Ana Bezić is an archaeologist dedicated to socially engaged and decolonial archaeological practices. She holds master's and doctorate degree from Cultural and Social Anthropology Department at Stanford University, and is living between Zagreb and Belgrade. Her research explores the entanglements of archaeology, colonial legacies, and exhibition practices, particularly in the context of the former Yugoslavia and the Non-Aligned Movement. She examines how archaeology has been mobilized in nation-building projects, anticolonial solidarities, and the persistence of colonial frameworks in museum and heritage practices. She advocates for an archaeology that is critically engaged with contemporary social and political issues, challenging dominant narratives and exploring alternative ways of constructing the past. Her work bridges archaeology, contemporary art, and political theory, engaging with public memory, material culture, and critical heritage studies. Ana has co-organized numerous international conferences and sessions that address themes of heritage in conflict societies, the intersection of archaeology and activism, and solidarity across human and non-human agents. She also co-leads a project on popularizing archaeology among rural children, emphasizing archaeology’s role in public engagement and education. Her current research examines the colonial legacies embedded in museum and archaeological practices across the former Yugoslavia, addressing issues of material culture, racial representations, and museological narratives. She is committed to an archaeology that is not only reflective and self-critical but also actively engaged in creating more just and inclusive ways of understanding the past for the future.
