Arnel Borras
Arnel’s professional journey reflects his dedication and adaptability, beginning with his family’s immigration from the Philippines to Canada in 2008. Starting as a general labourer in a factory, he developed perseverance and hard work. Transitioning to healthcare, he compassionately served as a personal support worker, registered practical nurse, and registered nurse in a long-term care facility in Ontario.
Alongside his professional roles, Arnel pursued rigorous academic growth. He earned a BA in Economics and a BSc in Nursing from the Philippines, providing a strong interdisciplinary foundation. In Canada, he completed an Honours Bachelor’s in Nursing from York University (magna cum laude, 2012), a Master’s in Health in 2016, and a Ph.D. in Health specializing in Health Policy and Equity. From 2016 to 2022, he served as a teaching assistant, balancing advanced research with mentoring and supporting student learning.
Now an Assistant Professor at the Rankin School of Nursing, St. Francis Xavier University, Arnel’s research focuses on social determinants of health, public policy, and the political economy of health inequities. He examines intersections of class, race, ethnicity, gender, age, and geography, addressing food security, housing insecurity, and systemic inequities in healthcare. He teaches courses on professional role transition, leadership, and research.
A committed scholar and advocate, Arnel’s work reflects his dedication to ecological, societal, and human development. His journey inspires students and colleagues alike, advancing health equity and envisioning a more just and healthier world.
Research Interests
- Nursing Leadership and Activism
- Health Inequality, Health Inequity, and Health Injustice
- Social Justice and Health Equity
- Social Determinants of Health
- Healthcare Systems and Services
- Employment and Working Conditions
- Income and Wealth Inequality
- Housing Insecurity and Homelessness
- Food insecurity
- Food Sovereignty
- Political Economy of Health
- Intersectionality and Health
- Power and Health Politics
- Health Policy and Advocacy
- Labour and Social Movements
- Welfare State Systems
- Critical Discourse Analysis
ORCiD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2237-0980
ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Arnel-Borras
Borras, A. M. (2025, February). Health and health care inequities: A critical political economy perspective. Fernwood Publishing.
Borras, A. M. (2025, February). The political economy of racialized health inequities. In T. Bryant (Ed.), Handbook on the social determinants of health. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Borras, A. M. (2024). A critical political economy of health inequities. In D. Primrose, R. Loeppky, & R. Chang (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of the political economy of health and healthcare (pp. 119–130). Routledge.
Borras, A.M., Komakech, M., & Raphael, D. (2023). Policy-related homelessness discourses in Canada: Implications for nursing research, practice, and advocacy. Witness: The Canadian Journal of Critical Nursing Discourse, 5(1), 31–54. https://doi.org/10.25071/2291-5796.145
Borras, A.M. (2023). The challenge of exposing and ending health inequalities through social and policy change: Canadian experiences. International Journal of Social Determinants of Health and Health Services. doi:10.1177/27551938221148376
Borras, A.M. (2022). Tackling health inequalities through public policy action: Insights from Canadian policy academics, activists, and advocates [Doctoral dissertation, School of Health Policy and Management, York University]. York University, Toronto. https://yorkspace.library.yorku.ca/items/da139d31-0f00-4411-a797-af45e397260b
Borras, A.M. (2021). Toward an intersectional approach to health justice. International Journal of Health Services. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020731420981857
Borras, A. M., & Mohamed, F. A. (2020). Health inequities and the shifting paradigms of food security, food insecurity, and food sovereignty. International Journal of Health Services, 50(3), 299– 313. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020731420913184
Borras, A. M. (2016). Towards equitable health policy: A critical approach to Canadian housing insecurity and homelessness as informed by political economy and social determinants of health [Major research paper, York University]. YorkSpace. https://yorkspace.library.yorku.ca/xmlui/handle/10315/32410
