Dee is a South African socio-legal scholar and Professor of Public Law at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Faculty of Law, recognized for her research on gender-based violence, customary law, and institutional accountability. She earned her BA and LLB from UCT and completed her graduate studies at Stanford Law School, where she received her J.S.M. and J.S.D. as a Fulbright Fellow. At UCT, she has served as the Director of Research, founding Director of the Centre for Law and Society, and interim National Research Foundation (NRF) Chair in Security and Justice.
Her empirical research utilizes qualitative and “law-in-action” frameworks to examine how transitioning legal systems handle systemic vulnerabilities and state responses to violence against women. Her monograph Rape Unresolved: Policing Sexual Offences in South Africa (UCT Press, 2015) provides a detailed critique of police discretion and institutional attrition within criminal justice mechanisms. She has co-edited several foundational regional text volumes, including In Search of Equality: Women, Law & Society in Africa and Marriage, Land and Custom.
A prominent leader within transnational academic networks, Smythe serves as the inaugural Coordinator of Global Activities for the Law and Society Association (LSA), advising on partnerships outside the United States. In recognition of her exceptional contributions to expanding international socio-legal scholarship and mentorship, she was awarded the LSA International Prize in 2026.