Role
Blerina is an Associate Professor in Social and Trauma Psychology and Lead of the Trauma, Social Isolation and Mental Health research group.
Blerina teaches in a range of modules: Psychological Wellbeing, Trauma, Theory and Applications, Social Psychology and supervises undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD and Forensic Doctorate students.
Career overview
Blerina has a PhD in Psychology from the University of St Andrews and a LLM in Human Rights Law from University of Nottingham. After her PhD, she held postdoctoral positions at Freedom from Torture, the University of Oxford and the University of Nottingham. She has also previously held Lectureships at the University of Nottingham, University of Tirana and Staffordshire University. Blerina joined the Department of Psychology at NTU in September 2015.
Research areas
Blerina's research investigates how people collectively deal with and are affected by extreme life events. Blerina takes a Social Identity Approach to examine collective appraisal and coping with war, dictatorship, transitional justice, immigration detention, social prescribing, and vocational rehabilitation.
Present research
In collaboration with the East Midlands Council, Blerina is investigating the needs and outcomes of Unaccompanied Refugee Children in care, and their foster carers.
Blerina is leading a multi-disciplinary and multi-national research project exploring the role of transitional justice processes (like documenting trauma, reconciliation, recognition, redress, forgiveness and peace building) on mental health and the risk of further intergroup conflict.
Blerina is also leading research investigating the quality of life in Immigration Removal Centres in the UK, focusing on identity, coping, support, relationships, and mental health. She is exploring barriers to mental health access among undocumented migrants in detention and community.
In collaboration with colleagues at Nottingham University, Blerina is working on a NIHR programme grant developing an intervention supporting trauma patients to return to work.
Blerina is part of Social Identity and Health research team at Nottingham Trent University and collaborates in a number of projects within the group.
Past PhD Students
Peter Macaulay, 2020
Ernest Acha, 2023
James Mcintosh, 2023
Ardiana Shala, 2023 (Director of studies)
Kay Bridger, 2024 (Director of studies)
Daniel Griffiths, 2024
Helen Hart, 2024
Sara Bdeir, 2025 (Co-Director of studies)
Current PhD students
Delso Batista (Director of studies)
Georgina McLaughlin (Director of studies)
Chanmi Lee (Director of studies)
Martha Jephcott (Director of studies)
Ioanna Xenophontos (Co-Director of studies)
Martha Chinembiri (Director of studies)
Parmida Pakshir
Monica Carvalheiro
External activity
- Associate Senior Research Fellow (School of Medicine, Division of Primary Care, Nottingham University)
- Graduate member of the British Psychological Society (Social, Health and Crisis, Disaster and Trauma Psychology Sections)
- Associate member of Border Criminologies (Oxford University)
- Associate member of the Injuries Prevention Group (Nottingham University)
- Associate member of the International Centre for Health and Human Rights
Blerina acts as a peer reviewer for a number of journals, publishers, and grant agencies within the fields of trauma, transitional justice and social psychology.
Sponsors and collaborators
Grants and fellowships since 2019
READ diaspora fellowship by the Institute for International Education (July 2025-July 2026). Art and Dictatorship. PI Këllezi, B.
East Midlands Councils (April 2024 -April 2025) Needs and Outcomes of Unaccompanied refugee children and their carers. PI Këllezi, B.
Swiss National Science Foundation. (February 2024-December 2026) Uncovering the role of emotion norms in conflict transformation. PI Penic. S
NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research (March 2019-June 2026) Multicentre Research Programme to Enhance Return to Work after Trauma (ROWTATE Extension) (RP-PG-0617-20001). PI: Kendrick D., and Radford K
NIHR School for Primary Care Research Co-design of a decision support tool for falls prevention in primary care. PI: Orton, E.
British Psychological Society. Pump Priming Award. Disseminating the Blood in the Blackbirds' field, Krusha e Madhe documentary. Këllezi, B.
United Nations Development Program: Transitional justice in the context of Yahya Jammeh's 2009 witch-hunts in The Gambia: an investigation into long-term effects, reconciliation and human rights. Co-PI: Finlay, M., Këllezi, B.
Arts and Humanities Research Council: Scoping the Future Law and Social Justice - Listening & Hearing from the Frontline. PI: Zhao, J.
Nottinghamshire City Council. Tackling Loneliness in Nottinghamshire. PI: Bowe, M.
The Hope Projects: Evaluation of Hope Support for Asylum Seeker Projects (2020-2025) PI. Vickers, T.
BA/Leverhulme small grant: Documenting historical trauma (2020-2022) PI: Këllezi, B.
CLAHRC Collaboration, PhD 50% match funding. Psycho-social predictors of successful return to work following traumatic injury (2019-2023) PI: Bridger K., and Këllezi, B.
CLAHRC Collaboration, PhD 50% match funding. Social determinants of successful access to health services among HIV patients (2019-2023) PI: Griffiths D. and Wakefield J.
BPS Undergraduate Research Assistantship Scheme. Justice and Wellbeing following the conflict in Ex-Yugoslavia. A social identity Perspective. (2019) PI: Këllezi, B.
Collaborators
- Nottingham Trent University: Dr Juliet Wakefield, Dr Kay Bridger, Dr Iram Shah
- Dr Mhairi Bowe: Heriot-Watt University
- University of Nottingham: Professor Denise Kendrick, Dr Kate Radford, Dr Jain Holmes
- University of Oxford: Professor Mary Bosworth
- International Centre for Health and Human Rights (ICHHR): Professor Nimisha Patel, Professor Amanda Williams
Awards
- POWES Professor Marcia Worrell Mentoring Award 2024
- Mid-Career Award. BPS Social Psychology Section, 2023
- Outstanding Achievement: Scandinavian Film Festival for documentary titled 'Blood in the Blackbird Field. A story of war, justice and resilience. 2023
- Recognition for contribution to Albanian studies. Fidani Association, Kosova, 2023
- Excellence in Research. NTU Vice Chancellor Award, 2022
Press expertise
- Trauma
- Groups and wellbeing (especially Social Curse)
- Gender-based violence
- Transitional Justice
- Psychological, social and economic impact of traumatic injuries
- Social Prescribing
- Health service/intervention evaluation