I am an Assistant Professor of Development Studies at Leiden University, where I am affiliated with the Latin American Studies Programme and the Institute for History. My work challenges conventional, economistic views of development by bringing questions of stratification, oppression, and power to the fore—especially in relation to poverty, inequality, structural violence, and forced migration. While much of my empirical research is anchored in Latin America, I adopt a global lens, tracing how power shapes both (in)formal structures and everyday lives. 

My teaching and research engage with both theoretical and practical dimensions of development, bridging global North-South perspectives and fostering meaningful collaboration between students, scholars, and practitioners. Beyond formal academic work, I participate in outreach activities through op-eds, interviews, podcasts, and film projects and I have chaired the Leiden University and Equality Network (LUDEN) to address issues of exclusion and promote inclusive working and learning environments.

Academic Affiliation: Latin American Studies, Institute for History, Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University, Netherlands

Education

PhD in Development Studies

International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, NL

Dissertation: A Matter of Choice? Cash Transfers and Narratives of Dependence in the Lives of Women in Southern Ecuador

MA in Development Studies
(Minor in Poverty Studies and Policy Analysis)

International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, NL

Máster en Organizaciones no Lucrativas y Empresas de la Economía Social 

Universitat de València, Spain

BA in Economics 

Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Ecuador