Lilia Giugni

I am a lecturer in Inclusive Innovation and Sustainable Learning Environments at the Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, where I am also Head of Programme for the newly renamed MSc Design and Management for Sustainable Education.

I am a political sociologist by training, and an intersectional feminist activist. As a researcher, advocate, and author, I focus on different aspects of the intersections between gender, social, digital, and spatial justice, as well as on critical pedagogy approaches. For example, I have long worked on women’s digital rights, on organisational and urban measures to prevent gender-based violence, and on the potential of feminist movements towards fairer cities and more inclusive public pedagogies.

I joined the Bartlett in 2023-2024, and what attracted me to it was its focus on trans-disciplinarity, sustainable practices, and on collaboratively addressing some of the greatest societal challenges of our time through both research and teaching.

My research, pedagogical, and activist interests, as well as my entire career trajectory, have also been shaped by my personal experiences. I am a survivor of gender-based violence, and have experience of trauma-related symptoms. 

I am delighted to observe a growing awareness of trauma and its impact in both workplaces and higher education, and I have been lucky to find a supportive community at Bartlett and beyond. But I believe there is so much more we could do, as a society and an industry, to support workers and students affected by trauma, especially women and those belonging to historically marginalised groups, who are disproportionately more exposed to developing post-traumatic stress conditions. From designing spaces and processes more suitable to the needs of traumatised individuals and groups, to more effective prevention measures, we have got work to do, and I am honoured to be able to do my bit.