Sari R. Alfi-Nissan

Dr. Sari R. Alfi-Nissan is a postdoctoral fellow at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA) at the University of Oxford and a member of the Critical Sociology and Philosophy of Education (CRISP) research group at the University of Helsinki since 2022. As a cultural sociologist, she investigates intersections of nationalism, ethno-nationalism, and neoliberalism in youth identity formation and state education systems.

• PhD in Sociology and Anthropology, Bar-Ilan University (valedictorian of 2024 PhD Awarding Ceremony)
• MA in Sociology, Bar-Ilan University (highest honors, class valedictorian)

Her research critically examines entrepreneurial discourse in educational spaces, youth aspirations in the iGeneration era, and the psychologization of identity formation. She specializes in analyzing how Zionist ideology and neoliberal values permeate Israeli public education through entrepreneurial frameworks and holiday celebrations, revealing tensions between individual aspirations and collective national narratives.

Her publications demonstrate consistent focus on the material-discursive construction of educational spaces, examining how physical environments interact with pedagogical practices and national ideologies. Recent work analyzes Jewish holiday activities as sites for self-celebration and Zionist socialization, while her spatial studies investigate how innovative learning environments shape educational experiences.

• Presidential Doctoral Fellowship of Excellence
• Rector Award of Distinction (2022)
• University Presidential Award for Article Publications (four consecutive years)

Dr. Alfi-Nissan teaches methodology courses using both qualitative and quantitative approaches while pioneering the 'Storytelling of Empirical Knowledge' framework that transforms complex research into compelling narratives. Her workshops integrate performance theory and action research to examine educational spaces as social environments where identity, values, and physical architecture interact dynamically.

She actively contributes to the CRISP research group at Helsinki's AGORA Centre for the Study of Social Justice and Equality in Education, collaborating on projects that investigate how social values manifest in educational environments and influence daily school life through both material and discursive practices.