Who is meant when people talk about the citizens or the activists? Often, they are implied to mean the most privileged positionalities. Simultaneously, refugees and migrants tend to be seen through their (supposed) legal status. Thus, they are neither practically nor conceptually regarded as activists. The variety of intersecting positionings in migrant rights activism results in complex inequalities and power dynamics within activist groups. Solidarities are continually challenged, negotiated, and built. Lea Rzadtki develops a conceptual view on claims, challenges, and processes that activists experience and deal with. She moves beyond dichotomies and engages in transversal dialogue.

Lea Rzadtki worked on her PhD at Leuphana Universität in Lüneburg until 2021. Her research focus is on social movements and political activism. She is particularly interested in the intersections between academia, activism and professional contexts - all in their way spaces with the potential to question and transform power structures.