Catrin is an expert on migration, sanctuary, multi-level governance and nationalism. Her current project explores notions of migrant carcerality in Europe, specifically in search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean. Her latest research is broadly in the fields of International Political Sociology, Political Geography, Nationalism, and Migration, Citizenship and Border Studies. She has conducted fieldwork on migration, sanctuary and carcerality in Wales and across multiple sites across Europe and North America, and has spent time as a visiting scholar at EURAC (Bolzano), UQAM (Montréal), Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona) and Université de Moncton (Moncton).

Catrin co-established and co-convenes the Migration Research Wales Network (WISERD) which has the aim of developing research capacity, and encouraging dialogue between academics at Welsh institutions and between academics and practitioners.

Catrin has contributed to numerous policy debates and discussions on migrant linguistic integration, resettlement, sanctuary and second homes. In 2018, Catrin was awarded Aberystwyth University’s ‘Exceptional Impact in Social Science, Arts and Humanities Research’ (with Dr Elin Royles and Dr Huw Lewis).

Catrin serves as a member of the Welsh Government’s ‘Migrant Integration Steering Group’ and on the editorial board of the Canadian journal, Minorités linguistiques et société / Linguistic Minorities and Society. Catrin was a Trustee at the Welsh Centre of International Affairs between 2018 and 2024. 

Catrin Edwards joined the department in 2015 as a Lecturer in International Politics, having previously worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa. She was awarded her PhD in International Politics from the Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University in 2014 for a thesis on language politics, immigration and educational policy in Catalonia, Wales and Quebec.