Our Team
Sonia Marcantonio
Research Manager
Sonia holds an LL.M. in Public International Law and Human Rights from Utrecht University and a master’s degree in Italian and European Law from the University of Bologna. She has extensive experience in research and project management on various human rights-related issues.
After her LL.M, Sonia joined JUSTLAW, a Dutch human rights law firm based in Amsterdam. She was a research partner in the RICHWE project, a UN Reporting Initiative on Climate Change, Health, Water, and Environment. She has also worked on projects in Tanzania (focused on deforestation, indigenous rights, and gender-related issues) and Paraguay (focused on migration, deforestation, child labour, women's rights, and WASH issues). She has also worked as a communication and legal assistant for the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), based in Perugia, Italy. In her free time, Sonia likes to read books about psychology and anthropology while listening to jazz music. She also loves travelling and hiking.
Areas of interest/expertise: international law, human rights, migration, asylum, business and human rights, environmental law, policy and legal analysis.
Research Manager
Sonia holds an LL.M. in Public International Law and Human Rights from Utrecht University and a master’s degree in Italian and European Law from the University of Bologna. She has extensive experience in research and project management on various human rights-related issues.
After her LL.M, Sonia joined JUSTLAW, a Dutch human rights law firm based in Amsterdam. She was a research partner in the RICHWE project, a UN Reporting Initiative on Climate Change, Health, Water, and Environment. She has also worked on projects in Tanzania (focused on deforestation, indigenous rights, and gender-related issues) and Paraguay (focused on migration, deforestation, child labour, women's rights, and WASH issues). She has also worked as a communication and legal assistant for the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), based in Perugia, Italy. In her free time, Sonia likes to read books about psychology and anthropology while listening to jazz music. She also loves travelling and hiking.
Areas of interest/expertise: international law, human rights, migration, asylum, business and human rights, environmental law, policy and legal analysis.
Interns and Research Assistants
Bethany Wilkes
Projects and Research Assistant
Beth holds a master’s in International Security from Bristol University and a Bachelor’s in Politics and International Relations from Cardiff University in the United Kingdom. Her interest in migration comes from her time spent in Calais, France, where she gained first-hand experience of the challenges faced by organisations responding to humanitarian crises on the ground. Her first research project, entitled “The Eritrean migration crisis: A critical assessment as to whether Eritrea poses a ‘special’ case for migration” was motivated by her time spent in Calais. Her second most research project, “To what extent has the securitisation of the Central American migrant caravan been successfully securitised by President Trump, October-November 2018” was inspired by a seven-month trip to Central America. Beth loves to travel and will do anything to stay away from England.
Projects and Research Assistant
Beth holds a master’s in International Security from Bristol University and a Bachelor’s in Politics and International Relations from Cardiff University in the United Kingdom. Her interest in migration comes from her time spent in Calais, France, where she gained first-hand experience of the challenges faced by organisations responding to humanitarian crises on the ground. Her first research project, entitled “The Eritrean migration crisis: A critical assessment as to whether Eritrea poses a ‘special’ case for migration” was motivated by her time spent in Calais. Her second most research project, “To what extent has the securitisation of the Central American migrant caravan been successfully securitised by President Trump, October-November 2018” was inspired by a seven-month trip to Central America. Beth loves to travel and will do anything to stay away from England.
Anne-Sophie Jongepier
Projects and Research Assistant
Anne-Sophie is enrolled in the European Law School Master's program at Maastricht University. During her studies, subjects on migration and asylum interested her the most, which made her decide to volunteer at the local asylum centre. Here, she provided legal advice to the residents focusing mainly on family reunification. While working on these legal issues, she was in close contact with assigned lawyers and the Dutch Immigration Service (IND). This experience has taught her about the human rights violations around the world that give the need for people to flee their country. In addition, it has given her more insight into the Dutch approach to asylum and migration. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, learning and practising new languages, and photography.
Anne-Sophie Jongepier
Projects and Research Assistant
Anne-Sophie is enrolled in the European Law School Master's program at Maastricht University. During her studies, subjects on migration and asylum interested her the most, which made her decide to volunteer at the local asylum centre. Here, she provided legal advice to the residents focusing mainly on family reunification. While working on these legal issues, she was in close contact with assigned lawyers and the Dutch Immigration Service (IND). This experience has taught her about the human rights violations around the world that give the need for people to flee their country. In addition, it has given her more insight into the Dutch approach to asylum and migration. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, learning and practising new languages, and photography.
Maria Giannakopoulou
Projects and Research Assistant
Maria Giannakopoulou obtained her law degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 2008. In 2011 she acquired the license to practice Law from Athens Bar Association. She practiced law both as a freelancer as well as a legal counsel until 2017. The same year she entered the National School of Public Administration, from which she graduated in 2019 as an elite public official. She worked in several public posts until she started her LL.M. in International Law and Global Governance in 2020, with Tilburg University (The Netherlands). She then went to New York (USA) to work as an advisor for the Greek Permanent Mission to the United Nations where she gained invaluable insight in the work of the UN. In her spare time, Maria enjoys capoeira, beach volleyball, and kayaking.
Areas of interest: Public International Law, Human Rights Law, Migration Law and Business and Human Rights
Projects and Research Assistant
Maria Giannakopoulou obtained her law degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 2008. In 2011 she acquired the license to practice Law from Athens Bar Association. She practiced law both as a freelancer as well as a legal counsel until 2017. The same year she entered the National School of Public Administration, from which she graduated in 2019 as an elite public official. She worked in several public posts until she started her LL.M. in International Law and Global Governance in 2020, with Tilburg University (The Netherlands). She then went to New York (USA) to work as an advisor for the Greek Permanent Mission to the United Nations where she gained invaluable insight in the work of the UN. In her spare time, Maria enjoys capoeira, beach volleyball, and kayaking.
