INQUIRIES:
I welcome inquiries from attorneys to discuss whether my expertise would be relevant and helpful for a particular case.
I typically respond to inquiries within 2-3 business days. Please include in your initial contact:
- Brief description of the case
- Country/countries of origin
- Topics/issues relevant to the claim
- Timeline for expert declaration
- Information about funding source if relevant to fee discussion
EXPERT WITNESS
Dr. Rubin provides expert testimony in asylum and humanitarian protection cases involving sub-Saharan Africa. Her country expertise includes South Africa (primary), Rwanda, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, with regional expertise across sub-Saharan Africa. She specializes in gender-based violence (including obstetric violence and FGM/C), structural violence and discrimination, healthcare access barriers, maternal and reproductive health, poverty and economic precarity, and refugee health experiences. Dr. Rubin has experience translating complex social science research for legal and policy audiences, including policy consultation and testimony before the Ohio State House. She is available for case consultations, expert declarations, and related work on a case-by-case basis.
Sarah Ethel Rubin, PhD
Occupation: Medical Anthropologist; Associate Professor of Instruction, Department of Social Medicine, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Institutional email: rubins@ohio.edu or submit the contact form
Fees: Available upon request on a case-by-case basis. I consider various factors including funding source (asylum seeker, non-profit, pro bono legal services), scope of work required, and timeline. Please contact me to discuss fee arrangements for your specific case.
COUNTRIES OF EXPERTISE
Primary Expertise:
South Africa (Cape Town, Western Cape; Xhosa communities)
Additional Expertise:
Rwanda
Nigeria
Ethiopia
Sub-Saharan Africa (regional expertise)
DETAILS OF COUNTRY EXPERTISE
South Africa (Primary Expertise, 2010-Present)
I conducted two years of intensive ethnographic fieldwork (2010-2012) in Cape Town townships, supported by both National Science Foundation (NSF) Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant and Fulbright Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship. This research examined Xhosa women's experiences navigating poverty, healthcare systems, structural violence, and maternal health challenges in urban township contexts.
Basis for expertise:
- On-the-ground research: 24 months continuous fieldwork in Khayelitsha and Gugulethu townships, Cape Town (2010-2012)
- Healthcare system knowledge: Deep engagement with South Africa's public healthcare infrastructure including primary care clinics, maternity hospitals, community health workers, and traditional healthcare providers
- Linguistic competency: Reading fluency in isiXhosa; beginner-level speaking ability developed during fieldwork for direct community engagement
- Continuous scholarly engagement: Biennial month-long research visits to Cape Town maintaining updated knowledge and collaborative projects
- Published research: Peer-reviewed publications on obstetric violence, maternal emotional distress, mother love in contexts of poverty, and survival strategies in South African townships
- Temporal scope: Primary fieldwork covers 2010-2012 period; maintained current knowledge through 2010-present through ongoing research visits and literature review
Key publications:
- Rubin, Sarah E. "'The Inimba It Cuts': A Reconsideration of Mother Love in the Context of Poverty." *Ethos* 46, no. 3 (2018): 330-350. [Cape Town townships, Xhosa mothers]
- Smith-Oka, Vania, Sarah E. Rubin, and Lydia Z. Dixon. "Obstetric violence in their own words: how women in Mexico and South Africa expect, experience, and respond to violence." *Violence Against Women* 28, no. 11 (2022): 2700-2721.
Rwanda (Genocide and Post-Genocide Period: 1994-2013)
Basis for expertise:
- Collaborative research: Co-authored peer-reviewed research with Rwandan scholars examining resilience and motherhood among genocide-rape survivors
- Temporal scope: Research focuses specifically on experiences of genocide survivors and post-genocide recovery period (1994-2013)
- Topic expertise: Gender-based violence in context of genocide; psychological resilience; motherhood following sexual violence
Key publication:
- Zraly, Maggie, Sarah E. Rubin, and Donatilla Mukamana. "Motherhood and Resilience Among Rwandan Genocide-Rape Survivors." *Ethos* 41, no. 4 (2013): 411-439.
