Renisa Mawani has a PhD from the Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies at the University of Toronto. She is Tier I Canada Research Chair in Colonial Legal Histories and Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of British Columbia, which is located on the occupied territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) peoples.

Other affiliations at UBC include: Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies (Wall Scholar 2015-2016); Faculty Associate Social Justice Institute, Asian Canadian and Asian Migration Studies Program, and Science and Technology Studies Program.