Gurusami Susila

Susila Gurusami is an Assistant Professor of Criminology, Law, and Justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research focuses on race, gender, labor, and carceral governance, with a particular emphasis on Black women's experiences of state surveillance and punishment. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from UCLA (2017) and was a UC Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow. Her work has been published in Gender & Society, Social Problems, and Punishment and Society. She is currently completing a book on carceral governance and Black women’s survival post-incarceration.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Sociology, University of California, Los Angeles (2017)
• Former UC Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow

Research Interests: Dr. Gurusami examines how race, gender, and class intersect with carceral systems. Her work highlights the maternal labor of formerly incarcerated Black women, digital punishment, and the racialized dynamics of poverty governance. She critiques carceral logics and advocates for abolitionist frameworks in policy and practice.

Awards:

• Oliver Cromwell Cox Article Award (2020)
• Arlene Kaplan Daniels Paper Award (2019)
• Multiple honors from ASA sections and professional societies

Advising & Grants: Dr. Gurusami has advised graduate students on projects related to carceral studies and racial justice. Her research has been supported by grants from the ASA, SWIS, and the Racial Democracy, Crime & Justice Network.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on projects addressing prison abolition and the sociology of punishment.