Laura A. Zander

Laura A. Zander is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Osnabrück University and a member of the OSI 2024 faculty. She was previously affiliated with the Collaborative Research Centre (SFB 1385) 'Law and Literature' at the University of Münster (WWU), funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Her interdisciplinary work bridges legal studies and literary scholarship, with strong ties to human rights and cultural analysis.

• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Osnabrück University
• Former Researcher, SFB 1385 'Law and Literature', University of Münster
• PhD, Faculty of Language and Literatures, LMU Munich
• State Examinations in Law, Germany
• M.A. in English Literature and Linguistics

Her research focuses on the intersections between law and literature, particularly legal fictions in British cultural history, with attention to authors such as Wilkie Collins, Elizabeth Gaskell, and the Brontës. She also explores postcolonial literature, gender, and mobility in the context of human rights. Her current project at Osnabrück examines 'Subjects on the Move in Literature and Human Rights' in collaboration with the law school at WWU Münster.

The available publications indicate a strong engagement with interdisciplinary methodologies, particularly in law, literature, and cultural studies. Her work trends toward critical legal theory, literary representation of justice, and postcolonial discourse, with a geographical focus on South Africa and the Caribbean.

Laura has taught in both English and Law departments at the Universities of Munich, Frankfurt, and Saarbrücken, particularly in a master’s program on Digital Forensics. She has contributed to interdisciplinary academic forums such as the OSI summer school, where she convenes workshops on interdisciplinarity.

She is actively involved in collaborative research environments, including the Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies (IMIS) at UOS and the European Legal Studies Institute. Her work is supported by major research institutions like the German Research Foundation (DFG) and connects with international partners such as UC Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Law & Society.