Janani Umamaheswar
@jananiu.bsky.social
Sociologist. Associate Professor, Department of Criminology, Law and Society, George Mason University. Kenyan-Indian-Canadian-American. Views my own.
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
Thank you so much to @jananiu.bsky.social for her talk in our lab meeting yesterday! Lots of in-depth qual data on the harms of imprisonment, including for the families of incarcerated people, and related topics like homelessness. Very much appreciate the chance to think together.
August 2, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Thank you so much to @jananiu.bsky.social for her talk in our lab meeting yesterday! Lots of in-depth qual data on the harms of imprisonment, including for the families of incarcerated people, and related topics like homelessness. Very much appreciate the chance to think together.
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
📢 Coming in January, the #International Handbook in #Sensory #Criminology published with Routledge, and edited with fantastic colleagues @warrcrim.bsky.social @jananiu.bsky.social and @kanupriya.bsky.social. We'll be posting taster pieces nearer the drop at www.sensorycriminology.com
July 28, 2025 at 11:37 AM
📢 Coming in January, the #International Handbook in #Sensory #Criminology published with Routledge, and edited with fantastic colleagues @warrcrim.bsky.social @jananiu.bsky.social and @kanupriya.bsky.social. We'll be posting taster pieces nearer the drop at www.sensorycriminology.com
Really proud of the team effort on this new article. We argue that, well before a conviction, people with pending charges are transformed into “incipient carceral citizens” who must reckon with uncertainty and a constricted social and legal landscape. doi.org/10.1177/1462...
April 24, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Really proud of the team effort on this new article. We argue that, well before a conviction, people with pending charges are transformed into “incipient carceral citizens” who must reckon with uncertainty and a constricted social and legal landscape. doi.org/10.1177/1462...
If anybody ever accuses me of not being American again, I will tell them about the time I went to the Bahamas during spring break. @catherinetan.bsky.social and I were invited to questionable, adults-only events. We read books and went to bed early instead.
March 13, 2025 at 2:43 PM
If anybody ever accuses me of not being American again, I will tell them about the time I went to the Bahamas during spring break. @catherinetan.bsky.social and I were invited to questionable, adults-only events. We read books and went to bed early instead.
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
“The shift from forced labor… laid the groundwork for the contemporary reliance on incarcerated people to fill labor shortages, not just in prisons but in industries like agriculture”
7 in 10 US farmworkers are foreign born; 40+% are undocumented
The Trump deportations will be BIG for prison labor
7 in 10 US farmworkers are foreign born; 40+% are undocumented
The Trump deportations will be BIG for prison labor
How Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Could Fuel a Prison Labor Boom
Lacking an available pool of migrant labor, the United Stated has historically turned to another vulnerable group—incarcerated people.
newrepublic.com
March 1, 2025 at 9:35 PM
“The shift from forced labor… laid the groundwork for the contemporary reliance on incarcerated people to fill labor shortages, not just in prisons but in industries like agriculture”
7 in 10 US farmworkers are foreign born; 40+% are undocumented
The Trump deportations will be BIG for prison labor
7 in 10 US farmworkers are foreign born; 40+% are undocumented
The Trump deportations will be BIG for prison labor
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
Criminology people with interest in experiences of families of people in prison!
I am keen to finally get this idea moving: an edited collection of chapters on stigma. Quite a lot to explore and lots of policy interest. Get in touch and pls share!
docs.google.com/document/u/1...
I am keen to finally get this idea moving: an edited collection of chapters on stigma. Quite a lot to explore and lots of policy interest. Get in touch and pls share!
docs.google.com/document/u/1...
Families of people in prison: towards a sociological understanding of stigma
Families of people in prison: towards a sociological understanding of stigma Editor: Anna Kotova Context: Stigma is a well-documented phenomenon within research on families of people in prison. ...
docs.google.com
February 27, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Criminology people with interest in experiences of families of people in prison!
I am keen to finally get this idea moving: an edited collection of chapters on stigma. Quite a lot to explore and lots of policy interest. Get in touch and pls share!
docs.google.com/document/u/1...
I am keen to finally get this idea moving: an edited collection of chapters on stigma. Quite a lot to explore and lots of policy interest. Get in touch and pls share!
docs.google.com/document/u/1...
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
The ASA, American Federation of Teachers @AFT, and AFT-Maryland, facilitated by @DemocracyForward, have filed a complaint today in federal court in Maryland challenging the “Dear Colleague Letter” published by the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.
