Sinja Graf

Dr Sinja Graf is an Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Her research focuses on the intersection of international theory, imperialism, and international law, particularly examining normative universals in arguments about justice and violence in postcolonial contexts. She holds teaching awards, including LSE's Excellence in Education Award, and has taught courses on International Relations Theory, Colonial Modernity, and Human Rights.

Her monograph The Humanity of Universal Crime (Oxford University Press, 2021) won multiple awards, including the ISA International Ethics Book Award and the ECPD Political Theory Award. The book critiques how concepts of universal humanity shape international legal and political discourse, particularly in colonial and postcolonial settings. Current research explores UNESCO's World Heritage regime and the relationship between nature and universal value.

Dr Graf’s work appears in journals like the American Journal of Political Science, International Theory, and Political Theory. She has expertise in German and English, and her research interests include international criminal law, political violence, and the legacies of empire.