Nigeria (Contemporary Period: 2020-Present)
Basis for expertise:
- Current research: Manuscript under review examining psychological distress among Nigerian market women navigating poverty, economic precarity, and threat of microloan default
- Topic expertise: Women's economic survival strategies; informal economy; poverty and mental health; urban livelihoods
- Temporal scope: Contemporary Nigeria (2020-present)
Ethiopia (Contemporary Period: 2020-Present)
Basis for expertise:
- Published research: Peer-reviewed study on factors associated with men's opinions about female genital mutilation in Ethiopia, examining community attitudes and social contexts surrounding FGM/C practices
- Graduate student supervision: Served as thesis committee chair for Master of Global Health student conducting research on Ethiopian male attitudes around female circumcision
- Topic expertise: Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C); community attitudes toward gender-based violence; men's roles in harmful traditional practices
Key publication:
- Sara, Bethany A., Sarah E. Rubin, Zelalem T. Haile, Dawit G. Alemu, and Ilana R. Azulay Chertok. "Factors associated with men's opinion about female genital mutilation in Ethiopia." *Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare* 32 (2022): 100721.
Sub-Saharan Africa (Regional Expertise)
Basis for expertise:
- Graduate training: Master of Science in African Studies from University of Oxford (St. Cross College, 2006) provides foundation in regional history, politics, economics, and social structures across sub-Saharan Africa
- Graduate student supervision: Regularly serve on thesis committees for Master of Global Health program supervising research across diverse African contexts including Ethiopia, Kenya, and Botswana. This ongoing mentorship requires staying current with country-specific conditions, healthcare systems, and social challenges across multiple African nations.
- Grant review expertise: Serve as African regional expert for Fulbright Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad fellowships (Principal Grant Reviewer, 2021-2024) and Wenner-Gren Foundation peer review panels (2025-2027), reviewing research proposals across sub-Saharan Africa. This role requires evaluating the scholarly merit and feasibility of research projects across diverse African contexts, necessitating broad and current regional knowledge.
- Teaching: Regularly teach on African healthcare systems, global reproductive health, and social determinants of health in African contexts in medical education curriculum
- Scholarly engagement: Active member of African studies and medical anthropology professional networks maintaining current knowledge of regional developments through ongoing literature review, conference participation, and professional collaborations
TOPICS OF EXPERTISE
Gender-Based Violence
Applicable to: South Africa, Ethiopia, Rwanda, regional sub-Saharan Africa
Basis for expertise:
- Obstetric violence: Published research examining how women in South Africa experience, respond to, and resist violence in healthcare settings (*Violence Against Women*, 2022). Research documents women's expectations of care, experiences of mistreatment by healthcare providers, and strategies for navigating and resisting medical violence.
- Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C): Published research on community attitudes toward FGM in Ethiopia (*Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare*, 2022), including men's opinions, social pressures, and factors associated with support for or opposition to the practice.
- Sexual violence and genocide: Research on Rwandan genocide-rape survivors examining trauma, resilience, and motherhood following sexual violence (*Ethos*, 2013)
- Reproductive coercion: Research addresses reproductive decision-making under conditions of violence and coercion in multiple African contexts
Relevant to asylum cases involving:
- Survivors of obstetric violence or medical mistreatment
- Survivors of FGM/C or those at risk of FGM/C
- Survivors of sexual violence in conflict contexts
- Women facing reproductive coercion
- Gender-based persecution in healthcare settings
Structural Violence and Discrimination
Applicable to: South Africa, Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa, United States
Basis for expertise:
- Published research: Multiple peer-reviewed articles examining how structural violence operates in healthcare systems, urban poverty contexts, and marginalized communities
- Healthcare discrimination: Research on systematic discrimination in medical settings including racial discrimination, ethnic marginalization, and medical neglect in South African public healthcare system
