3 things to know about Dr. Marijana Kotlaja

Our department is growing. Get to know our newest professor, Dr. Marijana Kotlaja. (Mah-re-ahna Coat-Lie-Yah)

Doctor Marijana Kotlaja of the Missouri State criminology department — Dr. Marijana Kotlaja

A specialist in juvenile delinquency and cross-cultural comparisons

Dr. Kotlaja earned her PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Her work has focused on the macro and micro interactions of societies.

“A broad theme of my research agenda has been furthering the understanding of experiences with strains and stressors and how they impact individual’s perceptions, social interactions and behaviors related to radicalization, crime and deviance.” – Dr. Kotlaja

Her dissertation analyzed crime and public order in Belgrade, Serbia. She examines the role morality plays in the relationship between social marginalization, social unrest and crime.

Multilingual with a love of teaching

Dr. Kotlaja speaks English, Serbo-Croatian and German. Her classes take a similar global perspective. This fall, Dr. Kotlaja will teach CRM 415 and CRM 746 (Difference and Diversity in Criminology and Global Criminology, respectively.)

Want to be part of a culturally competent and aware project? Contact Dr. Kotlaja about her summer 2021 trip to Southeastern Europe. You can study justice and culture in different contexts.

Doctor Kotlaja and her husband in front of Goku Shrine in Japan — Dr. Kotlaja is a lover of travel. Here, she and her husband sit in front of the Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine in Japan.

A skydiving, dolphin-swimming, theater-going person of intrigue.

Dr. Kotlaja is a more-than-interesting person. Stop by her office to welcome an exciting addition to our faculty – and get ready for some wild stories.