Diana Szántó, PhD
Dr. Szántó received her PhD in social anthropology in 2015 from the University of Pécs in Hungary. Her PhD dissertation was based on long-term fieldwork with polio-disabled people in Sierra Leone. A migrant herself, Dr. Szántó has built a professional career in France and Hungary. Beginning in 1998, she participated in the Hungarian post-socialist democratization process as the founder and leader of the Artemisszió Foundation, a local NGO based in Budapest. Under her leadership, the organization has grown to be a focal point for intercultural dialogue and intercultural learning in Hungary. Its intercultural community offers a safe space of encounter and mutual learning for forced and voluntary migrants and Hungarians interested in making Hungary a more inclusive place. As the president and one of the part-time operational directors of Artemisszió, she overviews the organization’s training and migration-related activities.
She is the author of a dozen scientific articles. Her book, Politicizing Polio in Sierra Leone, appeared in 2020. She is also the co-author of several anthropological documentary films. She teaches anthropology at several Hungarian universities. Her research focuses on urban anthropology, migration and social movements, and the intersection of international development, social justice, and health.
Education
- PhD, University of Pécs