Educators Sue to Challenge Trump Administration's Efforts to Weaponize Civil Rights Laws, Attack Educational Programs and Student Opportunities - Democracy Forward
bit.ly
February 25, 2025 at 10:55 PM
The ASA, American Federation of Teachers @AFT, and AFT-Maryland, facilitated by @DemocracyForward, have filed a complaint today in federal court in Maryland challenging the “Dear Colleague Letter” published by the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.
“Chaos” and “chaotic times” doing a lot of euphemistic heavy lifting in my emails.
Is anyone else composing emails like they are smuggling forbidden thoughts past the Gulag censorship board, or is it just me?
February 23, 2025 at 10:31 PM
“Chaos” and “chaotic times” doing a lot of euphemistic heavy lifting in my emails.
Look, to fire all non-white people, they have to first be able to tell us apart. We can win this.
February 14, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Look, to fire all non-white people, they have to first be able to tell us apart. We can win this.
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
Here's my hot take of the day re: city-led innovations in non-police alternative responses/responders -- they're important bc they reduce CRIMINALIZATION not just whether or not they reduce "crime." Reducing police contact, reducing arrests for low-level offenses is a win.
January 30, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Here's my hot take of the day re: city-led innovations in non-police alternative responses/responders -- they're important bc they reduce CRIMINALIZATION not just whether or not they reduce "crime." Reducing police contact, reducing arrests for low-level offenses is a win.
Now more than ever, as the world falls apart, we need to listen to the experts. Read @catherinetan.bsky.social’s new op-ed on what happens when the healthcare system fails us.
Check out my latest OpEd!
Americans are going rogue when it comes to their health. "It is not necessarily a rebellious spirit but an unreliable health care system that compels staunch individualism."
www.newsweek.com/americans-ar...
Americans are going rogue when it comes to their health. "It is not necessarily a rebellious spirit but an unreliable health care system that compels staunch individualism."
www.newsweek.com/americans-ar...
Americans Go Rogue in Response to a Broken Health Care System | Opinion
From raw milk to vaccine skepticism to biohacking, many Americans are going rogue in their pursuit of health.
www.newsweek.com
January 28, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Now more than ever, as the world falls apart, we need to listen to the experts. Read @catherinetan.bsky.social’s new op-ed on what happens when the healthcare system fails us.
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
Well that's not fucking good.
NIJ has cancelled all open grant opportunities.
NIJ has cancelled all open grant opportunities.
January 27, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Well that's not fucking good.
NIJ has cancelled all open grant opportunities.
NIJ has cancelled all open grant opportunities.
I think people’s minds short-circuit so badly when they see “ethnic” names that they forget to cite these scholars. (Absolutely, 100% not talking about me, obviously.)
January 27, 2025 at 3:31 PM
I think people’s minds short-circuit so badly when they see “ethnic” names that they forget to cite these scholars. (Absolutely, 100% not talking about me, obviously.)
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
Tomorrow is the first day of Spring semester. Once again, in my "Introduction to Sociology," I am sharing one of my favorite slides. Even though we are covering a lot of the classics, sociologists are no longer a bunch of old white dudes with beards.
January 22, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Tomorrow is the first day of Spring semester. Once again, in my "Introduction to Sociology," I am sharing one of my favorite slides. Even though we are covering a lot of the classics, sociologists are no longer a bunch of old white dudes with beards.
I am the FIFTH reviewer for an article, brought in post-R&R after 4 people had already reviewed it once. Poor author. Poor reviewers, whose labor I am about to replicate. Poor me, who had no idea I would be reviewer #5 when I said yes to more work.
January 20, 2025 at 5:21 PM
I am the FIFTH reviewer for an article, brought in post-R&R after 4 people had already reviewed it once. Poor author. Poor reviewers, whose labor I am about to replicate. Poor me, who had no idea I would be reviewer #5 when I said yes to more work.
Reading about how nearly 90% of editorial boards across all Criminology journals are white. And we could probably list most of the other 10% by name if we tried because there are so few possibilities 😂. Brutal.
January 15, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Reading about how nearly 90% of editorial boards across all Criminology journals are white. And we could probably list most of the other 10% by name if we tried because there are so few possibilities 😂. Brutal.
