Tutkija valokeilassa: Amalia Verdú Sanmartin

Position in the Faculty of Law: TIAS Post-Doc
Degrees: Master of Laws (LL.M.); Master of Interdisciplinary Gender Studies (LL.M); BA (Hons) in Travel and Tourism Management
Fields of interest: Too many! Legal education, EU law, Feminism, gender law, legal theory, Philosophy of law, Sociology of law.

Can I get an introduction to the October news from you?

In a fancy scholarly way of talking, I am a timespacemattering phenomenon, wherein the entanglement of matter, meaning, and knowing manifests through situated knowledge. This highlights the integral role of context in shaping my becoming, as I emerge through the intra-actions of multiple places, temporalities, and experiences, embodying the very diffractive nature of existence.

Or , in very simple way: I'm the result of moving, relocating, reinventing, and experiencing life in several countries and jobs.

Although, I was born in Spain, I have lived in several countries, both within and outside Europe, each shaping me personally and professionally. My time in Finland, for example, not only transformed me into a researcher but also introduced me to the wonders of cross-country skiing, sauna, lakes, and, of course, the art of silence and clothes layering.

Proffessionally, before becoming a legal schola,  I worked across various fields, from marketing in the luxury tourism industry to roles in regional government, import-export, and university international relations. Getting into academia has added a “feminist and theoretical researcher"  layer to my already complex intersectional identity. The funniest is that the Feminist and gender part seems to blur any other identity, especially that of being a lawyer. Thus, very often when I mention that I am registered with the Madrid Bar many people get surprised.

I have an insatiable curiosity to explore and learn new things, but what drives me most is applying that knowledge to challenge, reform, and transform the areas where law and society fall short—unfortunately, there is much that still needs improvement.

Describe your career path. What led you to where you are today?

Well, the short answer is: I got married! It might sound paradoxical for someone working in feminism, gender, and law, but my career has been full of unexpected turns, cross-country moves, and far more legal theory than I ever anticipated.  I followed my husband like a professional traveler, moving from one country to another, which pushed me to continually reinvent myself in ways I could never have imagined.

Once we relocated in Finland, the universe (or perhaps simply a lack of other options) led me to Porthania, where I met Professor Johanna Niemi who, by probably fate, had answered my email. This marked a philosophical turning point in my life as it took me to start my PhD journey. If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be deep into theories and methodologies, I would have laughed. But once I entered this world, I was completely captivated.

I came to understand the meaning of "living theory" through my own experience and realized that I am a living example of what lately trendy theories describe as 'the process of becoming,' shaped by the human and non-human entanglements. My already diverse background, helped me to connect the dots between my lived experiences and the way society often boxed me in as "the wife of", “expat”, “inmigrant”, “woman” and rarely as a “profesional” or “lawyer”. I realised intersectionality was mainly absent from most of legal perspectives and from society itself.

In the end, I stayed in Finland longer than expected. I followed Johanna to Turku as part of the ASLA project, continued my PhD, and eventually transitioned into a post-doc at TIAS. So, here I am, still in Finland, at least for now although, I have learned through experience that you never really know what’s coming next.

What projects are you currently working on?

I work on legal concepts and their “doings” meaning that I mainly focus on how these concepts reify certain behaviours. I also look at how they are transmitted through legal education. One of the key challenges is the concept of "person" in law. Historically, the law has treated this as a neat, one-size-fits-all concept—abstract, universal, and, well, a little oblivious to the rich diversity of human experiences. My project challenges these assumptions and ask , what if we rethink that? And , how can we make these legal concepts evolve if we are reinstating them through legal education? It is trendy to talk about critical approaches to law, society, politics and, we are all becoming critical but, what do we understand for being critical? What is the power of critical perspectives to transform law and society?

To do this, I experiment with non-representational modes of thought that integrate both physical and non-physical elements, emphasizing embodiment and how we are all connected not just as humans, but also with the non-human world around us. By embracing these approaches, I aim to make legal frameworks more responsive to the complexities of contemporary life. It’s a fun challenge, trying to teach the law to loosen up a bit and embrace complexity.

Have your interests evolved since finishing your studies?

My primary focus has always been on positive transformation within the legal field, which I believe is a constantly evolving process. Law has many grey and dark areas that need to be pushed beyond their current boundaries. However, recently, my focus has been specifically on EU law and its lack of inclusivity and diversity.

What would you be, if you were not a researcher?

I could say that I’ve been many things before becoming a researcher, and if we consider the dynamic and fluid nature of our relational existence, I’ll likely become many more in the future. Reinvention is kind of my thing! Once I leave academia, I imagine I’ll reinvent myself yet again—maybe as a life coach, sport trainer, or I will just simply stay at home enjoying life.

What inspires you?

The sea, the beauty of the lakes, Lapland in winter. But, in my research,  I am inspired by all those thinkers who already denounced all the mechanisms that hinder a positive progress of society. And, I believe we are saying not much anew yet, we have much to do.