Izabela is a passionate Ethiopianist who has lived and worked in the country for extensive periods of time. She studied Ethiopian languages and cultures in her native Poland at the Institute of Oriental Studies, University of Warsaw. In 2006 she earned her PhD in African History from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. In the same year she has won a prestigious British Academy post-doctoral fellowship to continue her work on the symbolism of power in Ethiopian history at the University of Edinburgh (2006-9). While working on this project she developed her interest in visuals ranging from the unique aesthetics of the Ethiopian church paintings to political posters. Since then she has conducted numerous research projects (British Academy, National Science Foundation U.S, Alexandra von Humboldt) in Ethiopia and Europe and held a position at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. During her research she has interviewed elders, collected oral histories and discovered unpublished manuscripts in rural churches.
While working at Addis Ababa University she taught BA and MA students and developed lasting relationships with local academia, western research institutes (French and German) and the local art scene. Living, working and researching in Africa has made her passionate about showing how tackling many of the world’s development challenges requires serious consideration of local cultures, religious practices, histories and societal norms and an understanding of how such norms are different from those in the western context.
