Jaume Franquesa

Jaume Franquesa is an Associate Professor and Department Chair of Anthropology at the University at Buffalo (SUNY), within the College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on energy politics, right-wing populism, and cultural heritage in Southern Europe, with a particular emphasis on Spain and Catalonia. He earned both his PhD and BA from the University of Barcelona.

His work bridges political ecology, economic anthropology, and rural studies, examining how energy transitions, land commodification, and memory politics intersect with neoliberalism and far-right movements. Notable projects include studies on renewable energy conflicts in Catalonia, the socio-cultural dimensions of rural populism, and the moral economies of dignity-driven activism.

He teaches courses on cultural anthropology, environmental anthropology, political ecology, and cultural heritage, emphasizing critical perspectives on capitalism and ecological crises. His publications include Molinos y gigantes (2023) and Power struggles: Dignity, value and the renewable energy frontier in Spain (2018), alongside influential journal articles in Current Anthropology, Capitalism Nature Socialism, and Environment and Planning A.

Research interests also include cultural heritage commodification, urban neoliberalism, and the spatial politics of marginalized communities. His work frequently engages with grassroots movements advocating for energy sovereignty and socio-ecological justice.