Laura T. Murphy is a prominent figure in the fight against contemporary slavery. With a Ph.D. in African and African American Studies, an MA in English Language and Literature from both Harvard University and Syracuse University, and a BA in English Language and Literature from Louisiana State University, her academic background is impressive.

Currently serving as a Professor of Human Rights and Contemporary Slavery at the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice at Sheffield Hallam University, Murphy has been involved with a multitude of organizations advocating for the rights of vulnerable groups, including homeless youth, trafficking survivors, and victims of modern slavery across the U.S., Canada, Nigeria, Ghana, and India.

With years of experience as an Assistant Professor at Ithaca College, Visiting Lecturer at Boston College, and Graduate Student Teaching Fellow at Harvard University, among other positions, Murphy is also a sought-after trainer and public speaker. She has educated thousands of community activists, students, law enforcement officers, service providers, and medical professionals, encouraging them to respond effectively to the needs of survivors.

Murphy's research has been funded by reputable organizations such as the National Humanities Center, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Department of Justice, Harrah’s Foundation, Covenant House International, the Greater New Orleans Human Trafficking Task Force, and the City of New Orleans. She has authored numerous journal articles published in various publications, including Slavery and Abolition, Journal of Human Trafficking, Journal of African Cultural Studies, Genre, and the Journal of Postcolonial Literary Inquiry. Her latest book, The New Slave Narrative: The Battle Over the Representation of Contemporary Slavery, examines the way slavery is represented and the narratives of survivors of slavery, employment, and impact in political, social, and personal spheres. Murphy is currently working on a book about a slave revolt in India that took place in 2002, expected to be published by Columbia Global Reports in 2020.