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
ABC 7 just asked the firefighters passing where they’re from and the firefighters said they were incarcerated they immediately panned lmao 😭 let it be known that the firefighters fighting near reseda blvd ARE THE PPL MOST OF U HATE
January 12, 2025 at 12:11 AM
ABC 7 just asked the firefighters passing where they’re from and the firefighters said they were incarcerated they immediately panned lmao 😭 let it be known that the firefighters fighting near reseda blvd ARE THE PPL MOST OF U HATE
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
Incarcerated people make up a third of CA’s firefighting force, earning “between $2.90 and $5 a day … slightly more when actively fighting a fire.”
When compared to professionals: 4x more likely to be injured. 8x more likely to suffer from smoke inhalation.
www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-...
When compared to professionals: 4x more likely to be injured. 8x more likely to suffer from smoke inhalation.
www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-...
The History of California's Inmate Firefighter Program
The initiative, which finds prisoners working as first responders and rescuers, dates back to the 1940s
www.smithsonianmag.com
January 8, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Incarcerated people make up a third of CA’s firefighting force, earning “between $2.90 and $5 a day … slightly more when actively fighting a fire.”
When compared to professionals: 4x more likely to be injured. 8x more likely to suffer from smoke inhalation.
www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-...
When compared to professionals: 4x more likely to be injured. 8x more likely to suffer from smoke inhalation.
www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-...
People must realize that promises of early January deadlines were made in December, when I thought January was 50 years away.
January 6, 2025 at 6:25 PM
People must realize that promises of early January deadlines were made in December, when I thought January was 50 years away.
Yes, because incarceration has always been about practicality in America, right? Super practical to systematically destroy entire families and communities. Very sensible.
January 4, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Yes, because incarceration has always been about practicality in America, right? Super practical to systematically destroy entire families and communities. Very sensible.
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
I didn't publish as much as I hoped to in 2024 (what else is new?) but this one was fun to write and I think the best thing I've written in a while.
➡️ "The Class Politics of Fine Dining" @victorerikray.bsky.social
contexts.org/blog/the-class-politics-of-fine-dining/
contexts.org/blog/the-class-politics-of-fine-dining/
January 2, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I didn't publish as much as I hoped to in 2024 (what else is new?) but this one was fun to write and I think the best thing I've written in a while.
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
Shout out to all the local Pakistani and Chinese restaurants and their staff who will be working Christmas.
As the manager at Royal Kabob told me, "Brother, we're always open. Even on the Day of Judgement, we'll be open."
Respect.
As the manager at Royal Kabob told me, "Brother, we're always open. Even on the Day of Judgement, we'll be open."
Respect.
December 24, 2024 at 11:09 PM
Shout out to all the local Pakistani and Chinese restaurants and their staff who will be working Christmas.
As the manager at Royal Kabob told me, "Brother, we're always open. Even on the Day of Judgement, we'll be open."
Respect.
As the manager at Royal Kabob told me, "Brother, we're always open. Even on the Day of Judgement, we'll be open."
Respect.
Reposted by Janani Umamaheswar
personally i think it's very cool that when you are poor and suspected of a crime you get thrown in jail while they figure out if you did it, while if you're rich and powerful you get to keep your job, get nominated to AG and make $ on cameo while people decide whether to publicly accuse you or not
Gaetz was apparently "to have paid numerous women — including a 17-year-old girl — for sex" and for buying "illegal drugs, *including from his Capitol Hill office*"
I know we're in a post-scandal society but cases like this should remind us of why that sucks actually
www.cbsnews.com/news/matt-ga...
I know we're in a post-scandal society but cases like this should remind us of why that sucks actually
www.cbsnews.com/news/matt-ga...
Matt Gaetz ethics report says his drug use and sex with a minor violated state laws
A report by the House Ethics Committee found former Rep. Matt Gaetz paid multiple women, including a 17-year-old girl, for sex.
www.cbsnews.com
December 23, 2024 at 1:29 PM
personally i think it's very cool that when you are poor and suspected of a crime you get thrown in jail while they figure out if you did it, while if you're rich and powerful you get to keep your job, get nominated to AG and make $ on cameo while people decide whether to publicly accuse you or not
Ending the year with a new article! I explore how family members of men who have engaged in violence draw on narrative techniques found in fictional literature to make sense of their loved ones’ actions. Criminologists, the humanities have so much to offer us!
doi.org/10.1177/1741...
doi.org/10.1177/1741...
December 23, 2024 at 3:18 PM
Ending the year with a new article! I explore how family members of men who have engaged in violence draw on narrative techniques found in fictional literature to make sense of their loved ones’ actions. Criminologists, the humanities have so much to offer us!
doi.org/10.1177/1741...
doi.org/10.1177/1741...