Clara Zgola

Clara Zgola is a Research Associate at the Philixte Research Center (philological, literary, and textual studies) at the Free University of Brussels (ULB), holding dual doctorates in Literary Studies from EHESS and Cultural Studies from Université de Wallonie. Her interdisciplinary expertise spans humanities and social sciences with international experience including visiting positions at UC Berkeley and Harvard University.

Her academic foundation includes:

• Doctorate in Literary Studies, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS)
• Doctorate in Cultural Studies, Université de Wallonie

Dr. Zgola's research centers on narrative construction of urban spaces and expression of gender/queer identity in late 20th/21st-century French, Central European, and North American culture. She pioneers transnational analysis of protest poetics, investigating how artistic activism in intersectional movements shapes affective communication across literature, art, and transmedia practices. Her methodology uniquely bridges literary analysis with urban geography and affect theory.

Analysis of her 2015-2019 publications reveals consistent interdisciplinary rigor, with recurring engagement in archival studies (e.g., 'Writings of Archives'), urban revolt narratives, and feminist protest politics. These works demonstrate sophisticated integration of gender theory with spatial analysis and affective frameworks.

While major scientific awards aren't documented, her research is robustly supported by competitive National Science Center (NCN) funding.

Dr. Zgola directs significant research initiatives as principal investigator for NCN projects 'Literary Explorations of the City' and 'Parisian Literature', while co-investigating 'Writings of the Archives/Poetics of Archives'. Her grants portfolio reflects strong institutional confidence in her transnational research vision.

At the Philixte Research Center, she cultivates dynamic interdisciplinary collaboration, leveraging her international network from past positions at Berkeley and Harvard. Current work focuses on expanding protest poetics research into transmedia practices and deepening intersectional movement analysis across global contexts.