Dr Giovanna Gini

Giovanna is an ESRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow, bringing her expertise to the forefront of climate change and the Anthropocene impact on human and non-human (im)mobilities. Her research is focused on Indigenous communities in Latin America, examining the nuanced ways in which environmental change affects these communities. Giovanna's academic journey culminated in a PhD in Human Geography from Queen Mary University of London, where she was part of the Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship Programme on Mobile People. Under the joint supervision of Dr Marcia Vera Espinoza and Dr Kerry Holden, her doctoral thesis, titled "Enseada da Baleia: Entangled (Im)mobilities in the Anthropocene. A Relational Story of Humans, Fish, and Water," delved into the intricate relationships between environmental changes and (im)mobility patterns.

Giovanna's academic prowess extends to her Master's and Bachelor's degrees in European and International Studies and International Studies, respectively, both earned at the University of Trento in Italy. This diverse educational background equips her with a broad perspective, allowing her to approach research questions from interdisciplinary angles.

In her research endeavours, Giovanna is not only addressing the complexities of mobility but also contributing to the broader understanding of how climate change and the Anthropocene shape the interactions between humans and more-than-humans.

In researching (im)mobilities in the Anthropocene and their connection to climate change, I adopted a mobility approach that signifies an epistemological shift, offering the potential to engage with indigenous cosmologies, materiality, and non-human agents. Integrating new materialism, feminist perspectives, and decolonial approaches in studying (im)mobilities within indigenous communities facilitates the development of a narrative that places the people's experiences at the forefront. Consequently, I comprehend (im)mobilities as a process unfolding over the years, encompassing both forced immobilities and mobilities. Additionally, I synthesise intricate assemblages of human and non-human entangled (im)mobilities in the discussion.

In conducting my research, I engaged with feminist and decolonial methodologies, which opened the door to opportunities for collaborative approaches. Embracing feminist methodologies allowed for a nuanced understanding of power dynamics and a recognition of diverse perspectives, ensuring that the voices of marginalised groups are central in the study of (im)mobilities. Concurrently, a decolonial approach provided a framework to critically colonial legacies and violence, acknowledging the complexities of indigenous experiences. By incorporating these methodologies, I sought to foster research to contribute to the co-creation of knowledge actively. This collaborative stance not only enriches the research process but also aligns with the ethos of respecting diverse ways of knowing and understanding (im)mobilities in the context of climate change and the Anthropocene.

• Gini, G., Felipe Pérez, B., Franco, M., González, M., Kremer, L., Monteillet, L., Rios, O., Lauda-Rodríguez, Z., Aquino, O. and Tipán, G. (2023) Migraciones ambientales en el Gran Chaco Americano. Reflexiones del trabajo de campo. In: Movimientos migratorios sur-sur Fronteras, trayectorias y desigualdades. The Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO). pp.7-16.
• Yamaoka, J.G., Mendonça Cardoso, T. and Gini, G. (2021) Sobrevivendo ao Capitaloceno: o caso da comunidade caiçara da Enseada da Baleia, Cananéia/SP. DiaLalogos Socioambientais na Macrometropole Paulista, 4(11): 32-35.
• Gini, G. and Pires Ramos, E. (2021) Migrações climáticas: invisibilidade legal e abandono. Até quando? In, Direito e Clima, JOTA.
• Gini, G., Pires Ramos, E. and Enseada da Baleia Community (2021) Voices of Enseada da Baleia: emotions and feelings in a preventive and self-managed relocation. In, Ajibade, I.J. and Siders, A.R. (ed.) Global Views on Climate Relocation and Social Justice. London, Routledge.
• Gini, G., Mendonça Cardoso, T. and Pires Ramos, E. (2020) When the Two Seas Met: Preventive and Self-Managed Relocation of the Nova Enseada Community in Brazil. Forced Migration Review, 64: 35-38.
• Gini, G. (2020) On Mobilities, Traditional Communities and Climate Change in Times of Covid-19. Im/mobility in Coronatimes Blog, Queen Mary University of London.