Dr Elena Zambelli
Biography
I am a sociologist with expertise in gender, sexuality, race, migration and social inequalities.
My main research interests pivot on the commodification and regulation of intimacy. In my first book, Sexscapes of Pleasure: Women, Sexuality and the Whore Stigma in Italy (2023, Berghahn Books), I explore how Italian and migrant women negotiate the tension between sexuality and status across a continuum of spaces of sexualized leisure and sex work. In my postdoctoral research, I have expanded my research remit to explore the role of national and racialized borders in the construction of hierarchies of normative and undesirable intimacies - first, at Vrije Universiteit, within the ERC Consolidator Grant project ‘Regulating Mixed Relationships in Europe (EUROMIX)’, and subsequently at Lancaster University, as part of the ESRC-funded project ‘Rebordering Britain and Britons after Brexit (MIGZEN)’. I am currently working on two book projects: the co-edited volume Regulating Interracialized Intimacies: European and Global Perspectives, which will be published by Routledge (2025), and my second research monograph (provisionally) entitled Mixing in Europe: An Ethnography of Black-White Interraciality, which will be published by Manchester University Press (2026).
My academic career builds on my fifteen years' international development work experience as Gender Expert for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, international NGOs, such as Oxfam, and UN agencies, with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa region (occupied Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia). This experience underpins my work at SOAS in the EU-FP7-funded research ‘Power to Youth’ project, and before that, the first book I co-edited, Women Networking Across Borders: Cooperation, Diaspora and Migrations between Italy and the Middle East. More recently, I have established the Bianca Pomeranzi Prize, of which I am the President. The initiative supports the employability of Italian university-based master students graduating with a dissertation pivoting on innovative feminist and gender approaches to local and international development. Numerous organizations promote and support it, including UNFPA, the Italian Agency for International Cooperation, and Oxfam Italy.
Edited Book
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Zambelli, Elena and de Hart, Betty (Ed.). (2025) Regulating Interracialized Intimacies Perspectives from Europe and Beyond. Regulating Interracialized Intimacies Perspectives from Europe and Beyond, London and New York: Routledge, | |
| 2007 | Macchi, Silvia and Zambelli, Elena (Ed.). (2007) Women’s Networking across Borders: Cooperation, Diaspora and Migrations between Italy and the Middle East. Rome: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca Per lo Sviluppo sostenibile - Sezione per l'Empowerment delle Donne, [Link] |
Edited Virtual Special Issue
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Fumanti, Mattia and Zambelli, Elena (2021) Corona A(e)ffects: Radical Affectivities of Dissent and Hope. [Edited Virtual Special Issue] [Link] | |
| 2018 | Zambelli, Elena, Mainardi, Arianna, Hajek, Andrea (2018) Special Issue: Sexuality and power in contemporary Italy: subjectivities between gender norms, agency and social transformation. [Edited Virtual Special Issue] [Link] |
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Elena Zambelli; Michaela Benson; Nando Sigona (2023) 'Brexit Rebordering, Sticky Relationships and the Production of Mixed-Status Families'. Sociology, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2024 | Michaela Benson; Nando Sigona; Elena Zambelli (2024) 'The UK's ‘Safe and Legal’ Humanitarian Routes: from Colonial Ties to Privatising Protection'. Political Quarterly, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2022 | Michaela Benson; Nando Sigona; Elena Zambelli; Catherine Craven (2022) 'From the state of the art to new directions in researching what Brexit means for migration and migrants'. Migration Studies, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2021 | Elena Zambelli (2021) 'Interracial couples and the phenomenology of race, place, and space in contemporary England'. Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2021 | Ruba Salih; Elena Zambelli; Lynn Welchman (2021) '‘From Standing Rock to Palestine We are United’: diaspora politics, decolonization and the intersectionality of struggles'. Ethnic and Racial Studies, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2021 | Lynn Welchman; Elena Zambelli; Ruba Salih (2021) 'Rethinking justice beyond human rights. Anti-colonialism and intersectionality in the politics of the Palestinian Youth Movement'. Mediterranean Politics, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2021 | Fumanti, Mattia and Zambelli, Elena (2021) 'Introduction—Corona A(e)ffects: Radical Affectivities of Dissent and Hope'. Lateral: Journal of the Cultural Studies Association, 10 (2). [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2020 | Elena Zambelli (2020) 'Racialized Affectivities of (Un)Belonging: Mixed (Race) Couples in the Shadow of Brexit'. Genealogy, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2019 | (2019) 'Intimate others and risky tenants: disentangling the economy of affect shaping women’s migratory projects in Italy'. Journal of Political Power, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2018 | Zambelli, Elena, Mainardi, Arianna and Hajek, Andrea (2018) 'Sexuality and power in contemporary Italy: subjectivities between gender norms, agency and social transformation'. Modern Italy, 23 (2):129-138. [DOI] | |
| 2018 | Elena Zambelli (2018) 'Between a curse and a resource: the meanings of women’s racialised sexuality in contemporary Italy'. Modern Italy, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2007 | Elena Zambelli (2007) 'Tra multiculturalismo e scontro di civiltà: la libertà di esprimere cosa?'. Inchiesta, . [Link] | |
| 2007 | Tona Gusi; Virginia Montañés; Elena Zambelli (2007) 'Women Journalists and Communicators on the Two Shores of the Mediterranean: Mutual Perceptions through the Media'. Quaderns de la Mediterranea, . [Link] |
Book Chapter
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Zambelli, Elena (2025) '“Improper Couples, Suspicious Mobilities: Sexuality as Currency and Stigma in Black-White Couples’ Everyday Lives in Europe' In: Regulating Interracialized Intimacies Perspectives from Europe and Beyond. London and New York : Routledge. [Link] | |
| 2025 | de Hart, Betty and Zambelli, Elena (2025) 'Introduction: Beyond Marriage Prohibitions: New Directions in the Study of Regulating Relationships Across and Beyond the Colour Line' In: Regulating Interracialized Intimacies Perspectives from Europe and Beyond. London and New York : Routledge. | |
| 2025 | Zambelli, Elena (2025) 'Interracial Couples in the United Kingdom: Between Problematization and Ordinariness' In: Routledge International Handbook on Intercultural Relations and Mental Health. London and New York : Routledge. | |
| 2022 | Welchman, Lynn, Elena Zambelli, and Ruba Salih (2022) 'Rethinking Justice Beyond Human Rights. Anti-Colonialism and Intersectionality in the Politics of the Palestinian Youth Movement' In: Dynamics of Youth Agency in Times of Crisis. London : Routledge. | |
| 2009 | Elena Zambelli (2009) 'Ampliare la Partecipazione delle Donne Libanesi nella Sfera Economica, Sociale e Politica del proprio Paese: Strategie, Mezzi, Opportunità' In: Asia Centrale, Medio Oriente, Nord Africa: condizione della donna, diritti di genere, empowerment e movimenti femminili: ombre, aperture, energie, ostacoli = Central Asia, Middle East, North Africa: condition of woman, gender rights, empowerment and female movements: shadows, openings, energies, obstacles. [Link] | |
| 2007 | (2007) 'Introduction: Opening spaces for border crossing' In: Women’s Networking across Borders - Cooperation, Diaspora and Migrations between Italy and the Middle East. [Link] | |
| 2007 | Zambelli, Elena (2007) 'Paris, Texas, Tel Aviv: A Feminist Practitioner's Reflection on International Cooperation in Palestine in the Good Governance Era' In: Women’s networking across borders. Cooperation, diaspora and migrations between Italy and the Middle. Rome : Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca Per lo Sviluppo sostenibile - Sezione per l'Empowerment delle Donne. [Link] |
Published Report
