Rights Lab Research Fellow in Anti-Trafficking and Justice System
Email: rania.vamvaka@nottingham.ac.uk
Rania Vamvaka (she/her) is a Research Fellow in Anti-Trafficking and Justice Systems. Her interdisciplinary research sits at the intersection of criminology, socio-legal studies, sociology and social policy, examining human trafficking, modern slavery, migration, criminal justice, and violence affecting marginalised communities, with particular expertise in LGBTQ+ communities, forced migration, and gender-based violence.
Rania completed her PhD at Cardiff University, where she examined LGBTQ+ asylum and immigration policy in the UK. Her research is underpinned by qualitative, participatory and community-engaged methodologies, drawing on grounded theory, narrative and life-history interviewing, digital ethnography, and co-produced research with people who have lived experience of displacement, exploitation and social exclusion. Grounded in feminist, intersectional and trauma-informed approaches, her work prioritises ethical collaboration and the meaningful participation of communities in the production of knowledge. She is particularly interested in how qualitative research can generate policy-relevant evidence and strengthen justice systems.
Alongside her academic research, Rania is a multi-award-winning Human Rights activist and has a strong track record of translating evidence into policy and practice. Since 2016, she has co-chaired Glitter Cymru, a pioneering grassroots organisation supporting queer people of colour and forced migrants in Wales. She has advised the Welsh Government on equality, migration and inclusion policy and has collaborated with organisations including Stonewall UK, Tate Modern and Queer Britain to advance the rights of LGBTQ+ refugees, asylum seekers and survivors of exploitation.