Amanda Smith Barusch

An international scholar and award-winning instructor, Amanda Barusch is best known for her narrative inquiries into the experiences of older adults and for her research and advocacy on social policy. She lectures on age-affirmative practice at the University of Otago (New Zealand) and teaches scholarly writing at the University of Utah (USA).

Prof. Barusch was born in Long Beach, California. She completed her BA at Reed College in Portland Oregon; her MSW and PhD at U.C. Berkeley, and her MFA at University of Utah. She has published on a wide range of topics from international policies to interpersonal relations. She is best known for her narrative research, which includes the book, Love Stories of Later Life, released by Oxford University Press. She has also published fiction and poetry in various literary magazines and is working on a book tentatively titled, "Aging Angry: From Rage to Resistance."

Amanda divides her time between the Salt Lake City and the South Island of New Zealand. She enjoys long mountain hikes, good wine, and dark chocolate. She spends more time than she should editing her nature photos. You can access her blog and new updates here: https://www.amandabarusch.com/