Laura Dean 🇱🇻🇺🇦
@lauradean.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Human Trafficking Research Lab at Millikin University (she/her) 🇱🇻🇺🇦
Pinned
Laura Dean 🇱🇻🇺🇦
@lauradean.bsky.social
· Nov 18
How effective are policy approaches in combatting human trafficking? - Transforming Society
Laura Dean, author of 'Diffusing Human Trafficking Policy in Eurasia', discusses whether current human trafficking policies are effective, and how they might be improved. There is an accompanying poli...
www.transformingsociety.co.uk
My book Diffusing Human Trafficking Policy in Eurasia was published by Policy Press in 2020! Here is a blog post based on the book discussing the effectiveness #HumanTrafficking policy & the limits of policy solutions for wicked problems. www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2020/05/13/h...
End of semester updates from the Human Trafficking Research Lab at Millikin with information on our upcoming 9th Annual Panel Discussion for #HumanTrafficking Prevention Month on "Labor Trafficking" in January. Looking forward to another year of research in the lab! humantraffickingresearchlab.org
December 16, 2025 at 2:35 PM
End of semester updates from the Human Trafficking Research Lab at Millikin with information on our upcoming 9th Annual Panel Discussion for #HumanTrafficking Prevention Month on "Labor Trafficking" in January. Looking forward to another year of research in the lab! humantraffickingresearchlab.org
Doing a little #AcWri in my local coffee shop on a very chilly morning in Central Illinois before all of my final papers come in tomorrow. Working on revisions to Chapter Three of my book on women's work today and hoping to finish them this week before my winter break begins!
December 15, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Doing a little #AcWri in my local coffee shop on a very chilly morning in Central Illinois before all of my final papers come in tomorrow. Working on revisions to Chapter Three of my book on women's work today and hoping to finish them this week before my winter break begins!
It was a very cold 2025 Winter Commencement at Millikin University today! Enjoyed the thoughtful and reflective keynote speech from Angel Lawrence, Executive Director of the Northeast Community Fund. She was an undergraduate political science major and then received her MSW. Congrats graduates! 🎓
December 15, 2025 at 12:08 AM
It was a very cold 2025 Winter Commencement at Millikin University today! Enjoyed the thoughtful and reflective keynote speech from Angel Lawrence, Executive Director of the Northeast Community Fund. She was an undergraduate political science major and then received her MSW. Congrats graduates! 🎓
Happy Cookie Party Day to all who celebrate.....this is my favorite day of the year at Millikin!
December 10, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Happy Cookie Party Day to all who celebrate.....this is my favorite day of the year at Millikin!
It's pretty cool that my Human Trafficking Research Lab at Millikin will be featured on a professional development panel "Academic Entrepreneurship: Launching and Leading Centers, Labs, and Institutes" for Women in Legislative Studies @winls.bsky.social with others from Dartmouth and Arizona State!
December 8, 2025 at 8:17 PM
It's pretty cool that my Human Trafficking Research Lab at Millikin will be featured on a professional development panel "Academic Entrepreneurship: Launching and Leading Centers, Labs, and Institutes" for Women in Legislative Studies @winls.bsky.social with others from Dartmouth and Arizona State!
Went to the 66th Annual Vespers Concert today where the theme was peace and the program was the dove of peace in Ukrainian flag colors. They sang the English version of Carol of Bells with a verse in Ukrainian but I realized I really only know the words to Щедрик in Ukrainian! 🇺🇦
December 6, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Went to the 66th Annual Vespers Concert today where the theme was peace and the program was the dove of peace in Ukrainian flag colors. They sang the English version of Carol of Bells with a verse in Ukrainian but I realized I really only know the words to Щедрик in Ukrainian! 🇺🇦
Finishing up revisions to Chapter Two of my book Gendering the Saeima: The Politics of Women's Representation in Latvia today for my #AcWri Saturday! Glad to be writing back in my local coffee shop this weekend since we had a blizzard last weekend and I didn't make it out of the house. ☕ 🎄🇱🇻
December 6, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Finishing up revisions to Chapter Two of my book Gendering the Saeima: The Politics of Women's Representation in Latvia today for my #AcWri Saturday! Glad to be writing back in my local coffee shop this weekend since we had a blizzard last weekend and I didn't make it out of the house. ☕ 🎄🇱🇻
Up early for our panel discussion today on "Transnational dimensions of human trafficking in the wake of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine" as part of the Conference on Global Organized Crime. #OC24 🇺🇦 oc24.heysummit.com?sc=KPxEAvqp
December 3, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Up early for our panel discussion today on "Transnational dimensions of human trafficking in the wake of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine" as part of the Conference on Global Organized Crime. #OC24 🇺🇦 oc24.heysummit.com?sc=KPxEAvqp
Today is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery and #GivingTuesday! I fundraise all of my students' salaries in the Human Trafficking Research Lab at Millikin University through grants and donations. You can support our research here 👇 www.humantraffickingresearchlab.org/2023/10/htrl...
