This page is still work in progress and will be updated with my academic and journalism publications in due time. Some selected academic publications include:

Books

Karakoulaki, M., Southgate L. and Steiner J. (eds) (2018), Critical Perspectives on Migration in the 21st Century, E-IR Publishing.

Book Chapters

• Foster, E. and Karakoulaki, M. (2026) ‘Representations of eco-social degradation in the borderlands: insights from post-humanist feminist political ecology’, in Ramutsindela, M. (ed.) Environments, Ecosystems, and Ecologies, in Diener, A.C. and Hagen, J. (eds) Oxford Intersections: Borders. Oxford: Oxford Academic. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/9780198945222.003.0019 (peer-reviewed)

• Karakoulaki, M. (2020), Abortion and the Law, in F. Bernat and K. Frailing (eds), Encyclopaedia of Women and Crime, Wiley.

• Karakoulaki, M. (2018) Europe’s Barbwire Fences. Reflections on Reporting the Refugee Crisis in Greece. In M. Karakoulaki, L. Southgate, and J. Steiner, Critical Perspectives on Migration in the 21st Century, E-IR Publishing.

Reports and Policy Papers

• Karakoulaki, M. and Dessi, G. (2021), Antisemitism and Anti-Vax Discourse in Europe. A Report on Conspiracy Ideologies and anti-Jewish hatred on Facebook and Twitter. Media Diversity Institute.

• Karakoulaki, M. (2019), Cyprus: Towards an Asylum Crisis, PRIO Cyprus Centre, Policy Brief 1. Nicosia: PRIO Cyprus Centre.

Selected Conferences

This section includes some selected conferences up to 2024. It will updated with more recent ones indue time.

• 18-20 June 2024
  Presentation Title: The Visuals of Death: Researching the Greek Migratory Landscape, BISA, Birmingham, UK

• 28-30 April 2022
  Presentation Title: A Political Thanatos: Migratory Deaths in the Greek Borderlands, Thanatic Ethics, International Conference, ‘Bodies on the Edge: Life and Death in Migration in Maison Française of Oxford, Oxford, UK’.

• May 2021
  Presentation Title: Journalism and Vulnerable Communities: Lessons from Reporting Refugees’ Stories, Graduate Centre for Europe: 15th Annual Conference, University of Birmingham, ‘Communities in Europe: Between Continuity and Transition’.

• May 2020
  Presentation Title: Migrant Solidarities and Resistance in Greece’s Refugee Camps, Graduate Centre for Europe: 14th Annual Conference, University of Birmingham, ‘Voices of Change: Presents, Pasts and Futures of Activism and Protest in Europe’.

• July 2018
  Presentation Title: No Borders against Border Violence, International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM), Thessaloniki, Greece

• 5-6 March 2018
  Presentation Title: Journalism and the Far Right: Covering the Refugee Crisis in Greece, European Federation of Journalists, Media against Hate Conference, Brussels, Belgium

• 24-25 October 2016
  Keynote Speech Title: Movements, Borders, Rights? Feminist Perspectives on Global Issues in Europe WIDE+ & European Women’s Lobby International Conference, Brussels, Belgium

If you want to contact me in order to collaborate or discuss any other matter you can contact me at: contact [at] mariannakarakoulaki.com

or

My research focuses on border violence, death and forced migration on EUrope’s East Mediterranean migratory route. Using ethnographic methods which include documentary photography, observation, and unstructured interviews I employ a necropolitical theoretical framework to examine the experiences of people on the move in relation to the shifting nature of the violent border in EUrope; their connection to death and the liminal spaces of mortality; and EUrope’s border security practices.

My wider research interests, activities and experience include: Critical Border Studies, Forced Migration, Death Studies, Ethnography, European and Greek Politics, Gender and Feminism, Media Studies and journalism, Conspiracy Theories, Documentary Photography.

Selected Publications

(the list does not include forthcoming publications)

Books

Karakoulaki, M., Southgate L. and Steiner J. (eds) (2018), Critical Perspectives on Migration in the 21st Century, E-IR Publishing.

