Contact info

For Library research help, please contact Moninder Lalli, Librarian for Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies by email moninder_lalli@sfu.ca or Ask a librarian.

Research process

Start Your Research Here - This page gives you an overview of the research process, or in other words how to find materials for your essay.

Definitions and theories

Use encyclopedias, dictionaries and handbooks to obtain definitions and overviews of a topic and also to identify key authors.

• A-Z of gender and sexuality : from Ace to Ze
• Blackwell companion to social inequalities
• Encyclopedia of Sexuality and Gender
• Handbook on gender and health
• Handbook of the Sociology of Health, Illness, and Healing: A Blueprint for the 21st Century
• Oxford handbook of stigma, discrimination, and health
• Palgrave handbook of gender and healthcare
• Routledge international handbook of critical mental health
• Routledge handbook of sexuality, health and rights
• Routledge international handbook of colorism
• Sage encyclopedia of LGBTQ studies
• Sage handbook of feminist theory
• Sage handbook of mental health and illness

For more, try the side tab, Background information

Find books

Library Catalogue search guide

Search the SFU Library Catalogue: Advanced keyword

To find a specific book

  Use "Browse by title"

Examples of keyword combinations for some of the research topics

You can limit the result to "books" by using "Resource type" of "Books

• (race OR racism OR discrim* OR inequality) AND (health OR medical OR illness)
  • results limited to "resource type" of "books" and selected "subjects"
• (gender*) AND (health OR medical OR illness)
  • results limited to "online only resources", "books" and selected "subjects"
• "critical race theory" AND (health* OR medicine OR medical OR illness)
  • Results limited to "books" and selected "subjects"
• "social determinants" AND health
• (diabilit* OR disabled) AND (health OR illness OR medic*)
• (native OR aboriginal OR indigenous) AND women AND canad* AND health
• "Women’s Health Movement" OR "Feminist Health Activism"

  • Combine different concepts using AND
    Combine same concepts using OR
    Use quotation marks to search for a phrase
    Use brackets for synonyms
    Use asterisk (*) for different endings of words

    Use pull-down menu and select, "Source Types" as "Books"

    Note:  For Catalogue Search, when combining concepts, use CAPITAL letters ( "OR", "AND")

Selected books

• Bodies of knowledge : sexuality, reproduction, and women's health in the second wave
• Colour coded health care : the impact of race and racism on Canadians' health
• Cultural safety, healthcare and vulnerable populations : a critical theoretical perspective
• Ethnicity, health and health care understanding diversity, tackling disadvantage
• Fertile ground : exploring reproduction in Canada
• First peoples, second class treatment : the role of racism in the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples in Canada
• Gender, Health, and History in Modern East Asia
• Health care equity for ethnic minority older adults
• Health inequalities and racialized groups : a review of the evidence
• Health inequities in Canada : intersectional frameworks and practices [print]
• The health of LGBTQIA2 communities in Canada : report of the Standing Committee on Health
• Indigenous experiences of pregnancy and birth
• Infertility around the Globe: New Thinking on Childlessness, Gender, and Reproductive Technologies
• Introduction to aboriginal health and health care in Canada bridging health and healing
• Mapping race : critical approaches to health disparities research
• Politics of gender
• Racialization and health inequities in Toronto : a review of the evidence
• Social Determinants of Inuit Health in Canada
• Social injustice and public health
• Social medicine reader. Vol. 2. differences and inequalities
• Theorizing Intersectionality and Sexuality
• The transgender studies reader / edited by Susan Stryker and Stephen Whittle
• Unequal health : how inequality contributes to health or illness
• What even is gender?

Browse books in the Library Catalogue using subject headings

Catalogue Search / Browse then change "Title" to "Subject" and enter your subject term

• Discrimination in medical care
• Gender and sexuality
• Health -- Sex differences
• Health and race
• Minorities -- medical care
• Minority Health -- Canada
• Public health -- Social aspects
• Reproductive health
• Sexual minorities -- Health
• Women -- Health and Hygiene

Find journal articles

How to find journal articles

Search for journal articles on your topic using the databases, below.  From within the database, use the "Get@SFU" link to find it or to initiate an inter-library loan request.

• Women's Studies International  - for issues related to gender, sexuality and women's studies
• Academic Search Premier  Multidisciplinary index to academic & popular journals. Also indexes women's studies journals.
• Sociological Abstracts - for social issues

Selected journals

• Disability and health journal
• Ethnicity & disease
• Journal of gender, culture, and health
• Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities
• Social Science & Medicine

Presentation skills and writing help

See the Student Learning Commons for expert and friendly help with academic writing, learning, and study strategies.

• Resources on developing your participation skills
• Resources to help you improve your presentation skills

Library guides

• Library Research Tutorials. Animated tutorials on search techniques for finding books and journal articles.
• Annotated bibliographies
• Evaluating sources
• How to find journal articles
• Library Catalogue search guide
• What is a scholarly (or peer-reviewed) journal?
• What is plagiarism?  Guide to common forms of plagiarism and how to avoid them

Writing help

See the Student Learning Commons for expert and friendly help with academic writing, learning, and study strategies.