December 2, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Today is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery and #GivingTuesday! I fundraise all of my students' salaries in the Human Trafficking Research Lab at Millikin University through grants and donations. You can support our research here 👇 www.humantraffickingresearchlab.org/2023/10/htrl...
Last day of #AcWriMo and I finished half of my goals this month. I met some of my 3rd goal and finished the revisions to the introduction and Chapter One of my book Gendering the Saeima. We have been snowed in so sadly no coffee pics this weekend but my dog Scarlett doesn't seem to mind! 📚
December 1, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Last day of #AcWriMo and I finished half of my goals this month. I met some of my 3rd goal and finished the revisions to the introduction and Chapter One of my book Gendering the Saeima. We have been snowed in so sadly no coffee pics this weekend but my dog Scarlett doesn't seem to mind! 📚
Might have gone a little overboard with my Ukrainian chocolate reward for finishing our article as part of #AcWriMo. Made a quick trip out to the Ukrainian Village in Chicago during our free afternoon for Model UN and also got varenyky and medovik for dinner from the deli! 🇺🇦
November 26, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Might have gone a little overboard with my Ukrainian chocolate reward for finishing our article as part of #AcWriMo. Made a quick trip out to the Ukrainian Village in Chicago during our free afternoon for Model UN and also got varenyky and medovik for dinner from the deli! 🇺🇦
Completed a few #AcWriMo revisions to my book manuscript Gendering the Saeima while traveling with students for Model UN. I had a lot of fires to put out this trip but I am almost done revising the introduction. Every bit of progress is one step closer to getting this book published! 🇱🇻
November 26, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Completed a few #AcWriMo revisions to my book manuscript Gendering the Saeima while traveling with students for Model UN. I had a lot of fires to put out this trip but I am almost done revising the introduction. Every bit of progress is one step closer to getting this book published! 🇱🇻
We spent our free afternoon visiting the Japan Information Center at the Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago. We were able to meet Consul and Director Mr. Yuya Murata to learn about Japanese foreign policy. It was a great culmination to our representation of Japan in Model UN! 🇯🇵
November 25, 2025 at 2:41 PM
We spent our free afternoon visiting the Japan Information Center at the Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago. We were able to meet Consul and Director Mr. Yuya Murata to learn about Japanese foreign policy. It was a great culmination to our representation of Japan in Model UN! 🇯🇵
The odds were in our favor at the American Model United Nations Conference lottery today! We were picked 7th and will be representing Latvia next year! In my more than 20 years of Model UN I have never represented my favorite country and it's going to be so much fun to teach their foreign policy! 🇱🇻
a red white and blue flag with the words i love latvia above it
ALT: a red white and blue flag with the words i love latvia above it
media.tenor.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:16 PM
The odds were in our favor at the American Model United Nations Conference lottery today! We were picked 7th and will be representing Latvia next year! In my more than 20 years of Model UN I have never represented my favorite country and it's going to be so much fun to teach their foreign policy! 🇱🇻
Pro tip: always carry a sharpie with you since you never know when there is going to be an impromptu protest against Russian Imperialism nearby. I took a break from the Model UN conference and attended a "Ukraine is Not for Sale" protest with a few students today. 🇺🇦
November 23, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Pro tip: always carry a sharpie with you since you never know when there is going to be an impromptu protest against Russian Imperialism nearby. I took a break from the Model UN conference and attended a "Ukraine is Not for Sale" protest with a few students today. 🇺🇦
Our Millikin University delegation is present and voting at the 2025 American Model United Nations Conference in Chicago! We are representing Japan and spent all semester learning about Japan's foreign policy and practicing parliamentary procedure. Looking forward to the next four days!
November 23, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Our Millikin University delegation is present and voting at the 2025 American Model United Nations Conference in Chicago! We are representing Japan and spent all semester learning about Japan's foreign policy and practicing parliamentary procedure. Looking forward to the next four days!
As an American who has lived in Ukraine I am ashamed that my country would turn our back on a reliable ally and hold our help hostage like this. My apologies to every Ukrainian who has endured years of war. Please know many Americans are deeply embarrassed and disagree with this "peace" proposal. 🇺🇦
Breaking news: The White House is pressuring Ukraine to sign on to its new peace proposal by Thanksgiving or lose U.S. support to the country, according to officials familiar with the talks.