Book Chapters

• Foster, E. and Karakoulaki, M. (2026) ‘Representations of eco-social degradation in the borderlands: insights from post-humanist feminist political ecology’, in Ramutsindela, M. (ed.) Environments, Ecosystems, and Ecologies, in Diener, A.C. and Hagen, J. (eds) Oxford Intersections: Borders. Oxford: Oxford Academic. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/9780198945222.003.0019 (peer-reviewed)

• Karakoulaki, M. (2020), Abortion and the Law, in F. Bernat and K. Frailing (eds), Encyclopaedia of Women and Crime, Wiley.

• Karakoulaki, M. (2018) Europe’s Barbwire Fences. Reflections on Reporting the Refugee Crisis in Greece. In M. Karakoulaki, L. Southgate, and J. Steiner, Critical Perspectives on Migration in the 21st Century, E-IR Publishing.

Reports and Policy Papers

• Karakoulaki, M. and Dessi, G. (2021), Antisemitism and Anti-Vax Discourse in Europe. A Report on Conspiracy Ideologies and anti-Jewish hatred on Facebook and Twitter. Media Diversity Institute.

• Karakoulaki, M. (2019), Cyprus: Towards an Asylum Crisis, PRIO Cyprus Centre, Policy Brief 1. Nicosia: PRIO Cyprus Centre.

Selected Conference Papers

• 18-20 June 2024
  Presentation Title: The Visuals of Death: Researching the Greek Migratory Landscape, BISA, Birmingham, UK

• 28-30 April 2022
  Presentation Title: A Political Thanatos: Migratory Deaths in the Greek Borderlands, Thanatic Ethics, International Conference, ‘Bodies on the Edge: Life and Death in Migration in Maison Française of Oxford, Oxford, UK’.

• May 2021
  Presentation Title: Journalism and Vulnerable Communities: Lessons from Reporting Refugees’ Stories, Graduate Centre for Europe: 15th Annual Conference, University of Birmingham, ‘Communities in Europe: Between Continuity and Transition’.

• May 2020
  Presentation Title: Migrant Solidarities and Resistance in Greece’s Refugee Camps, Graduate Centre for Europe: 14th Annual Conference, University of Birmingham, ‘Voices of Change: Presents, Pasts and Futures of Activism and Protest in Europe’.

• July 2018
  Presentation Title: No Borders against Border Violence, International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM), Thessaloniki, Greece

• 5-6 March 2018
  Presentation Title: Journalism and the Far Right: Covering the Refugee Crisis in Greece, European Federation of Journalists, Media against Hate Conference, Brussels, Belgium

• 24-25 October 2016
  Keynote Speech Title: Movements, Borders, Rights? Feminist Perspectives on Global Issues in Europe WIDE+ & European Women’s Lobby International Conference, Brussels, Belgium

As a journalist I focus on forced migration and the rise of the far right in Europe and Greece in particular. I have worked as journalist, photojournalist, producer and researcher for over a decade. I have won several awards, including the Royal Television Society Award and the Foreign Press Association award for my work with Channel 4 News/ITN, and the third prize of the Migration Media Awards for my work with Deutsche Welle.

From 2016-2020 I was working on a freelance basis for DW News (English). I also contribute regularly to Al Jazeera. My work has appeared at Middle East Eye, Migration Matters, Channel 4 News, BBC Radio (Radio 4, Scotland), The Telegraph, and various other European and US media.

I am currently taking a break from active journalism in order to focus on my academic research and practice.

As this page is still under maintenance, you can view a sample of my portfolio on Muckruck

Hi! I am a researcher, journalist and occassionally photographer based in Cambridge, UK.

I am a PhD Researcher in Political Science and International Relations (PT) at the University of Birmingham. I am currently due to submit my thesis in September 2027.

I have extensive teaching experience in higher education having taught as at the University of Birmingham as a Post-Gratuate Teaching Associate since 2020. From 2024-2026 I was a Lecturer and Associate Lecturer in Sociology at Anglia Ruskin University where I have taught a variety of modules.

I am also an award winning journalist with a focus on humanitarian and features reporting and a communications professional for civil society organisations.