Areas of interest: Public International Law, Human Rights Law, Migration Law and Business and Human Rights
Alberto Sclaverano
Projects and Research Assistant
Alberto is currently enrolled in the IULM University in Milan, pursuing a second-level master’s degree in Communication for International Relations. Ha has a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Turin. Before discovering his interest in political science and foreign policy, he got a Bachelor’s in Italian Literature from Turin University. Among his research interests are populism and the role of Think Tanks in today’s world. He worked alongside IULM University at the Pre-COP 26 Summit in Milan, conducting interviews about the climate crisis. In his free time, he enjoys going to the cinema and acting, having attended for several years a drama school.
Projects and Research Assistant
Alberto is currently enrolled in the IULM University in Milan, pursuing a second-level master’s degree in Communication for International Relations. Ha has a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Turin. Before discovering his interest in political science and foreign policy, he got a Bachelor’s in Italian Literature from Turin University. Among his research interests are populism and the role of Think Tanks in today’s world. He worked alongside IULM University at the Pre-COP 26 Summit in Milan, conducting interviews about the climate crisis. In his free time, he enjoys going to the cinema and acting, having attended for several years a drama school.
Maria Manolescu
Projects and Research Assistant
Maria holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from University College London (UCL) and a Master’s Degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Reading. Her Master’s thesis examined the failure of states to protect the human rights of unaccompanied child migrants, through the lenses of human rights law, children’s rights, and refugee law. Maria’s own experiences as an immigrant in four different countries have exposed her to different cultures and value systems, and fuelled her passion for human rights and social justice issues. During her time at university, she was involved in the Women’s Network and volunteered for several projects working with children from ethnically diverse and underprivileged backgrounds. In her free time, Maria enjoys travelling, reading, and doing jigsaw puzzles.
Projects and Research Assistant
Maria holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from University College London (UCL) and a Master’s Degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Reading. Her Master’s thesis examined the failure of states to protect the human rights of unaccompanied child migrants, through the lenses of human rights law, children’s rights, and refugee law. Maria’s own experiences as an immigrant in four different countries have exposed her to different cultures and value systems, and fuelled her passion for human rights and social justice issues. During her time at university, she was involved in the Women’s Network and volunteered for several projects working with children from ethnically diverse and underprivileged backgrounds. In her free time, Maria enjoys travelling, reading, and doing jigsaw puzzles.
Senior Consultants
Dr Carol Bohmer
Carol Bohmer, a lawyer and sociologist, is a Visiting Associate Professor in the Government Department at Dartmouth College, and a Teaching Fellow at King’s College, London. She has worked extensively in the area of law and society, examining the way legal and social institutions interact, in the United States, the UK and elsewhere. Her current research interests are in the field of immigration and asylum. She also does pro bono legal work for asylum seekers. She has been involved in setting up a project to register children as British citizens in London, UK. Her most recent book is Rejecting Refugees: Political Asylum in the Twenty-First Century with Amy Shuman, (Routledge, 2007), a comparative study of the asylum process in the US and the UK.
Carol Bohmer, a lawyer and sociologist, is a Visiting Associate Professor in the Government Department at Dartmouth College, and a Teaching Fellow at King’s College, London. She has worked extensively in the area of law and society, examining the way legal and social institutions interact, in the United States, the UK and elsewhere. Her current research interests are in the field of immigration and asylum. She also does pro bono legal work for asylum seekers. She has been involved in setting up a project to register children as British citizens in London, UK. Her most recent book is Rejecting Refugees: Political Asylum in the Twenty-First Century with Amy Shuman, (Routledge, 2007), a comparative study of the asylum process in the US and the UK.
Professor Patricia Mallia
Patricia Mallia obtained her law degree from the University of Malta in 1999. Her post-graduate studies were carried out at Oxford University where she graduated in Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) in 2000. She then returned to Malta to lecture in Public International Law at the University of Malta where she is now Head of the International Law Department. She obtained her PhD from the IMO, International Maritime Law Institute, focussing on combating contemporary threats to maritime security. Her research interests focus on the analysis of contemporary maritime threats, primarily piracy and migrant smuggling. Her book, ‘Migrant Smuggling by Sea: Combating a Current Threat to Maritime Security through the Creation of a Cooperative Framework’ was published by Martinus Nijhoff in 2010. In her free time, Patricia enjoys tennis, swimming, baking and reading.
Areas of interest: Settlement of International Disputes, Law of the Sea, Maritime Security, Maritime Migrant Smuggling, Human Rights
Patricia Mallia obtained her law degree from the University of Malta in 1999. Her post-graduate studies were carried out at Oxford University where she graduated in Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) in 2000. She then returned to Malta to lecture in Public International Law at the University of Malta where she is now Head of the International Law Department. She obtained her PhD from the IMO, International Maritime Law Institute, focussing on combating contemporary threats to maritime security. Her research interests focus on the analysis of contemporary maritime threats, primarily piracy and migrant smuggling. Her book, ‘Migrant Smuggling by Sea: Combating a Current Threat to Maritime Security through the Creation of a Cooperative Framework’ was published by Martinus Nijhoff in 2010. In her free time, Patricia enjoys tennis, swimming, baking and reading.
Areas of interest: Settlement of International Disputes, Law of the Sea, Maritime Security, Maritime Migrant Smuggling, Human Rights
