Calvin John Smiley

Calvin John Smiley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Hunter College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. His work centers on systemic justice, racial inequality, and the social challenges faced by marginalized communities.

• Education: Ph.D. in Sociology (CUNY Graduate Center, 2014), M.A. in Political Science (Lehigh University, 2009), B.A. in Africana Studies & Political Science (Lehigh University, 2008).

Smiley’s research explores the intersection of race, legal disenfranchisement, and social stigma through critical perspectives on prisoner reentry, abolitionist frameworks, and the #defund movement. His notable publications include:

• Prisoner Reentry in the 21st Century: Critical Perspectives of Coming Home (Routledge, 2020) as co-editor.
• Purgatory Citizenship: Reentry, Race, and Abolition (University of California Press, 2023), an award-winning analysis of systemic disenfranchisement.
• Defund: Conversations Towards Abolition (Haymarket Books, 2024), examining reform vs. abolition strategies.

He is committed to public sociology, engaging with media outlets and founding Till Everything Better LLC to support system-impacted youth in NYC detention facilities via restorative justice practices. Additionally, Smiley serves as Project Director for the CUNY New Paths and Administration of Children’s Services (ACS) program, which provides college-credit courses to system-impacted youth.

Contact: Office address: 68th Street West 1621; phone: (212) 772-5578; email: csmiley@hunter.cuny.edu.