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Wednesday, January 28, 2026
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Matthew Light

Matthew Light is an associate professor at the University of Toronto's Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies (CrimSL) and the Centre for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (CERES). Light received his juris doctor (law) degree from Yale University in 1999 and his doctorate in political science at the same institution in 2006. Light’s research focuses on migration, law enforcement, and criminal justice in the post-Soviet region. His book, "Fragile Migration Rights" (Routledge, 2016) was a comparison of the migration policies of regional governments in contemporary Russia. Other recent and ongoing research is devoted to policing and public safety in several post-Soviet states, including the Republic of Georgia, Armenia, Estonia, and Ukraine. Light’s publications have appeared in Post-Soviet Affairs, Europe-Asia Studies, Theoretical Criminology, and other journals. In addition, he currently serves on the international advisory board of Theoretical Criminology.

Articles

Opinion

Group of authors: Surveys show Ukrainians don't want 'Kalashnikov society'

by Matthew Light, Aaron Erlich, Anne-Marie Singh, Serhii Bahlai
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. The authors' research was funded by an Insight Grant from the Social Sciences and Research Council of Canada. Images of warlords and militias from post-conflict societies around the world remind us that wars often lead to the proliferation of firearms, in turn fueling violence and lawlessness long after the main fighting ceases. Such normalization

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