Sappho Xenakis

Sappho Xenakis is an Associate Professor (Reader) in Criminology and International Relations at Birkbeck, University of London. She serves as a founding Co-Director (Social Sciences) of the Centre for Political Economy and Institutional Studies and convenes the public-facing Criminology seminar series.

Her research explores criminal justice policy evolution across national, transnational, and global contexts, with emphasis on state punishment, organized crime, and white-collar crime. This work bridges criminological theory and international relations.

She has received prestigious awards including recognition from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (Critical Criminal Justice Section) and the European Society of Criminology.