Visiting Fellow Dr Katherine Christ teaches about modern slavery within the doctoral courses
2025-08-08 Leuphana Graduate School is excited to host Dr Katherine Christ, Senior Lecturer in Accounting at University of South Australia / Adelaide University, as Visiting Fellow in the summer semester 2025. Dr Christ holds a PhD in environmental accounting focusing on water management in the Australian wine industry as well as a First Class Honours Degree in Commerce while also being a full member of CPA Australia. Dr Christ is an expert in accounting for modern slavery risk and modern slavery risk management in business operations and supply chains. Her research has been recognised through several awards and honours. She regularly engages with multiple stakeholders on the topic of modern slavery and is founder of the South Australian Modern Slavery Network.
What is modern slavery?
Dr Christ: Many people do not realise that despite being abolished more than 100 years ago, slavery still exists to this day. Indeed, there are more people enslaved in the world today than at any other time in human history with conservative estimates placing the figure at around 50 million people with over 26 million trapped in activities that support corporate supply chains. Modern slavery is thought to exist in all countries and industries. However, the sectors most at risk include agriculture, mining and manufacturing. This means that many of the products and services we use every day are tainted by the forced labour and misery of others.
What does your current research focuses on in particular?
Dr Christ: I am passionate about interdisciplinary research which addresses key sustainability challenges. My background is accounting, and I enjoy seeing how I can combine my disciplinary knowledge with that of academics from other disciplines with a view to solving real world problems. I am currently working with academics from Sri Lanka, Africa, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, and Europe, including Leuphana’s very own Professor Dr Stefan Schaltegger with whom I have had a collaborative partnership for many years. My main areas of interest are modern slavery risk management and sustainability accounting, and I regularly engage with non-academics to ensure my research is not only academically sound but has potential to be meaningful and impactful in the real world.
What can Leuphana doctoral candidates can expect from the course that you offer?
Dr Christ: Ending modern slavery once and for all requires interdisciplinary knowledge and effort. My course will offer Leuphana’s doctoral candidates the opportunity to discuss key research questions that need to be answered in an interdisciplinary setting. The course will incorporate discussion concerning the current state of modern slavery research in addition to challenges associated with research in this area which include data collection, censorship, clash of cultures, ethics and researcher and participant safety. I am most interested to hear the doctoral candidates’ thoughts on the issue and how they think their respective discipline and experience in academia and/or practice might be harnessed to extend research in this area of increasing societal importance.