I am a political sociologist researching political violence and contemporary societal conflicts. Currently, I work at the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence at Bielefeld University

I am particularly interested how individuals living in violent and high risk settings experience, respond to and cope with violence, risk and deprivations. I also investigate how different types of non-state actors (insurgents, criminal groups, vigilantes etc.) shape civilian behavior and beliefs in these settings. I explore these questions through conflict history and narrative interviews with individuals who live(d) in violent contexts in Sri Lanka, Colombia and Mexico.

My second research focus centers on societal transformation and political conflict in Europe. I investigate peace movements and anti-war mobilizations in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I am also interested in political protest against populist and extreme right groups and parties. For these research line, we apply mixed-methods designs where we combine protest analysis and protest survey data with interviews and focus groups.

My work has appeared in Social Problems, Perspectives on Politics, Sociological Forum, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, and other places. I currently work on a book project on Political Activism in High Risk Environments. I also lead a project on street contestations and meaning-making struggles around war and peace in Germany.  

Before joining Bielefeld University, I worked at the Institute for Political Science and Sociology at Scuola Normale Superiore in Florence, Italy and have been a visiting researcher at Harvard University and the University of York.

Feel free to get in contact: larissa.meier@uni-bielefeld.de