Francesca Mezzenzana

Dr. Francesca Mezzenzana is an anthropologist and Freigeist Fellow at the Rachel Carson Center (LMU Munich), leading the research group 'Learning ‘Nature’: A Cross-Cultural Ethnography of Children’s Relationships to the Non-Human World'. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the London School of Economics.

• Specializes in Runa (Ecuadorian Amazon) ethnography
• Focused on human-nonhuman relationships
• Investigates indigenous learning practices
• Recipient of Volkswagen Foundation Freigeist Grant

Research Interests
Francesca explores child moral socialization, environmental perception, and cross-cultural understandings of nature through long-term fieldwork among Amazonian indigenous communities. Her work bridges anthropology, environmental humanities, and childhood studies.

Publications & Projects
Her research on Runa ceremonial practices, spiritual ecologies, and educational systems has been published in journals like American Anthropologist and Ethos. Current work examines cultural frameworks shaping children's ecological consciousness.

Funding & Awards

• Volkswagen Foundation Freigeist Grant
• UK Economic and Social Research Council
• European Research Council
• Musée du quai Branly
• National Geographic Society

Professional Context
Based at LMU Munich's Rachel Carson Center, she contributes to graduate programs and collaborates with institutions across Europe and the Americas. Her work engages both academic and public audiences through digital platforms like Learning Natures.