Yana Meerzon

Yana Meerzon is a Full Professor in the Department of Theatre at the University of Ottawa, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts. Her academic roles include teaching advanced courses such as Performance and Migration, THE 5130 Dramaturgy, and THE 5934 Theatre at the Crossroads of Narratives. She holds additional adjunct roles at institutions like Carleton University’s Cultural Mediations Program and Dalhousie University’s Department of English.

Her research focuses on theoretical approaches to performance and migration, including studies on displacement, multilingualism, and identity politics. She has authored four books and co-edited nine collections, with recent works exploring Russian nationalism and migration narratives. Her current SSHRC-funded project examines the intersection of migration and neo-nationalism in European theatre.

Meerzon’s academic leadership includes serving as President of the Canadian Association for Theatre Research (2020–2022) and membership in global organizations like IFTR and EASTAP. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto and advanced degrees from the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS).

Her scholarly contributions span over 86 publications, including analyses of Wajdi Mouawad’s work, Michael Chekhov’s pedagogy, and digital performance in crises. She actively engages in public discourse through interviews and media links, emphasizing the ethical and cultural dimensions of migrant theatre practices in Canada and beyond.