As the director of the Black Scholars Institute (BSI), Camisha Sibblis is leading efforts to support and advance Black scholarship, building a movement that challenges conventional approaches to Black studies.

Dr. Sibblis has an extensive background in social work. She has worked in child welfare, family law, and the criminal justice system, as well as in public education as a school social worker. Her experience across these systems has shaped her research, which explores the pervasive presence of carceral systems in Black life through social institutions and societal scrutiny — even for those who never physically enter a prison.

Sibblis hopes her research, aligned with the vision of the BSI, will foster greater interdisciplinary collaborations while also working to dismantle barriers between disciplines and institutions.

DailyNews will showcase the contributions and insights of members of the Black Scholars Institute leading up to its official launch on Sept. 26 and connected with Sibblis to discuss her research and goals as director of the BSI.

Q: Tell us about your research interests and what projects you’d like to pursue at the University of Windsor.

A: The biggest project I am pursuing at UWindsor is the establishment and evolution of the Black Scholars Institute. I aim to develop it from an idea on paper into a movement that does not focus on Black studies in conventional, narrow ways that can be co-opted. This research institute serves as a vehicle to promote Black scholarship in various ways to ultimately achieve Black liberation.

In terms of my personal research interests, my work focuses on the prevalence of carceral systems in Black life, which can be viewed as a cradle-to-prison pipeline. It examines how the prison system is implicated throughout the life span of Black individuals through social institutions and societal scrutiny — even for those who do not ultimately end up in physical prison. My work also critiques law, particularly criminal law, as an institution and a set of practices. It explores how its educational framework protects the status quo and reinforces oppressive power dynamics while othering Black bodies.

Q: Can you share a bit about your academic journey and what inspired you to pursue a career in sociology and criminology?

A: I am a social worker who has worked within and at the intersections of major social institutions. I have experience in child welfare, family law as a clinical agent for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, and the criminal justice system. I am also a court-qualified expert in Black identity and anti-Black racism as it intersects with social institutions. Additionally, I have worked in the public education system as a school social worker, both in mainstream schools and alternative programs, including expulsion and suspension programs. I am frequently called upon to speak with authority on race and racism in society, business, criminal justice and policing, education, child welfare, and mental health as a psychotherapist.

Ultimately, I began writing reports for the courts to elucidate how anti-Black racism in various institutions can influence and restrict the choices of criminalized Black individuals to mitigate their sentencing. My transition from social work to sociology and criminology was quite natural as I sought to delve into how the social institutions in which I operated created carceral conditions for Black individuals.

Q: What led you to become a part of the University of Windsor’s Black Scholars Institute?

A: I was one of the founding members of RAACES and served as chair of the President’s Anti-Black Racism Task Force at the University of Windsor, both of which advocated for the establishment of the BSI.

Q: Could you explain the significance of your work and research interests?

A: In reference to the reports I mentioned earlier, I wrote the Impact of Race and Culture Assessment Report, which set a precedent in Ontario requiring courts to take judicial notice of the effects of systemic anti-Black racism on offenders in sentencing hearings.

Q: What do you believe are some of the most pressing challenges in your field today?

A: One of the biggest challenges is the resistance of various systems, including law and law schools, to radical change. Institutions and disciplines operating in silos both deny and reinforce the systemic nature of oppression for the most marginalized.

Q: In what ways do you hope your research and work will influence policy and/or community programs?

A: I hope my research, in line with the vision of the BSI, will encourage more interdisciplinary collaborations while also beginning to break down barriers between disciplines and institutions. My research calls for radical reforms in law, education, policing, and politics. These systems, which operate as intended, are unphased by incremental change. They need to be dismantled and rebuilt from the ground up to align with the principles of social justice.