Who We Are

Paula O’Donohoe

Program Director

Paula works as a Project Manager and Research Coordinator at EuroClio, where she also directs the Contested Histories Initiative. Paula holds a BA in Social and Cultural Anthropology and an Erasmus Mundus MA in European Studies. Some of her research interests are transgenerational transmission of memorial narratives in post-conflict societies, memory activism and contested pasts.

Paula works as a Project Manager and Research Coordinator at EuroClio, where she also directs the Contested Histories Initiative. Paula holds a BA in Social and Cultural Anthropology and an Erasmus Mundus MA in European Studies. Some of her research interests are transgenerational transmission of memorial narratives in post-conflict societies, memory activism and contested pasts.

Marie-Louise Jansen

Senior Advisor, Co-Founder of CHI, IHJR

Marie-Louise co-directs Contested Histories. She previously worked at the Salzburg Global Seminar where she held diverse positions including director of the Holocaust Education & Genocide Prevention program, director of alumni affairs and administrative director and director of development of the IHJR.

Marie-Louise co-directs Contested Histories. She previously worked at the Salzburg Global Seminar where she held diverse positions including director of the Holocaust Education & Genocide Prevention program, director of alumni affairs and administrative director and director of development of the IHJR.

Steven Stegers

Special Advisor, Executive Director of EuroClio

Steven Stegers is the Executive Director of EuroClio – European Association of History Educators. At EuroClio, he has developed international projects to enhance history and citizenship education since 2006. He coordinated the development of the award winning Historiana platform.

Steven Stegers is the Executive Director of EuroClio – European Association of History Educators. At EuroClio, he has developed international projects to enhance history and citizenship education since 2006. He coordinated the development of the award winning Historiana platform.

Laura Fernández-Pampillón Enguix

Trainee

Laura joined Contested Histories as a trainee in February 2024. She holds a BA in History from the Complutense University of Madrid and is currently pursuing her MA in Applied Archaeology at the University of Leiden in collaboration with Saxion University of Applied Sciences. Her interests include gender studies and colonisation and their profound impact on our understanding of history today. Moreover, she is keenly interested in heritage and its presentation to society.

Laura joined Contested Histories as a trainee in February 2024. She holds a BA in History from the Complutense University of Madrid and is currently pursuing her MA in Applied Archaeology at the University of Leiden in collaboration with Saxion University of Applied Sciences. Her interests include gender studies and colonisation and their profound impact on our understanding of history today. Moreover, she is keenly interested in heritage and its presentation to society.

Anastasia Georgantzopoulou

Trainee

Anastasia Georgantzopoulou joined Contested Histories in September 2023. She holds a BA (Hons) in Philology with a specialisation in Linguistics from the National University of Athens and is currently pursuing a MA in History at KU Leuven. Her research interests include Balkan cultural exchanges in the 20th century, the history of human rights, and controversial memory politics over colonial monuments. Her MA thesis explores the representation of post-communist migration in Greek and Italian films of the 1990s.

Anastasia Georgantzopoulou joined Contested Histories in September 2023. She holds a BA (Hons) in Philology with a specialisation in Linguistics from the National University of Athens and is currently pursuing a MA in History at KU Leuven. Her research interests include Balkan cultural exchanges in the 20th century, the history of human rights, and controversial memory politics over colonial monuments. Her MA thesis explores the representation of post-communist migration in Greek and Italian films of the 1990s.

Anjeza Llulla

Research Associate

Anjeza Llulla has been a Young Professional at EuroClio since February 2023. She has received a BA in International Relations and International Organisation from the University of Groningen and is now in the final semester of her MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy at Leiden University. Her research interests include conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts, especially in Southeast Europe, European Union external affairs, and ICT for education, peace, and development.

Anjeza Llulla has been a Young Professional at EuroClio since February 2023. She has received a BA in International Relations and International Organisation from the University of Groningen and is now in the final semester of her MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy at Leiden University. Her research interests include conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts, especially in Southeast Europe, European Union external affairs, and ICT for education, peace, and development.

Monika Lendermann

Research Associate

Monika is from Germany and Singapore and joined Contested Histories in 2021. She is interested in modern German history, global intellectual history, as well as colonialism in sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia-Pacific. Monika has a BA in European Studies from King’s College London and an MSt in History from the University of Oxford.

Monika is from Germany and Singapore and joined Contested Histories in 2021. She is interested in modern German history, global intellectual history, as well as colonialism in sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia-Pacific. Monika has a BA in European Studies from King’s College London and an MSt in History from the University of Oxford.

Katria Tomko

Research Associate, IHJR

Katria is interested in the intersection of identity and security in the post-Soviet space and the prevention of conflict over issues related to historical memory. She has worked on issues related to security, good governance, and human rights at ARTICLE 19, the OSCE, and the Ukrainian Parliament.

Katria is interested in the intersection of identity and security in the post-Soviet space and the prevention of conflict over issues related to historical memory. She has worked on issues related to security, good governance, and human rights at ARTICLE 19, the OSCE, and the Ukrainian Parliament.

Olivia Durand

Olivia Durand

Research Associate, IHJR

Olivia Durand is a historian working in the field of comparative settler studies and global history. Currently a postdoctoral fellow of Freie Universität Berlin and has a DPhil from the University of Oxford. Co-founder and director of Uncomfortable Oxford, a public engagement with research organisation, active in the UK and beyond since 2018. Durand is developing the Contested Histories Toolkit for Critical Tours and its associated video tutorials, Euroclio and the Memory Studies Association.

Olivia Durand is a historian working in the field of comparative settler studies and global history. Currently a postdoctoral fellow of Freie Universität Berlin and has a DPhil from the University of Oxford. Co-founder and director of Uncomfortable Oxford, a public engagement with research organisation, active in the UK and beyond since 2018. Durand is developing the Contested Histories Toolkit for Critical Tours and its associated video tutorials, Euroclio and the Memory Studies Association.

Alice Reffin

Research Associate

Alice is pursuing a DPhil at the University of Oxford on the role of commemoration in constructing national identity in Ireland. She has a B.A. in International History from the London School of Economics and an MSt. in British History from the University of Oxford, Alice is particularly interested in issues of memory and identity in post-colonial and post-communist societies

Alice is pursuing a DPhil at the University of Oxford on the role of commemoration in constructing national identity in Ireland. She has a B.A. in International History from the London School of Economics and an MSt. in British History from the University of Oxford, Alice is particularly interested in issues of memory and identity in post-colonial and post-communist societies

Abigail Branford

Research Associate

Abigail is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oxford in the Department of Education where her research focuses on how imperial history is taught in school classrooms. Previously, she conducted research on teaching contested histories in South Africa, Northern Ireland and England. She is also a Lecturer in the African Studies Centre at the University of Oxford, where she teaches African history and politics.

Abigail is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oxford in the Department of Education where her research focuses on how imperial history is taught in school classrooms. Previously, she conducted research on teaching contested histories in South Africa, Northern Ireland and England. She is also a Lecturer in the African Studies Centre at the University of Oxford, where she teaches African history and politics.