Ana Zavala Guillen

Ana Zavala Guillen is a Research Fellow at Northumbria University, specializing in Latin-American historical geography with a focus on Afro-descendant communities. Her work examines geographies of resistance, Maroon-descendant territories, and decolonial methodologies.

• PhD in Human Geography (University of Sheffield)
• MA in Conflict Resolution (Bradford University)
• MA in Fundamental Rights (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid)
• Law Degree (Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina)

Research interests include Black epistemologies, participatory cartography, and feminist practices of territorial care. Her publications address themes like colonial marronage, regime violence in Uruguay, and gender dynamics in fieldwork. She co-founded the Network of Women Doing Fieldwork (200+ members), influencing university policies and producing tools for gender-sensitive research.

• British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship
• ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Rotary Peace Fellowship

As a human rights lawyer and transitional justice expert, she investigated abuses in Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala, Spain, and Western Sahara. Her work bridges academia and grassroots advocacy, emphasizing safety and well-being in fieldwork environments.