Dr. Marthe Achtnich

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Marthe Achtnich is an Assistant Professor in Development Studies at the Centre of Development Studies in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge. She holds a DPhil (PhD) in Anthropology and an MPhil in Migration Studies from the University of Oxford. Marthe is an anthropologist specializing in migration and mobility, focusing on the lived experiences, governance, and economies related to migration. Her research particularly examines the journeys of migrants, especially from Libya to Mediterranean Europe, and she has conducted extensive multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork with migrants in Libya and Malta. Her book, ‘Mobility Economies: Europe’s Borderlands: Migrants’ Journeys from Libya to the Mediterranean,’ published by Cambridge University Press in 2023, won the 2024 BISA Susan Strange Book Prize. The book traces the perilous journeys of sub-Saharan migrants across dangerous routes and explores how these journeys become sources of profit for various actors, prompting a rethinking of mobile life within contemporary capitalism. Her recent work engages with the concept of 'bioeconomy' in relation to migration, examining the intersections of migration, economy, and health. Marthe has published her work in prominent journals such as American Ethnologist, Cultural Anthropology, and Economy and Society.

Research Interests

Requirements for University of Cambridge

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.7
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:25
Reading
Required:25
Writing
Required:25
Speaking
Required:25
Total
Required:110
Prerequisites
UK Bachelor's Degree with good Upper Second Class Honours or international equivalent Background in international relations, politics, law, economics, security or history is a definite asset
Application Checklist
  • Two academic references
  • Official transcripts
  • CV/Resume
  • Personal statement (approx 500 words)
  • Research proposal (1-2 pages/500 words)
  • Application fee (£50)
Specialization Notes

Standard postgraduate requirements for Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) and related humanities departments.