Patricia Hynes

Patricia Hynes is a Professor of Social Justice at the Sheffield Hallam University, affiliated with the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice and the Social and Economic Research Institute. Her work focuses on forced migration, human rights, and human trafficking, particularly regarding children and vulnerable populations.

She holds a PhD and has extensive practitioner experience with Southeast Asian refugee populations. Her research explores trust dynamics in humanitarian settings, asylum policies, and the ethics of researching marginalized groups. She has authored influential books like Introducing Forced Migration (2021) and Dispersal and Social Exclusion of Asylum Seekers (2011).

Recent projects include collaborations with ECPAT UK on child trafficking outcomes and a four-country study on trafficking vulnerabilities with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Her work critiques restrictive immigration policies and advocates for systemic reforms to protect trafficked children.

Key themes in her articles include human trafficking’s impact on youth, ethical research practices, and the intersection of asylum and modern slavery. She emphasizes participatory approaches and policy-driven research to address global displacement challenges.