IN-PERSON Lisbon Livable Cities. Section A
Abstract
What factors can improve how racialized immigrants respond to public health advertisements? Using focus groups, we study anti-stigma mental health campaigns within the context of immigrants’ mental health which has been a concern for public health authorities (Government of Canada, 2023) and stigma researchers (Mianji et al., 2020). In Study 1, we conducted focus groups with immigrants who identify as Black to assess their perceptions of public health ads that featured Black models. In Study 2, we conducted focus groups with racialized immigrant women who discussed mental health ads, focusing on which advertising features are perceived as stigmatizing and how to make the ads more inclusive and racially aware. Across the two studies, results demonstrated that anti-stigma health communications may create backlash when they feature models from only one race because these ads are viewed as stigmatizing. Participants expressed a strong desire to see models from multiple races and intersecting identities represented. Looking across the two studies, we better understand the backlash that occurs when racialized immigrants feel stigmatized by public health authorities. Participants also provided concrete ideas for designing racially aware, culturally sensitive ads to address the unintended effects of anti-stigma health campaigns.
Dr. El Hazzouri’s primary area of research interest focuses on diversity and inclusion in advertising. He investigates how members of minority groups react to advertisements that include members of their own groups. Dr. El Hazzouri’s other areas of research interest include consumer debt and the evolutionary basis of consumption.
Leah Hamilton is Vice Dean, Research & Community Relations and Professor of Organizational Behaviour in the Faculty of Business & Communication Studies at Mount Royal University. She is a community-engaged scholar who works with newcomer communities and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. She works with newcomer communities and the settlement sector to better understand newcomers’ resettlement needs, the impact of immigration policies, and the outcomes of resettlement programs. She also researches public attitudes toward immigrants, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and other equity-deserving groups.
Esra Ari’s research examines how racialization intersects with immigration, citizenship, and identity construction. Her recent research also engages with postcolonial literature to explore the complex relationship between the everyday experiences of racialized groups and global power structures. She foregrounds the lived experiences of marginalized groups within larger oppressive systems, namely racism, as it intersects with sexism and capitalism. Esra’s commitment to anti-racist research and the centrality of experiential knowledge shape her teaching style, which is informed by decolonizing frameworks as well as dialogical and experiential learning.
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Wednesday 9th July, 2025