Alsena Kokalari

Alsena Kokalari is a Researcher at the European University Institute's Department of Political and Social Sciences, where she focuses on memory politics and transitional societies. Originally from Albania and Greece, she joined the institution in 2020 as part of that year's cohort.

Her research centers on memory politics, museum studies, and national identity formation in post-communist contexts, with particular emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe and Albania. Her work examines how societies deal with communist legacies through cultural institutions, exploring the intersection of historical memory, democratic transition, and national identity construction in new democracies. Her research contributes to understanding how former communist states navigate their complex pasts while building democratic futures.

As a researcher with dual Albanian and Greek nationality, Kokalari brings a unique perspective to her work on Balkan and Eastern European politics, focusing on how museums and cultural institutions serve as sites of memory contestation and political negotiation in societies emerging from authoritarian rule.