About me
I am a sociologist, writer, and educator interested in cities and politics.
In September 2023, I joined the Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science at Utrecht University as an Assistant Professor.
I defended my Ph.D. dissertation “Engaging Neighbors: Housing Strategies and Political Mobilization in Moscow's Renovation” at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. My work has been featured in sociological journals such as Social Problems, Sociology, City and Community, and others. In 2022, I published a co-authored book “Gains and Losses: How Protestors Win and Lose” (Oxford University Press).
I also enjoy interviewing authors about their new books for the New Book Network podcast: check out these conversations in my NBN host profile
how to pronounce my name
Zhelnina?
That’s a tricky one! In Russian, желна́ [ʐel-nah], is one of the names for the black woodpecker, Dryocopus Martius. One of my ancestors, probably, was either very talkative or persistent, that’s why he got the nickname (pure speculation here!). All his offspring were referred to as “zhelnin,” meaning “of Zhelna.”
Zhelnina?
[ʐel-nee-nah]
The emphasis is on the first syllable; the first letter sounds something like the middle in “leisure” or “vision.” The rest of the syllables sound like the name “Nina,” but without emphasis.
📷Author: Steffen Hannert – http://www.vogelruf.de/galerie/, Copyrighted free use, https://commons.