Social Work 699: Electives: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Aging, and Ending Family Violence: Macro to Micro Interventions
United International College, Social Work and Social Administration Programme, Zhuhai, China, Spring Semester 2012
- Social Work 4130: Social Work with Families
- Social Work 2180: Human Behavior and the Social Environment
- General Education 2010: Environmental Justice and Social Change
Book Chapters and Peer Reviewed Publications
- Erickson, C. L. (2021). Environmental Justice. Encyclopedia of Social Work. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Chalise, N., Erickson, C.L., Lee, N. (2020). Hand-maidens to Environmentalists? Claiming Social Work’s Niche for Environmental Justice. Journal of Social Work Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2020.1798313
- Hill, K., Erickson, C.L., Plitt Donaldson, L., Fogel, S.J., Ferguson, S.M. (2017). Perceptions of Macro Social Work Education: An Exploratory Study of Educators and Practitioners. Advances in Social Work, 18(2), 522-542.
- Hill, K., Fogel, S., Plitt-Donaldson, L. & Erickson, C.L. (2017). State Definitions of Social Work Practice: Implications for our Professional Identity. Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work. DOI: 10.1080/23761407.2017.1319775
- Plitt-Donaldson, L., Fogel, S., Hill, K., Erickson, C.L. & Ferguson, S. (2016). Attitudes toward advanced licensing in macro social work practice. Journal of Community Practice, 24(1), p. 77-93.
- Erickson, C.L. (2015). Sustainable Policy for Older Adults. In Van Wormer, K. & Link, R. (Eds.) Social Welfare Policy for a Sustainable Future. Los Angeles: Sage.
- Erickson C.L. (2015). The Field Learning Agenda: Maximizing the Essential Tool. In Hensley, M. (Ed.) Field Instructor Survival Guide. Springer: New York.
- Plitt-Donaldson, L., Hill, K, Ferguson, S.M., Fogel, S., Erickson, C.L., (2014). Contemporary Social Work Licensure: Implications for Macro Social Work Practice and Education. Social Work (59)1, p. 52-61.
- Erickson, C.L., Gault, D. & Simmons, D. (2014). The Wakanheza Project: A Public Health Approach to the Primary Prevention of Family Violence. Journal of Community Practice, (22),1-15.
- Hamilton, B. & Erickson, C.L. (2012). Urban Heat Islands: A social work perspective. Advances in Social Work, 13(2), 420-430.
- Erickson, C.L. (2011). Environmental Degradation and Preservation. In Healy, L. and Link, R. (Eds.) Handbook for International Social Work. Oxford University Press: New York.
- Hill, K. Ferguson, S.M. & Erickson, C.L. (2010). Strengthening and Sustaining Macro Social Work: A replicable model. Journal of Community Practice. 18(4), 513-527.
- Erickson, C.L., Lee, S. & Mattaini, M.A. (September, 2009). A community prevention approach to peaceful schools: Application of Wakanheza. School Social Work Journal 34(1). 43-60.
- Erickson, C.L. (2007). Living with Parkinson’s Disease: How Social Workers Help. Health Section Connection, Issue 1, 6-7.
- Erickson, C.L. (2007). Social Work Practice and Parkinson’s Disease. In L.M. Grobman & D.B. Bourassa (Eds.), Days in the Lives of Gerontological Social Workers. White Hat: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- Erickson, C.L. (2006). Living with illness – your options: Parkinson’s disease services available to individuals and families. helpstartshere.org, National Association of Social Workers.
- Erickson, C.L. (2006). Kitchen table recovery. Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work. Spring, 21(1), 106-107.
- Erickson, C.L. & Muramatsu, N. (2004). Parkinson’s disease, depression and medication adherence: Current knowledge and social work practice. Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 42(3/4), 3-18.
- Erickson, C.L. & Mattaini, M.A., and McGuire, M.S. (2004). Constructing non-violent cultures in schools: The state of the science. Children and Schools 26(2)102-116
Media, Interviews, and Popular Press
- Erickson C.L. (2023). Environmental Justice as Social Work Practice. NASW Social Work Talks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKkwdoDqIjA
- Yuen, L. (September 18, 2022). The Case Against Spanking is Settled. Article and interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
- Andrew, J. (November, 2022). Professors Book Educates on the Mutual Harm of Spanking. Interview with The Echo, Augsburg University Student Newspaper https://books.thempxgroup.com/books/evkq/#p=10
- Craig, P. (Oct-Nov, 2022). Augsburg University: Drilling Down on Diversity. Social Work Advocates, National Association of Social Workers, p. 12. https://www.socialworkers.org/News/Social-Work-Advocates/October-November-2022-Issue/Schools-of-Social-Work-October-November-2022
- Laurio, A. (Feb-Mar, 2021) Climate Change: Social Work Addresses Environmental Impacts on Physical and Mental Health. Social Work Advocates, National Association of Social Worker. p. 14-21. https://www.socialworkers.org/News/Social-Work-Advocates/2021-Feb-March
- Erickson, C.L. (2011) A Gift Never Given and a Keepsake Taken Away. Cairns, Fall, Unity Universalist Press, Minneapolis.
- Wheeler, W. (Summer, 2009). Making Peace in the Community. Augsburg NOW, Volume 71(3). https://www.augsburg.edu/now/2009/07/01/making-peace-in-the-community/
- Erickson, C.L. (2008). Wash ‘em, don’t toss ‘em: This mom wants restaurants to reuse kids’ cups. Minnesota Women’s Press, 24(17), 5.
Campus Leadership
Co-Chair, Personnel Policies Committee, 2020- 2024
Budget Working Group, 2022-2024
Faculty Compensation Committee, 2021-2022
Graduate Academic Affairs Committee, 2019-2021
New Building Space Planning Committee, 2016-2017
Futures Committee, 2016-2017
Academic Affairs Committee, 2015-2017
Committee on Academic Planning, 2013-2015
Faculty Search Chair, 2010, 2012, 2014
Environmental Studies Program Committee, 2007-2024
Faculty Senate, 2007-2009
Facilities Management Faculty for the Environmental Protection Agency Audit, 2009
Faculty Senate Representative to the Board of Regents Committee on Institutional Advancement, 2008-2009
Institutional Review Board Member, 2007-2009
Environmental Stewardship Committee, 2004 – 2024
Martin Luther King Convocation Committee, 2007 to 2009
EDUCATION
- BS, University of Minnesota
- MSW, University of Minnesota, Duluth
- PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago