Rachel Hagues
Associate Professor
School of Public Health
Department of Social Work
1599 CHS Building 1
rhagues@samford.edu
205-726-4489

Rachel Hagues is an associate professor Samford University's Department of Social Work. Her research goals center around amplifying the voice of vulnerable populations. Before pursuing a PhD, she worked several years at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government practicing social work at the macro/policy level and volunteering at Mercy Health Center, a Christian medical clinic that provides free care to the uninsured. Her desire is to see redemption brought to the lives of the most vulnerable. 

For the last several years she has worked in a remote community in Tanzania with women and girls. Her dissertation looked at gender discrimination issues in that community. As a result of that work, she is currently partnering with community members to establish a private secondary school for girls. Hagues also collaborates with colleague David Cecil to learn about the social work response to the global refugee crisis in hopes to learn best practices to prepare social workers to respond. Rachel teaches courses on Human Rights, Social Justice, Community and Global Development. Hagues is an avid runner and can appreciate a good race. She and her husband like exploring the world with their two young daughters. 

Degrees and Certifications

  • PhD, human development and family science, University of Georgia
  • MSW, social work, University of Georgia
  • BSFCS, child and family development, University of Georgia

Awards and Honors

  • Lilly Faculty Fellow, 2023-2025
  • Mann Center Fellow in Community-Based Learning, 2018-19
  • Alumni Outstanding Service Award from the University of Georgia’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences, 2016
  • Dissertation Completion Award, 2012

Expertise

  • Global community development and collaboration

Publications

  • Sanchez, J., Dryjanska, L., & Hagues, R. (in press). “I Need to Be Strong”: Refugee Women Embody Resilience Within Personal, Host, and Faith Communities. Transformation.  

  • Dryjanska, L., Sanchez, J., Hagues, R., & Parke, J. (2024). Overcoming all odds: How refugee women from Ukraine find courage through transnational families. Global Networks.  http://doi.org/10.1111/glob.12497  

  • Hagues, R. (2024). Promoting human flourishing through international education: Pursing a world where all can thrive. Journal of Research for International Educators. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10449652 

  • Hagues, R. (2023). Service-learning as anti-oppressive practice: Promoting partnerships to advance the Christian Mission to serve the least of these. International Journal of Christianity and Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/20569971231221147  

  • Roberson, J., Hagues, R., Leonard, B., & Robbins, D. (2023). Emerging Ideas. Addressing caregiver needs of brain injury survivors through telehealth: A pilot qualitative study. Family Relations. http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12971  

  • McCarty, S., Hagues, R., & Davis, J. (2022). Attitudes toward immigration and refugee policy: A global study. Quarterly on Refugee Problems – AWR Bulletin. 

  •  Hagues, R. & McCarty, S. (2022). Examining policies towards adolescent pregnancies across Africa: What is the relationship between religion and education policy? Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work.

  •  Hagues, R. & McCarty, S. (2022). The Consequences of Forcing Pregnant Girls Out of School: A Study focused on Tanzania. Human Rights & Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41134-021-00186-w
  • Roberson, J., Hagues, R. & Copeland, R. (2021). Addressing spirituality: The unconscious influencer on practice. Social Work & Christianity, 48(3), 275-287. DOI: 10.34043/swc.48i3215.  
  • Cecil, D. P., Hagues, R. J., Mansour, R., Ghanem, A., & Robbins, D. E. (2021). The lived experiences of social workers working with refugees in Lebanon. Journal of Social Work, 14680173211008372. 
  • Hagues, R. & Cecil, D. (2021). Teaching Note—An ecological conceptual framework for preparing social work students for practice with refugee and migrant populations. Journal of Social Work Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2021.1895934
  •  Hagues, R., Cecil, D., Ghanem, A., Mansour, R., & Robbins, D. (2021). Refugee social work in Lebanon: Does the faith of the social worker provide support? Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, 1-23. DOI: 10.1080/15426432.2021.1886621
  •  Hagues, R., Cecil, D., & Stoltzfus, K. (2019). The experiences of German social workers working with refugees. Journal of Social Work, 21(1), 46-68. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017319860305
  •  Hagues, R. (2019). Sex for soap? A contextual approach for understanding young girls’  involvement in sex in Tanzania. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 29(6), 819-831, DOI: 10.1080/10911359.2019.1621790
  •  Hagues, R. (2019). Conducting Critical Ethnography: Personal Reflections on the Role of the Researcher. International Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020872818819731
  •  Cecil, D., Stoltzfus, K., & Hagues, R. (2018). The Role of Faith and Faith Based Organizations in the German Response to the Refugee Crisis. Social Work & Christianity, 45(3), 93-112. 
  • Hagues, R., Stotz, S., Childers, A., Lee, J., Phua, J., Hibbs, J., & Murray, J. (2018). Social Marketing Nutrition Education for Low Income Population. Social Work in Public Health.  DOI: 10.1080/19371918.2018.1469065
  • Hagues, R. (2017). “The girl is brought up knowing she’s nothing”: Listening to the voices of Tanzanian women and Girls. Children & Schools, 39(2), 109-117. DOI: 10.1177/0020872818819731
  • Hagues, R., Bae, D., & Wickrama, K.A.S. (2016). Mediational pathways connecting secondary education and age of marriage to maternal mortality: A comparison between developing and developed countries. Women & Health, 1-19. DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2016.1159266
  • Hagues, R. & Parker, H. (2014). Girls’ Development in Tanzania: Empowering Girls through Creative Exploration. Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, 7(2). Retrievable at: http://jces.ua.edu/
  • Hagues, R. (2013). The U.S. and the Convention on the Rights of the Child: What’s the Hold-up? Journal of Social Work, 13(3). DOI: 10.1177/1468017313476983
  • Coleman, T., Hagues, R., & Wallinga, C. (2012). Ensuring Our Voices are Heard: A Primer for Communicating with Legislators. Childhood Education, 88 (2), 75-80. DOI: 10.1080/00094056.2012.662114

Presentations

  • Hagues, R. (invited). “Refugee Response in the United States: Politics, Faith, and Opportunities For Faith-Based Organizations.” Maker Majlis: World Refugee Day Conference. Hosted online by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) in Qatar. June 20-22, 2021.
  • Hagues, R. & Cecil, D. (invited). “Refugee Care in Lebanon: Understanding the Lived Experiences of Social Workers and what would be helpful if they had learned?” Localization of Social Work in Arab Countries (LOSWAC). Hosted online. November 25, 2020.
  • Hagues, R. “Embracing our role in the political realm.” North American Association of Christian Social Work Annual Meeting. Fall 2020. Virtual.
  • Hagues, R. “Doing what’s right: When the law, the Code, and our faith collide.” North American Association of Christian Social Work Annual Meeting. Fall 2019. Indianapolis, IN.
  • Roberson, C.J., Hagues, R., & Copeland, R. “Teaching students to incorporate faith and spirituality in practice.” North American Association of Christian Social Work Annual Meeting. Fall 2019. Indianapolis, IN.
  • Copeland, R., Hagues, R. & Roberson, C.J. “Addressing Spirituality: The Unconscious Influencer on Practice.” Counsel on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting. Fall 2019. Denver, CO.
  • Hagues, R. & Cecil, D. “An ecological conceptual framework for preparing social work students for refugee practice.” Counsel on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting. Fall 2018. Orlando, FL.
  • Hagues, R. “Interdisciplinary Service-Learning Collaboration in Tanzania.” North American Association of Christian Social Work Annual Meeting. Fall 2018. Hartford, CN.
  • Hagues, R. (invited). “Potentials of community development in refugee contexts.” International Social Work Week. June 4-8, 2017. Wurzburg, Germany.
  • Cecil, D., Hagues, R. & Stoltzfus, K. “Helping the people in front of me”: An analysis of the lived experiences of German social workers responding to the refugee crisis. Oral Presentation. International Social Work Conference. November 13-17, 2017. Wurzburg, Germany.
  • Cecil, D., & Hagues, R. Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Practice & Training. Oral Presentation. International Social Work Conference. November 13-17, 2017. Wurzburg, Germany.
  • Hagues, R. “Human flourishing from a macro perspective: Ensuring our clients live in a world that allows them to thrive.” Oral Presentation. Health & Human Flourishing Conference. March 23-25, 2017. Klaipėda, Lithuania.
  • Hagues, R., Cecil, D., & Stoltzfus, K., “Evidence of Faith in the German Social Work Approach to Refugees.” Oral Presentation. National Association of Christian Social Workers. Fall 2017. Charlotte, N.C.
  • Hagues, R., Stoltzfus, K., & Cecil, D. “Caring for Refugee Families: Exploring the Role of Social Service Providers.” Poster Presentation. National Council on Family Relations. November 3-5, 2016. Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Research

  • Gender issues in northern Tanzania
  • Social workers’ response to resettling refugees under crisis
  • Qualitative research with vulnerable populations

Involvement

  • International Justice Mission, Samford Chapter, Faculty Advisor
  • Council on Social Work Education
  • North American Association of Christian Social Workers
  • National Council on Family Relations