Alexandra Hiropoulos-Ramatlhodi

Dr. Alexandra Hiropoulos-Ramatlhodi is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at California State University Stanislaus. She holds a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from the CUNY Graduate Center, an M.Sc. in Investigative Psychology from the University of Liverpool, and advanced degrees from John Jay College and Deree College. Her research focuses on xenophobia, policing, and immigration enforcement, employing GIS and mixed-methods approaches.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. in Criminal Justice, CUNY Graduate Center
• M.Sc. Investigative Psychology, University of Liverpool
• M.A. Criminal Justice, John Jay College
• B.A. Psychology, Deree College

Research Interests: Dr. Hiropoulos examines xenophobic violence dynamics through spatial analysis and structural conditions. She co-developed the Xenowatch platform in South Africa to monitor xenophobic incidents, leveraging GIS technology to map violence patterns. Her work intersects migration policy, law enforcement practices, and sociopolitical contexts impacting marginalized communities.

Professional Experience: Prior to academia, she worked in crime intelligence at the UK National Crime Agency. She also served as UNHCR Task Team Leader on Xenophobic Violence (2015–2017) and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Awards/Grants: Funded by Freedom House and the Open Society Foundation for her Xenowatch project. No specific awards listed, but her work aligns with human rights and migration policy priorities.

Labs/Initiatives: Co-founder of Xenowatch, a crowd-sourced violence monitoring platform. Collaborates with UNHCR on protection frameworks and xenophobia mitigation strategies in Southern Africa.