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Lilia Topouzova is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Toronto Mississauga and has Graduate Appointments in the Department of History & Centre for European Eurasian Studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. Her interdisciplinary practice is defined by critical engagement with historical sources and a commitment to giving a public dimension to scholarly research through film, media art, and creative nonfiction. Her work is situated at the intersection of history and memory, exploring themes such as political violence, silence, trauma, and public remembrance. Topouzova’s scholarship investigates the afterlife of state repression in post-communist societies using archival research and oral history interviews. She is the author of "Unsilencing: History & Legacy of the Bulgarian Gulag" (Cornell, 2025) and has contributed to prominent publications like the American Historical Review and Gender & History, among others. Her collaborative media project, "Neighbours," has received international acclaim and was featured at the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024. Additionally, Topouzova is a scriptwriter and co-director of multiple documentary films that have premiered at TIFF and Cannes, earning numerous awards. Her research and creative projects are supported by various prestigious organizations and have included several fellowships at renowned institutions.
University of Toronto Mississauga • Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Teaching and researching the intersections of history and memory, with a focus on political violence and trauma.
Department of Sociology