Research Assistant: A Digital Ethnography of the Illicit Trade in Human Organs

Course note

This course is paused for the fall 2026 semester.

Introduction to the topic:

This research project examines illicit organ trade – a hidden economy where human vulnerability is commodified. Drawing on criminology, law, sociology, and social policy, a central focus of this research project is the digital dimension of organ trafficking.

Project details:

As trafficking networks increasingly exploit online platforms to advertise, coordinate, and conceal their activities, students will employ digital ethnography to study these virtual spaces, including darknet forums, social media, and online marketplaces. This method allows in-depth examination of the narratives, interactions, and networks that sustain the illicit trade in digital environments.

Particular attention will be paid to the intersectional and gendered aspects of victimization, exploring how factors such as gender, age, and socio-economic status shape experiences of exploitation. Students will also investigate the victim-offender overlap by examining how individuals may occupy both roles, complicating traditional understandings of criminal dynamics.

As part of a longitudinal, faculty-led research project, students will contribute to a growing body of knowledge through collaborative and individual work. Each semester, research assistants will gather online data, track digital trends, and present findings in a shared research archive.

Selected relevant publications:

The HOTT Project – Organ Trafficking Research
Smiragina‑Ingelström P. (2024). Reframing the narrative: The processes and outcomes of men’s victimization in human trafficking. Chapter from Interconnecting the Violences of Men: Continuities and Intersections in Research, Policy and Activism (1st ed.). Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003415077
Smiragina-Ingelstrom P., Henderson A., Andjelkovic M. (2021) Applying Gender-sensitive Approaches in Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. OSCE. Vienna. Accessible via PDF

Additional application required

You must submit an additional application through the Online Registration portal.

All application materials must be submitted on the following dates by midnight in your time zone:

November 1 for spring semester applicants
May 1 for fall semester applicants

Complete your application through Student Registration.

Syllabus

The syllabus for this course is currently under development. A draft syllabus will be listed here as soon as it is available.

This is the most recent syllabus for this course

Faculty

Polina Smiragina-Ingelström

Faculty

PhD (2021, The University of Sydney), focusing on the gendered perspective on victimhood in the trafficking of men. MSc (2012, Gothenburg University), BA (2009, Moscow State University). Postdoctoral fellow in Criminology (Stockholm University). Polina’s research interests are within the disciplines of criminology and medical anthropology with a special focus on victimhood, gender, post-trafficking needs and help-seeking behavior. Before commencing her academic career Polina was a migrant counsellor and reintegration assistant at the UN Migration (IOM) mission in Russia. She was engaged in providing direct assistance to migrants in distress including victims of human trafficking and exploitation; and assistance in voluntary return and reintegration. With DIS since 2016. On Leave in 2025

Research Assistantship FAQ

Learn more about research at DIS.

: Earning authorship within the course of a semester is challenging. Exceptional Research Assistants may be considered for co-authorship, subject to evaluation from the supervising Research Mentor.

Though you may not ultimately become an author on a published paper, you will gain many practical skills and insights into the publication process.

: Many research projects last across several semesters, so not all RAs on the same project will conduct the same research.

: On average, students in 3-credit Research Assistantships spend at least 10 hours a week on research tasks. These 10 hours per week consist of a variety of different research-related tasks, including conducting a literature review, data collection, analyses, coding, documentation, and meetings with your mentor. You may decide on a particular block of time (consistent each week) for you to carry out the work, or adjust it on a week-by-week basis.

Students in a 6-credit Research Assistantships spend an average of 20 hours per week with lab and clinically based research tasks. You decide the exact meeting and lab times with your supervisor, but your schedule consists of classes at DIS two days a week, with two days a week in the lab.

There may be peak times in the research process where all Research Assistant students are expected to spend a few more hours, and then possibly fewer hours another week – to reflect the individual research project and process.

: Work for the 3-credit Research Assistantships may take place outside DIS, on your own time at a location of your choosing, or at DIS – this varies from project to project. The 6-credit research assistantships generally take place at labs in Copenhagen or Stockholm outside DIS.

: Students with a variety of academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply for the 3-credit Research Assistant course. While some courses do have prerequisites, many opportunities do not require prior research experience.

The 6-credit Research Assistant opportunity is designed for highly motivated students who have a strong science background within the field of interest and some basic research experience. The student must be willing to commit a large portion of their semester to an engaging opportunity involving hands-on research in universities and medical institutes in Copenhagen or Stockholm.

Introduction to the topic:

Project details:

Additional application required

Syllabus

The syllabus for this course is currently under development. A draft syllabus will be listed here as soon as it is available.

Faculty

Polina Smiragina-Ingelström

Research Assistantship FAQ

Will I publish a research paper?

What exactly will I do?

What is the time commitment for a 3-credit or 6-credit Research Assistantship?

Where is the research work carried out?

What type of student applies for the 3- and 6-credit Research Assistant courses?