Lorenzo Caglioni is an Italian socio-anthropologist and social science researcher specializing in cultural diversity, contemporary identities, and social transformations within the context of globalisation. His work is grounded in ethnographic, visual, and participatory methodologies, with a strong focus on cultural processes in urban, rural, and migration contexts.
He is currently a researcher in the ROOTS TO ROUTES – Marie Curie Fellowship project, within the SocialPAT research group at IPNA-CSIC, where he investigates the cultural, symbolic, and identity dimensions of migration processes between West Africa and the Canary Islands.
His professional and academic trajectory combines theoretical research with applied work in social inclusion, community engagement, and cultural participation across diverse settings. He has conducted research in Italy, the UK, France, and Senegal, focusing on intangible cultural heritage, agro-food traditions, youth cultures, and social inequalities.
Among his projects are participatory research on cultural heritage and globalisation in Senegal, visual ethnographic work in urban Marseille, and studies on traditional food practices in the Italian-Swiss Alps. He is the author of the book “Hipster. The Subculture of a Crisis”, based on comparative ethnographic fieldwork in Italy and London.
His methodological approach combines visual ethnography, participant observation, and collaborative research practices, aiming to understand how cultural diversity is reshaped in the context of contemporary global transformations.
Between 2021 and 2023, he worked on the interregional project Living ICH, focused on the valorisation of intangible cultural heritage in the Italian-Swiss Alps. In this context, he conducted interviews, participant observation, and ethnographic fieldwork on agro-food traditions linked to ancient cereals such as rye, buckwheat, and chestnuts, while also organising community engagement activities through events and local meetings.
From February to May 2022, he collaborated with the cultural centre La Friche la Belle de Mai in Marseille on a research project exploring the relationship between cultural institutions and economically disadvantaged publics, with a focus on youth cultural inclusion and a strong visual ethnographic approach.
In 2022–2023, he worked with the Association of Cultural Minorities in Kedougou (Senegal) on a participatory research project documenting cultural heritage and the impacts of globalisation and rural exodus, resulting in an ethnographic report and field photographic documentation.
In 2024, he collaborated with ACT India – Conservation and Tourism on two projects focused on the valorisation of cultural heritage of the Bhutanese minority in India and the Gaddi and Gujjar communities in the Himalayas. The projects addressed heritage protection, sustainable tourism, and community inclusion. He conducted fieldwork using ethnographic methods, visual methodologies, and photographic documentation.
- Sociology of cultural processes.
- PhD in Sociology – Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan (2016–2020).
- Visiting Research Fellow – Department of Anthropology, University College London, London (2018).
- Master’s Degree in Sociology – University of Milano-Bicocca (2014–2016).
- Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology – Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan (2011–2013).
- Professional experience in the social and cultural sectors, collaborating with cultural associations and social cooperatives.
- Independent research experience, with a particular interest in qualitative methodologies, ethnography, and visual methods.