- Economic exclusion: Research on survival strategies under conditions of extreme poverty, food insecurity, and economic marginalization in South Africa and Nigeria
- Teaching expertise: Developed and co-facilitated "Racism in Medicine" seminar series at OU-HCOM (2020-present); recipient of Inclusion Champion Award (2023)
Relevant to asylum cases involving:
- Systematic healthcare discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or social status
- Denial of medical care or medical neglect
- Persecution based on economic or social marginalization
- Structural barriers to accessing essential services
Healthcare Systems, Access, and Barriers
Applicable to: South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, United States (refugee health)
Basis for expertise:
- Healthcare system navigation: Extensive fieldwork examining how marginalized populations navigate public health systems, including primary care clinics, hospitals, community health workers, and traditional healthcare providers
- Barriers to care: Research identifies structural, economic, cultural, and geographic barriers to healthcare access in under-resourced settings
- Refugee healthcare: Published research on challenges primary healthcare providers face caring for refugees in Northeast Ohio (*Cureus*, 2021), relevant to understanding refugee health experiences and healthcare access post-resettlement
- Teaching: Decade of experience teaching medical students about healthcare disparities, social determinants of health, and culturally responsive care delivery; co-direct annual study abroad program in Cape Town, South Africa that focuses on health disparities and economic precarity
Relevant to asylum cases involving:
- Inadequate access to medical care in country of origin
- Discrimination in healthcare settings
- Barriers to treatment for chronic or serious medical conditions
- Mental health care access
- Healthcare for refugees and displaced populations
Maternal and Reproductive Health
Applicable to: South Africa, Rwanda, sub-Saharan Africa, United States
Basis for expertise:
- Published research: Multiple peer-reviewed publications on maternal emotional distress, maternal mental health, obstetric violence, childbirth experiences, motherhood under conditions of poverty and violence
- Maternal mental health: Co-authored policy brief on maternal mental health used as testimony before Ohio State House (*Ohio Journal of Public Health*, 2025)
- Community engagement: Founding board member of Cleveland Kangaroula Collective, consortium supporting birthing people with evidence-based birth support and research
- Doula care research: Published research on doula care as reproductive justice intervention for Black women experiencing obstetric racism (*Women's Reproductive Health*, 2025)
Relevant to asylum cases involving:
- Denial of reproductive healthcare
- Forced pregnancy or reproductive coercion
- Maternal health complications and lack of care
- Mental health challenges related to pregnancy, childbirth, or motherhood
- Gender-based violence in reproductive healthcare contexts
Poverty, Economic Precarity, and Food Insecurity
Applicable to: South Africa, Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa
Basis for expertise:
- Published research: Research examining survival strategies among Xhosa women navigating extreme poverty in South African townships (*Ethos*, 2018)
- Manuscript under review: Research on Nigerian market women's experiences of economic precarity and psychological distress related to microloan default
- Ethnographic expertise: Long-term fieldwork with communities experiencing food insecurity, housing instability, and economic exclusion
- Teaching: Regularly teach on social determinants of health, including poverty as a structural determinant of health outcomes; co-direct annual study abroad program in Cape Town, South Africa that focuses on health disparities and economic precarity
Relevant to asylum cases involving:
- Persecution linked to economic or social class
- Food insecurity and survival strategies
- Economic exploitation or debt bondage
- Informal economy workers facing persecution
State and Non-State Violence
Applicable to: South Africa, Rwanda, sub-Saharan Africa
Basis for expertise:
- Research on genocide survivors: Published research on Rwandan genocide-rape survivors examining experiences of state-sponsored sexual violence (*Ethos*, 2013)
- Police violence: Research on urban township contexts where residents experience police violence and state surveillance
- Everyday violence: Ethnographic research on forms of structural, interpersonal, and institutional violence in marginalized urban communities
- Community safety: Research examining perceived lack of safety and how chronic exposure to violence affects health and well-being
Relevant to asylum cases involving:
