Francesca Sofia Selano

Francesca Sofia Selano is a PhD candidate in Social Anthropology at Leiden University, specializing in critical studies, visual anthropology, development and humanitarianism. She is part of the European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant-funded project: Entangled Universals of Transnational Islamic Charity (2024-2029), where her research and extensive fieldwork focus on transnational Islamic charities in Tanzania. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and an MA in Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs from the University of Milan, with her master's thesis providing a comparative analysis of the externalization of asylum rights in the Pacific and in the Mediterranean, critically examining colonial legacies and advocating for accountability. With a professional background in international cooperation in Tanzania, Sofia is committed to deepening understanding and fostering engagement with African societies through her interdisciplinary research and fieldwork.