Maritza Felices-Luna

Maritza Felices-Luna is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of Ottawa, affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences. She holds a PhD in Sociology (2005) and MA/Bachelor's in Criminology (2000/1996) from Université de Montréal. Her research critically examines political violence, armed conflict, and migration through decolonial and feminist frameworks, emphasizing Southern perspectives and qualitative methodologies. She actively participates in ethics discussions and anti-racism initiatives, serving on the University of Ottawa's Research Ethics Board (REB) and Anti-Racism Action Committee.

Her work focuses on state violence dynamics in contexts like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), exploring themes such as corruption in judicial systems, militarized governance, and the epistemological challenges of fieldwork in conflict zones. She critiques neoliberal development paradigms and advocates for ethical research practices prioritizing dialogue and care over procedural formalism.

Felices-Luna teaches advanced research methods (CRM 6325) and courses on crimes and harms of forced migration (CRM 6394). Her interdisciplinary approach bridges sociology, political science, and postcolonial theory, with publications addressing gender in armed movements, ethical dilemmas in research, and decolonizing criminological knowledge production.