- Survivors of genocide or mass atrocities
- Police violence or state persecution
- Violence in urban townships or informal settlements
- Persecution by non-state actors where state protection is unavailable
Family, Kinship, and Social Structures
Applicable to: South Africa (Xhosa communities), sub-Saharan Africa
Basis for expertise:
- Ethnographic research: Extended fieldwork examining family structures, motherhood practices, and kinship systems in Xhosa communities in South Africa
- Published research: Articles examining motherhood, childrearing practices, and intergenerational relationships in contexts of poverty
- Cultural expertise: Deep understanding of how family obligations, gender roles, and kinship structures operate in specific African contexts
Relevant to asylum cases involving:
- Family-based persecution
- Forced marriage or child marriage
- Inheritance rights and property disputes
- Persecution related to family or kinship status
- Cultural practices affecting women and children
EXPERIENCE AS EXPERT WITNESS
While I am new to providing formal expert declarations for asylum cases, I have substantial experience translating complex social science research for legal and policy audiences:
Policy Consultation and Legislative Testimony:
- Served as policy consultant for Project ECHO's Women's Health initiative, contributing to policy brief development
- Co-authored policy brief with The Center for Community Solutions on maternal mental health policy strategies that was used as testimony before the Ohio State House (now published in *Ohio Journal of Public Health*, 2025: https://ojph.org/article/id/6413/)
- These experiences taught me to distill rigorous ethnographic and epidemiological evidence into accessible, actionable formats for non-academic decision-makers
Grant Review and Expert Evaluation:
- Principal Grant Reviewer for U.S. Department of Education Fulbright Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) program (2021-2024), evaluating scholarly merit and methodological rigor of research proposals across sub-Saharan Africa
- Peer Review Panelist for Wenner-Gren Foundation (2025-2027), assessing anthropological research proposals
- Ad hoc reviewer for NSF, NIH, and multiple foundations
Academic and Research Credentials:
- Ph.D. in Anthropology, Case Western Reserve University (2014)
- M.Sc. in African Studies, University of Oxford (2006)
- 10+ years teaching medical students about health disparities, cultural competency, and social determinants of health
- Published in top-tier peer-reviewed journals including *Ethos*, *Violence Against Women*, *Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry*, and *Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare*
Availability:
My current faculty position at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine provides stability while allowing flexibility for remote consulting work on asylum cases. I am available for case-by-case engagements and can typically accommodate standard turnaround times (4-8 weeks) as well as expedited requests when needed.
KEY PUBLICATIONS
Directly Relevant to Asylum and Gender-Based Violence Cases:
Obstetric Violence:
Smith-Oka, Vania, Sarah E. Rubin, and Lydia Z. Dixon. "Obstetric violence in their own words: how women in Mexico and South Africa expect, experience, and respond to violence." *Violence Against Women* 28, no. 11 (2022): 2700-2721.
Female Genital Mutilation:
Sara, Bethany A., Sarah E. Rubin, Zelalem T. Haile, Dawit G. Alemu, and Ilana R. Azulay Chertok. "Factors associated with men's opinion about female genital mutilation in Ethiopia." *Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare* 32 (2022): 100721.
Genocide-Rape Survivors:
Zraly, Maggie, Sarah E. Rubin, and Donatilla Mukamana. "Motherhood and Resilience Among Rwandan Genocide-Rape Survivors." *Ethos* 41, no. 4 (2013): 411-439.
Poverty and Maternal Experiences (South Africa):
Rubin, Sarah E. "'The Inimba It Cuts': A Reconsideration of Mother Love in the Context of Poverty." *Ethos* 46, no. 3 (2018): 330-350.
Refugee Healthcare:
Reece, Mackenzie J, and Sarah Rubin. "Qualitative Pilot Study: Challenges for Primary Healthcare Providers Caring for Refugees in Northeast Ohio." *Cureus* (2021). doi:10.7759/cureus.12572.
Additional Relevant Publications:
Obstetric Racism and Doula Care:
Casapulla, S., Rubin, S., Nigeda, B., Pichardo, G., & Patton, K. "Because Doulas Save Black Women's Lives": Black Women's Strategic Use of Doulas in Anticipation and Experiences of Obstetric Racism. *Women's Reproductive Health* (2025): 1-21.
Nigeda, B., Patton, K., Pichardo, G., Rubin, S. E., & Casapulla, S. (2025). Impact of presence of doulas on perceived racism for black mothers during the covid-19 pandemic. PRiMER: Peer-Reviewed Reports in Medical Education Research, 9, 28.
