Dr. Anja Shortland

Professor

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Biography

Anja Shortland studies private governance in the world's trickiest markets, including hostages, fine art, antiquities, and ransomware, particularly in complex hostile territories. With a background in Engineering Economics from Oxford and a Master's and PhD in International Relations from LSE, she has a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates insights from sociology, engineering, geography, politics, and international relations. Before joining King's College London, she was a lecturer in Economics at Leicester and a Reader in Economics at Brunel University, also working as a consultant for the World Bank. Her research focuses on how people structure trade in markets where states struggle to reliably provide law and order, exploring issues such as kidnap, hijacking, ransom, and art recovery. Anja has published extensively on these topics, contributing to policy reports and academic literature, including important works on the economics of Somali piracy and the insurance industry's role in shaping criminal behavior. She engages actively with doctoral supervision and welcomes PhD applications in areas related to economic crime, organized crime, and cybercrime. Anja is also involved in research groups focused on historical political economy and cybersecurity at King's College London.

Research Interests

Requirements for King's College London

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6.5
Reading
Required:6.5
Writing
Required:6.5
Speaking
Required:6.5
Overall
Required:7
TOEFL
Listening
Required:23
Reading
Required:23
Writing
Required:25
Speaking
Required:23
Total
Required:100
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject Quantitative competency (for some Economics/Finance programs)
Application Checklist
  • Official Transcripts
  • Personal Statement
  • Two Academic References
  • CV/Resume
  • English Language Proficiency Proof
Specialization Notes

Requirements are consistent across King's Business School and Social Science & Public Policy departments for standard Master's entries.