Dr. Eric Weissman is an Assistant Professor at the University of New Brunswick, specializing in the lived experience form of scholarship focusing on homelessness, housing, mental health, and substance use in Canadian cities. His research began in 1999 and stems from his own experience with episodic homelessness and severe substance use disorder over 26 years ago. This background gives him a unique perspective as he examines the struggles individuals face in securing stable housing while addressing health concerns and overall well-being. Dr. Weissman conducts comparative critical research, exploring various housing models, including tiny home communities he categorizes as Intentional Homeless Communities, in the context of the widespread homelessness crisis in North America. He employs visual elicitation practices to better understand the narratives surrounding social policies impacting vulnerable populations. Dr. Weissman has published multiple books and has been involved in numerous community-based research projects. Notably, he contributed to the Indigenous Definition of Homelessness in Canada, which has been widely adopted by government entities. His recent work includes research on post-secondary student homelessness across Canada, receiving significant media coverage. He also formed a visual ethnography lab at UNB to assist students and community partners in addressing social issues through focused scholarly studies.
University of New Brunswick • Saint John
Teaching and conducting research in social science, focused on homelessness and related social issues.