Dr. Marilena Simiti is Professor of Political Sociology in the Department of International and European Studies at the University of Piraeus. She holds a Master of Arts in Comparative Politics from Columbia University and a PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science. In 2013 she was a ‘Visiting Fellow’ at the Hellenic Observatory of the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has been a member of the editorial Board of Greek and foreign academic journals as well as a member of the Advisory Body of CONCORD (European Non Governmental Confederation for Relief and Development) in Brussels. She has presented papers at multiple international Conferences and Research Institutes (e.g. Johns Hopkins University - Universidad Pompeu Fabra Public Policy Center, Institut für Protest- und Bewegungsforschung, European Institute-LSE, Institute for Contemporary History of the New University of Lisbon). Her published academic work focuses on alternative modes of political participation in the realm of civil society (e.g. social movements, Non Governmental Organizations, urban riots, individualized modes of political participation). Her academic work has been included in the readings lists of courses focusing on political protest.