I am a Polish-born UK-based scholar with a background in European languages and cultures. After obtaining my undergraduate degree at the University of Edinburgh I moved to London where I am currently in the final stages of my doctoral research at University College London. My work is focused on the representation of Roma and Travellers in contemporary European cinema and the ways in which non-mainstream and non-hegemonic cinematic productions can shift, subvert and decolonise our collective assumptions about marginalised groups.
My broader interests include the decolonisation of Eastern Europe and Eurasia, post-1989 changes in the cultures and societies of the Global East, and new forms of allyship and solidarity between the Global South and the Global East. Alongside my academic work, I am a part-time barista, a member of the University College Union, a co-founder of an early-stage academic excellency platform (ERA Academics), an enthusiastic collector of books and a full-time cat servant.
You can find me on Twitter @BellaSardinella and on Instagram @izzypeazy.
Within EUROGLOT, I am involved as a co-organiser. Together with Szilvia Nagy, I have initiated a reading group series on the Global East. I’m also co-convening the research network’s themed track at the 53rd UACES Conference in Belfast.