U.S. pushing Ukraine to sign peace deal by Thanksgiving or lose support
The U.S. is now sending “signals” that everything could be off the table if Kyiv does not quickly sign a proposal, which was drawn up by special envoy Witkoff.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:29 PM
As an American who has lived in Ukraine I am ashamed that my country would turn our back on a reliable ally and hold our help hostage like this. My apologies to every Ukrainian who has endured years of war. Please know many Americans are deeply embarrassed and disagree with this "peace" proposal. 🇺🇦
Next on my #AcWriMo goals list are the revisions to my book Gendering the Saeima: The Politics of Women's Representation in #Latvia. The reviews came back a few weeks ago and they were mostly favorable so now I get to start the long revision process on Latvian independence day! 🇱🇻
November 18, 2025 at 1:38 PM
More updates to the #HumanTrafficking Research Lab blog including a new policy brief with the main findings from our adjudication research (5 years in the making) and information on the statewide human trafficking task force meeting. Check out our work👇 www.humantraffickingresearchlab.org?m=1
November 17, 2025 at 2:51 PM
More updates to the #HumanTrafficking Research Lab blog including a new policy brief with the main findings from our adjudication research (5 years in the making) and information on the statewide human trafficking task force meeting. Check out our work👇 www.humantraffickingresearchlab.org?m=1
Sent our hotline article out for review and got to check another item off my #AcWriMo 2025 writing goals list today! I am heading to Model UN in Chicago this weekend so I will be able to visit the Ukrainian Village for my Ukrainian chocolate reward. 🇺🇦 🍫✍️
November 17, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Sent our hotline article out for review and got to check another item off my #AcWriMo 2025 writing goals list today! I am heading to Model UN in Chicago this weekend so I will be able to visit the Ukrainian Village for my Ukrainian chocolate reward. 🇺🇦 🍫✍️
Final tweaks to the figures for our human trafficking hotlines in war article today, one of my #AcWriMo goals. My local coffee shop is already decorated for the holidays even though it was like 70 degrees yesterday and does not feel like the holiday season! ☕ 🌲 ✍️
November 16, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Final tweaks to the figures for our human trafficking hotlines in war article today, one of my #AcWriMo goals. My local coffee shop is already decorated for the holidays even though it was like 70 degrees yesterday and does not feel like the holiday season! ☕ 🌲 ✍️
Attended an Illinois #HumanTrafficking Task Force meeting yesterday. Social service providers reported a decrease in foreign born forced labor survivors/victims coming forward because they are afraid to seek help due to immigration enforcement. Many orgs now have to offer online services!
November 15, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Attended an Illinois #HumanTrafficking Task Force meeting yesterday. Social service providers reported a decrease in foreign born forced labor survivors/victims coming forward because they are afraid to seek help due to immigration enforcement. Many orgs now have to offer online services!
Updates to the Human Trafficking Research Lab blog with posts about Shared Hope International's A ranking for Illinois, our A21 Global Freedom Summit class project, and media appearance on WCIA News! It's been a busy few weeks in the lab....
www.humantraffickingresearchlab.org?m=1
www.humantraffickingresearchlab.org?m=1
November 10, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Updates to the Human Trafficking Research Lab blog with posts about Shared Hope International's A ranking for Illinois, our A21 Global Freedom Summit class project, and media appearance on WCIA News! It's been a busy few weeks in the lab....
www.humantraffickingresearchlab.org?m=1
www.humantraffickingresearchlab.org?m=1
Different #AcWriMo Saturday view this week from the University Commons at Millikin University! We had a visit day on campus today so I was there bright and early and took a break between sessions to work on a few blog posts for the Human Trafficking Research Lab blog!
November 8, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Different #AcWriMo Saturday view this week from the University Commons at Millikin University! We had a visit day on campus today so I was there bright and early and took a break between sessions to work on a few blog posts for the Human Trafficking Research Lab blog!
My interview with WCIA News on Illinois' 2nd place ranking for human trafficking policy. I was proud to be part of the Joint Human Trafficking Working group that developed law and it's cool to be interviewed along with the Illinois State Police Director. www.wcia.com/news/illinoi...
www.wcia.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:15 PM
My interview with WCIA News on Illinois' 2nd place ranking for human trafficking policy. I was proud to be part of the Joint Human Trafficking Working group that developed law and it's cool to be interviewed along with the Illinois State Police Director. www.wcia.com/news/illinoi...