Ghent Institute for International and European Studies

Sara Canali

Credits: Hermine Van CoppenolleAs of 1 January 2024, Sara is a PhD fellow at Ghent University, at the Ghent Institute for International and European Studies (GIES) and the Middle East and North Africa Research Group (MENARG), and at the United Nations University – Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS). Sara’s doctoral research focuses on decentring European foreign policy, looking at the case of gender and religion.

Sara obtained an MA in Conflict and Development from University of Ghent, an MA in EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies from the College of Europe, as well as an MA in European Studies from the University of Leuven.

Previously, Sara worked at College of Europe as Deputy Academic Project Coordinator for the Tirana action team, Senior Academic Assistant at the Pilot Project for the European Diplomatic Academy, and as an Academic Assistant. Other work experiences include internships in Brussels at the European External Action Service (EEAS), where she was working on Egypt, and in a strategic partnership of European NGOs, dealing with humanitarian aid and development cooperation.  

Research interests

  • EU foreign policy
  • Decentring
  • Postcolonial studies
  • Political Islam
  • Gender equality and women’s empowerment
  • Human rights and democratisation

GIES research areas

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