Black Maternal Embodiment:
Rubin, Sarah E. and Joselyn Hines. "'As Long as I Got a Breath in My Body': Risk and Resistance in Black Maternal Embodiment." *Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry* (2022). doi:10.1007/s11013-022-09780-7
Maternal Mental Health Policy:
Akhter, Amber, Rubin, Sarah, Takyi-Micah, Natasha, Zabala, Amanda. "Rethinking Maternal Mental Health Solutions: Addressing racial disparities in Ohio and Beyond." *Ohio Journal of Public Health* (2025). Available at: https://ojph.org/article/id/6413/
LANGUAGE EXPERTISE
isiXhosa: Reading fluency; beginner-level speaking ability developed during two years of fieldwork in Cape Town townships. This linguistic competency enabled direct engagement with Xhosa-speaking community members and ongoing ability to read isiXhosa-language materials.
English: Native fluency
ETHNIC AND SOCIAL GROUP EXPERTISE
Xhosa Communities (South Africa):
- Two years intensive ethnographic fieldwork with Xhosa women in Cape Town townships (Khayelitsha, Gugulethu)
- Deep understanding of cultural practices, kinship structures, gender roles, and community dynamics
- Linguistic competency in isiXhosa
Marginalized Urban Communities:
- Women and mothers navigating poverty and structural violence in urban African contexts
- Township and informal settlement residents
- Market women and informal economy workers
Survivors of Gender-Based Violence:
- Survivors of obstetric violence
- Survivors of sexual violence (including genocide-rape survivors)
- Women at risk of or survivors of FGM/C
- Women experiencing reproductive coercion
Refugees and Displaced Populations:
- Research on healthcare experiences and challenges faced by refugees
- Understanding of barriers to healthcare access and cultural competency needs for refugee populations
Black Women in United States:
- Research on Black maternal health disparities, obstetric racism, and structural determinants of infant mortality
- Understanding of how structural racism operates in U.S. healthcare systems
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Scope of Expertise:
My expertise is grounded in qualitative ethnographic research methods, particularly:
- Participant observation and in-depth interviews
- Cultural analysis and interpretation of social practices
- Understanding of how structural factors (poverty, discrimination, violence) affect individuals and communities
- Analysis of healthcare systems and barriers to care
- Cross-cultural psychiatry and mental health
Geographic and Temporal Limitations:
- South Africa: Primary expertise based on intensive fieldwork 2010-2012; maintained through biennial research visits and ongoing literature review through present. Most authoritative for 2010-present period.
- Rwanda: Expertise focuses specifically on genocide and post-genocide period (1994-2013); research on genocide-rape survivors.
- Nigeria, Ethiopia: Contemporary period (2020-present) based on recent research projects.
- Sub-Saharan Africa (regional): Broader regional expertise through graduate training, student supervision across multiple countries, and grant review; complementary to country-specific expertise above.
Methodological Approach:
As a medical anthropologist, my approach emphasizes:
- Understanding individual experiences within broader social, political, and economic contexts
- Recognizing how culture, power, and structural inequality shape lived experiences
- Interpreting practices and beliefs within their cultural frameworks
- Identifying patterns across cases while respecting individual variation
- Providing nuanced, contextually grounded analysis
Professional Standards:
I adhere to the ethical guidelines of the American Anthropological Association, which include:
- Do no harm
- Respect for persons and communities
- Transparency about positionality and limitations of expertise
- Commitment to accurate, evidence-based representation
- Recognition of power dynamics in expert testimony
Availability for Case Consultation:
I am available for:
- Initial case consultations to assess fit and scope of expertise
- Review of case materials and determination of whether I can provide relevant expert testimony
- Preparation of written expert declarations
- Telephone consultations with attorneys
- Updates or supplementary declarations as needed
I welcome inquiries from attorneys to discuss whether my expertise would be relevant and helpful for a particular case.
Response Time: I typically respond to inquiries within 2-3 business days. Please include in your initial contact:
- Brief description of the case
- Country/countries of origin
- Topics/issues relevant to the claim
- Timeline for expert declaration
- Information about funding source if relevant to fee discussion