Omanghana
Jamaican-born scholar Lahoma Thomas has been awarded the inaugural 2025 Early Career Researcher First Book Prize by Oxford University Press, marking a major milestone in her academic career. Dr. Thomas, who currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology at Toronto Metropolitan University, is the only Canadian recipient of the international honor.
The award recognizes her forthcoming book, Black Women and the Politics of Respect in Jamaica: Seeing from Da Yaad, which is expected to be published in 2027. The work explores the complex political and social dynamics shaping women’s lives in urban Jamaica and challenges conventional narratives about crime, governance, and community leadership.
Dr. Thomas’s research examines the role of Black women in Jamaica’s “garrison” communities—areas historically associated with strong political loyalties and influential local leaders sometimes referred to as “dons.” Her work argues that support for these leaders cannot be explained simply by coercion or economic dependency. Instead, she highlights how women in these communities make nuanced assessments about authority, legitimacy, and dignity within their social and political environments.
The book is grounded in extensive ethnographic research conducted in inner-city communities in Kingston, Jamaica. Through interviews and fieldwork, Dr. Thomas explores how women navigate both state institutions and informal systems of governance, offering a more layered understanding of political life in marginalized communities.
Central to her project is what she describes as a refusal to reduce Black communities to simplistic narratives centered only on crime or violence. Instead, her research emphasizes the perspectives and lived experiences of individuals within those communities, highlighting their agency and political insight.
Dr. Thomas’s academic interests are closely tied to her Caribbean heritage and professional background. Before pursuing a career in academia, she worked as a social worker supporting survivors of sexual violence, experiences that helped shape her commitment to research centered on justice, dignity, and community perspectives.
She earned her doctorate in political science from the University of Toronto. Throughout her academic journey, she has credited several scholars as influential mentors, including the late political scientist Lee Ann Fujii, as well as Joseph Carens and Alissa Trotz.
The Oxford University Press Early Career Researcher First Book Prize was established to support emerging scholars as they develop their first major academic publication, typically within six years of completing their doctoral degree. By recognizing Dr. Thomas’s work, the award highlights the growing impact of scholarship that brings new perspectives to discussions of governance, gender, and community life in the Caribbean and beyond.
Source: Omanghana
