Lauren McCarthy

Lauren A. McCarthy is an Assistant Professor of Legal Studies and Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She holds a PhD and MA in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a BA from the College of Social Studies at Wesleyan University. Her research focuses on the relationship between law and society in Russia, police and other law enforcement institutions, and human trafficking. She teaches courses on law and society, comparative law, Russian politics, human rights, human trafficking, and sports and justice.

Her recent book, Trafficking Justice: How Russian Police Use New Laws, from Crime to Courtroom published by Cornell University Press explores how Russian law enforcement agencies have implemented laws on human trafficking.