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Michaela Benson; Sigona Nando; Zambelli Elena (2024) Humanitarian Visas in a Hostile Environment: historical legacies, geopolitical ties and everyday experiences. . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2022 | Michaela Benson; Elena Zambelli; Catherine Craven; Nando Sigona (2022) British Citizens in the EU after Brexit. . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2022 | Elena Zambelli; Nando Sigona; Catherine Craven; Michaela Benson (2022) EU citizens in the UK after Brexit. . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2022 | Elena Zambelli; Michaela Benson; Nando Sigona (2022) British-European families after Brexit. . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2017 | Chopra, Deepta and Zambelli, Elena (2017) No Time to Rest: Women’s Lived Experiences of Balancing Paid Work and Unpaid Care Work. Institute of Development Studies, . [Link] | |
| 2017 | Zambelli, Elena, Maestre, Mar Morales, Chopra, Deepta and Fontana, Marzia (2017) Gender-Responsive Public Services and Young Urban Women’s Economic Empowerment. A Report on Research in Ghana and South Africa. ActionAid, . | |
| 2017 | Zambelli, Elena, Roelen, Keetie, Hossain, Naomi, Chopra, Deepta and Twebaze Musoke, Jenipher (2017) ‘My Mother Does a lot of Work’: Women Juggling Paid and Unpaid Care Work in Tanzania. Institute of Development Studies, . |
Working Paper
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Salih, Ruba, Welchman, Lynn and Zambelli, Elena (2017) Gender, Intersectionality and Youth Civic and Political Engagement. An Analysis of the Meso-Level Factors of Youth Exclusion/Inclusion in the South and East Mediterranean Region. Rome: [Working Paper] | |
| 2017 | Salih, Ruba, Welchman, Lynn and Zambelli, Elena (2017) An Intersectional Analysis of the Micro-level Factors of Youth Economic and Political Exclusion/Inclusion in the South and East Mediterranean (SEM) region. Rome: [Working Paper] | |
| 2017 | Salih, Ruba, Welchman, Lynn and Zambelli, Elena (2017) The Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM): Transnational politics, inter/national frameworks and intersectional alliances. Rome: [Working Paper] | |
| 2017 | Zambelli, Elena, Roelen, Keetie, Hossain, Naomi, Chopra, Deepta and Twebaze Musoke, Jenipher (2017) “‘How Can It Be a Problem if You Need Them Both?’ Women Juggling Paid and Unpaid Care Work in Tanzania. Brighton: [Working Paper] | |
| 2017 | Rohwerder, Brigitte, Müller, Catherine, Nyamulinda, Birasa, Deepta, Chopra; Zambelli, Elena and Hossain, Naomi (2017) ‘You Cannot Live Without Money’: Balancing Women’s Unpaid Care Work and Paid Work in Rwanda. Brighton: [Working Paper] | |
| 2017 | Jerker Edström; Deepta Chopra; Catherine Müller; Sohela Nazneen; Pauline Oosterhoff; S. Wood; Elena Zambelli; A. Bannister; P. Brambilla; P. Mason (2017) Reframing Gender Justice in an Unequal, Volatile World: IDS’ Directions for Future Research on Gender and Sexuality in Development. [Working Paper] [Link] | |
| 2016 | Salih, Ruba, Welchman, Lynn and Zambelli, Elena (2016) Gender, Intersectionality and Youth Policies in the South and East Mediterranean. Rome: [Working Paper] |
Book Review
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Zambelli, Elena (2024) Intersectional violence, resistance and the radical political power of hope: Review of Lethal Intersections: Race, Gender, and Violence, by Patricia Hill Collins. [Book Review] [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2014 | Zambelli, Elena (2014) Review of ‘Dirty Dancing? An Ethnography of Lap Dancing. [Book Review] |
Blog
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Zambelli, Elena, Benson, Michaela and Sigona, Nando (2023) How Brexit turned European families into mixed-status families. [Blog] [Link] | |
| 2023 | Craven, Catherine and Zambelli, Elena (2023) Subject to Change: What Do EU Citizens in the UK, and British Diasporas, Think about King and Country?. [Blog] [Link] | |
| 2022 | Zambelli, Elena (2022) Weaving Women's Experiences to Nurture Transversal Solidarities. [Blog] [Link] | |
| 2022 | Zambelli, Elena (2022) Interracial Couples and the Phenomenology of Race. [Blog] [Link] | |
| 2022 | Zambelli, Elena, Benson, Michaela and Sigona, Nando (2022) Four Ways Brexit and the Removal of Freedom of Movement Has Impacted on British-European Families. [Blog] [Link] |
Policy Contribution
Professional Associations
Employment
Teaching Interests
My teaching interests revolve around the sociologies of gender, race and migration. At Maynooth, I teach modules on 'Law and Social Control,' 'Migration and Societies,' and 'Exploring and Explaining Global Ireland.'