Positionality Statement

Dr. Sundeep Sunny Mangat

Kwantlen Polytechnic University & The Justice Institute of British Columbia

I write this chapter as a sociologist whose teaching is grounded in social justice, equity, and critical inquiry. As a South Asian, cis female who grew up in Surrey B.C., more specifically in the Newton area of Surrey, I am all too familiar with the stereotypes of people living in Surrey, namely those of South Asian descent. My academic work has focused on gender-based and sexual violence, intersectionality, caste, race, state impunity, marginalised women, the LGBTQ+ community, women’s health, and the subjective experiences of international students. These commitments and experiences growing up in Surrey shape how I understand and teach organised crime. I am interested not only in what the law says or how the police respond, but also in how power, inequality, colonialism, racialization, gender, and social exclusion shape people’s lives before they ever come into contact with the criminal justice system. For me, this means asking careful questions about who is labelled dangerous, whose harm is taken seriously, and whose stories are often left out of criminology textbooks.

Positionality Statement

Dilvur Dub, M.A., Simon Fraser University PhD student

I write this chapter as a South Asian, cis male, PhD student in Criminology at Simon Fraser University and as someone who works within law enforcement in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. My positionality as a racialized male, an academic and a law enforcement agent gives me insight into how gangs and organised crime are often theoretically defined and addressed in practice. This intersection serves as a reminder that police knowledge is only one perspective of knowing that is shaped by law, intelligence processes, and institutional priorities. My academic and professional work has long focused on police – community relationships, gangs, organized crime, and the intersections of race, culture, and criminal justice. My doctoral research examines how demographic representation of police influences trust and legitimacy in urban communities, and my Master’s research, while at the University of the Fraser Valley, critically analysed police involved anti gang and youth prevention strategies in B.C. I also have a B.A. in Criminology and Justice from Ontario Tech University (formerly known as The University of Ontario Institute of Technology), and a Diploma in Police Foundations from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology. I approach this chapter as a practitioner scholar committed to evidence, community context, and critical reflection.