Ph.D. Department of Criminal Justice, John Jay College of Criminal Justice/Graduate Center, City University of New York (August 2019 – Ongoing)
MA International Crime and Justice, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York (August 2017 - May 2019)
MA Criminology and Criminal Justice Administration, Department of Criminology, University of Madras Chennai, India, (August 2012 - May 2014)
PGDM Victimology and Victim Assistance, Tokiwa International Victimology Institute Mito, Japan (August - 2014)
BA Economics, St. Joseph’s College Irinjalakuda, University of Calicut, Kerala, India (August 2008 - May 2011)
Dhanya Babu is an adjunct lecturer in the International Criminal Justice program at CUNY–John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a doctoral candidate in the Department of Criminal Justice at John Jay. She holds two master’s degrees: an MA in International Crime and Justice from John Jay College, City University of New York, and an MA in Criminology and Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Madras, India. Additionally, she has a Postgraduate Diploma in Victimology and Victim Assistance from TIVI, Mito, Japan. Before relocating to the United States, Dhanya worked as a human trafficking investigator for the International Justice Mission in India, where she played a critical role in rescuing victims of human trafficking.
Dhanya’s research focuses on broadening the understanding of gender-based violence by incorporating the perspectives of LGBTQ+ communities, particularly through the lived experiences of the thirunangai (transwomen) community in Chennai, India. Her work challenges traditional criminological frameworks by examining violence through an intersectional, gendered, and decolonial lens, emphasizing the structural inequalities that shape marginalized communities' experiences with crime and justice.
She has taught and continues to teach a range of subjects at CUNY, including Foundations of Scholarship in International Criminal Justice, Criminology, Gender Issues in International Criminal Justice, and Gender and Politics. Her academic interests and publications cover diverse topics such as queer criminology, non-Western narratives in criminal justice, decolonial criminology, caste-based gendered violence, intersectionality, and gendered policing. She strongly advocates for an inclusive criminological approach to addressing harm and justice, ensuring the representation of diverse identities and lived realities in crime studies.
SOC 203 - Criminology
SOC 333 – Gender Issues in International Criminal Justice
ICJ – 310 Foundations of Scholarship in International Criminal Justice
POL – 237 Gender and Politics
2025 : Babu, D. & Blount-Hill, K. “Resisting Gendered Violence in Natal Families and the Importance of Queer Kinships,” Journal of Family Violence.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10896-025-00840-1
2024: Babu, D., & Blount-Hill, K. L. Developing Thirunangai Identity: An Exploration of Gender Minority Identity Formation in Chennai, India. LGBTQ+ Family: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/27703371.2024.2425986
2024 : Babu, D., & Blount-Hill, K. Inclusive criminology: A note on queer experiences of police in India, and de-centering the Global North/West. In R. A. Colvin, A. Dwyer, & S. A. O. Giwa (Eds.), Q policing: LGBTQ+ experiences, perspectives, and passions.
2023 Babu, D., Introducing Intersectional framework to Gender-Based Violence research in India. In S. Thomas, K. Balakrishnan, & M. Priyamvadha (Eds.) Victim management imperative in work culture. ISBN – 979-8-8900-2002-4
2022 Babu, D., Perceptions of LGBTQ Elders of Color on the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement and Policing. Journal of Black Sexuality and Relationships, 8(3), 69-91. https://muse-jhu-edu.ezproxy.gc.cuny.edu/pub/17/article/851486/summary
Norman Cutler Award for Research in South India. The Norman Cutler Fellowship is made possible through the generosity of Professor Martha Selby of Harvard University, a distinguished scholar of literature.
Junior Research Fellowship, American Institute of Indian Studies for graduate students conducting research for their doctoral dissertations in India.
Outstanding Alumna Award of St Joseph’s College Irinjalakuda, India presented for outstanding performances in post-college academic pursuits, dedication to alma mater and the alumnae association and for extended activities towards the wellbeing of society.
Entrepreneurial Lead: NSF–I Corps for National Innovation Network Teams Program. NSF 21-552. Digital Solution for Preventing Interpersonal Violence.
Graduate Student Excellence Award in International Criminal Justice for academic excellence in International and Transnational Crime.
Junior Research Fellowship and National Eligibility Test (NET) for Assistant Professor University Grands Commission, India.
Kalalaya Ratna Award, services to society, and academic excellence. University of Calicut, Kerala India
Star of Excellence Award and Fellowship, instituted by the President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam, for a proven record of the pursuit of excellence throughout campus life assessed and found agreeable by a panel of judges based on several widely recognized benchmarks pertaining to skills, achievements, personality, attitude towards life and conformity to the vision of excellence held dear by Dr. Kalam.
Dhanya’s research focuses on broadening the understanding of gender-based violence by incorporating the perspectives of LGBTQ+ communities, particularly through the lived experiences of the thirunangai (transwomen) community in Chennai, India. Her work challenges traditional criminological frameworks by examining violence through an intersectional, gendered, and decolonial lens, emphasizing the structural inequalities that shape marginalized communities' experiences with crime and justice. Her academic interests and publications cover diverse topics such as queer criminology, non-Western narratives in criminal justice, decolonial criminology, caste-based gendered violence, intersectionality, and gendered policing. She strongly advocates for an inclusive criminological approach to addressing harm and justice, ensuring the representation of diverse identities and lived realities in crime studies.