Elisa Lanari

Elisa Lanari is a Research Fellow at the Department of Sociocultural Diversity, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity. As a cultural anthropologist, she investigates migration, diversity, and inequality using ethnographic methods. Her current project examines refugee integration in Italian mountain communities. Previously, she was a visiting researcher at IUAV University of Venice, working on EU-funded migrant integration initiatives.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Anthropology, Northwestern University (2019)
• M.A. in Cultural Anthropology, Ethnology and Ethnolinguistics, University of Ca' Foscari Venice (2010)
• B.A. in Philosophy, University of Ca' Foscari Venice (2007)

Research Focus: Lanari specializes in how marginalized communities navigate racial, gender, and spatial inequalities. Her work spans US suburbs and Italian towns, examining activism, citizenship, and the impact of conservative policies on migrant populations. Her forthcoming book analyzes white supremacy and urban transformation in Atlanta.

Publications: Her scholarly output centers on migration, citizenship, and urban anthropology, with frequent examination of Latina experiences, refugee integration, and suburban politics. Methodologically, she emphasizes ethnographic approaches to lived experiences.

Awards and Fellowships:

• Wenner-Gren Foundation Fellowship
• National Science Foundation Fellowship

Projects and Collaborations: She currently leads research on post-welcome dynamics in Italian Alps communities. Past projects include AMIF-funded initiatives on migrant spatial integration in Venice and collaborative work on scholar-activism methodologies.