Dr. Chiara De Cesari

Biography

Chiara De Cesari is a Professor of Heritage and Memory at the University of Amsterdam, specializing in Cultural Studies. She earned her Ph.D. from Stanford University in 2009 in socio-cultural anthropology and has since become a significant voice in the discussion of geopolitical trajectories within contemporary culture. Chiara's wide-ranging research delves into the institutional manifestations of memory, heritage, and art, particularly in the context of shifting cultural politics and globalization. She explores how colonial legacies persist in today’s world, especially within museums. Chiara leads the NWO-funded Vidi project ‘Imagining Institutions Otherwise: Art, Politics, State Transformation’, which examines the reclaiming of public cultural institutions through the lens of contemporary artists and activists. Her scholarly contributions include numerous articles in prestigious journals, co-edited volumes, and monographs, notably ‘Heritage and Cultural Struggle in Palestine’ and ‘European Memory Populism’. She has also collaborated with various institutions across Europe and beyond, focusing on the reframing of colonial histories in museums and cultural heritage.

Research Interests