Meropi Tzanetakis

Dr. Meropi Tzanetakis is an Assistant Professor (Lecturer) in Digital Criminology at the University of Manchester’s Department of Criminology within the School of Social Sciences. Her research focuses on socio-technical aspects of digital drug markets, platform capitalism, and illicit market dynamics. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Vienna and has held academic positions across Europe, including at the Universities of Innsbruck, Vienna, Oslo, and Essex.

Dr. Tzanetakis has secured over €750,000 in external grants, including the prestigious Elise Richter Grant (FWF) and an Erwin Schrödinger Fellowship. Her work examines how digital platforms reshape drug markets and explores governance challenges in cybercrime contexts. She leads the interdisciplinary MSc program 'Digital Trust, Security and Society' at Manchester and serves on editorial boards for journals like Kriminologisches Journal and Emerald Studies in Digital Crime.

• Education: PhD in Political Science (University of Vienna), MA in Political Science (University of Vienna)
• Grants: Elise Richter Grant (€395k), Erwin Schrödinger Fellowship (€166k), FFG-funded KIRAS project (€201k)

Her research spans interdisciplinary collaborations with policymakers, industry, and civil society. Recent studies include analyses of pricing mechanisms in online drug markets, platform governance, and the socio-economic impacts of digitalization on illicit economies.

• Key Awards: Elise Richter Grant (2023), Erwin Schrödinger Fellowship (2017), Marie Jahoda Fellowship (2015)
• Teaching: Leads modules on digital trust, drug policy, and criminology

Dr. Tzanetakis’ contributions bridge criminology, political science, and sociology, addressing global challenges in drug policy and digital security. Her work has been published in top journals such as International Journal of Drug Policy and Qualitative Research.