Laura Piacentini

Laura Piacentini is a Professor of Criminology at the University of Strathclyde’s School of Social Work and Social Policy. She is a globally recognized scholar specializing in post-Soviet penal systems, with a focus on Russian imprisonment, human rights, and multi-disciplinary research. Her work bridges criminology, sociology, political science, and history. She leads major international projects like the ESRC-funded 'In the Gulag’s Shadow' and co-founded the Criminal and Social Justice research cluster. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and AcademiaNet, she has advised the UN, Scottish Parliament, and NGOs on penal reform and human rights.

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy, Bangor University (2001)
• Master of Arts, Keele University (1995)
• Bachelor of Arts, Glasgow Caledonian University (1993)
• Bachelor of Arts and PG Diploma in Russian Language, University of Strathclyde (1996)

Research Interests

Laura’s research explores contemporary Russian penal systems, prison ethnography, global criminology, and human rights. She employs radical feminist methodologies and has conducted fieldwork in over 30 prisons, producing groundbreaking studies on post-Soviet penal cultures. Her work challenges traditional criminological frameworks by integrating post-Soviet contexts into global debates.

Awards

• Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2014)
• Fellow at AcademiaNet (2013–present)
• Best Documentary Film Award for 'The Long Way Back' (2021)
• Article of the Year, Theoretical Criminology (2015)

Grants & Leadership

Laura has secured over £1 million in grants, including a £735k ESRC project on Soviet penal legacies. She advises governments and global institutions on penal reform and has supervised dozens of PhD students. Her recent projects include studies on pandemic impacts on prisons and collaborations with Central Asian and Brazilian institutions.

Professional Roles

Co-Editor-in-Chief of Criminology & Criminal Justice (2015–2020), Associate Director of the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, and Adjunct Professor at Queensland University of Technology. She teaches Criminology at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and launched the MSc in Criminology and Social Policy at Strathclyde.