Barbara Perry

Dr. Barbara Perry is recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities and renowned authors on Hate Crime. A Professor in the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), Dr. Perry is helping to frame the field, and foster global education and support for victims of violence. Excited by her ability to challenge the status quo and traditional ways of thinking about the justice system, Dr. Perry has studied hate crime for more than 20 years. What drew her in was the enormous opportunity to fill the many gaps in the system; dealing with victims and their experiences; then sharing their stories to create broader awareness. She is passionate about giving victims a voice and deeply committed to bringing people in marginalized communities back into the fold so that they can realize full citizenship.

Her pursuit of social justice stems from her desire to have a more critical perspective. In 1985, Dr. Perry obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Social Behaviour from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario; she received her Master of Arts in Sociology from Queen's University in 1987, and earned her Doctorate in Sociology from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario in 1992. Her previous appointments include Assistant Professor and Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Northern Arizona University, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of Southern Maine.

Throughout her esteemed career, Dr. Perry has received numerous teaching and research awards for her work including the 2013 Distinguished Scholar Award from Auckland University in New Zealand. In 2012, she was appointed Honorary Fellow in the Department of Criminology at the University of Leicester, United Kingdom; and she was awarded the American Society of Criminology's 2008 Critical Criminologist of the Year.