Julija joined the Political Science and International Relations Programme in July 2019. Prior to this position, she was Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the Leuven International and European Studies (University of Leuven, Belgium). Before her Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship, she worked at the University of Liverpool, European University Institute and the University of Edinburgh. She was also a visiting fellow at the Centre on Statelessness (University of Melbourne). Besides her academic endeavours, she has almost two decades of experience as a civil society activist working with marginalised communities and migrants in Europe. She is a part of the Yugoslawomen+ Collective.  

Julija has a general research interest in citizenship, migration, nationalism and critical study of human rights and statelessness. Her main research focus has been on (1) position of marginalized citizens, forced migrants and stateless persons and (2) 'refugee protection crises' in Europe have affected the politics of diversity.

Her book 'The Fringes of Citizenship' (Manchester University Press, 2021) received Harriman Rothschild Book Prize Honorable Mention for outstanding books in nationalism and ethnic studies, sponsored by Harriman Institute, Columbia University. She received Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, which is considered to be the 'most prestigious postdoctoral fellowship in Europe', and Max Weber Fellowship with a success rate under 5 %. She is also a recipient of a Victoria Early Career Teaching Excellence Award, Mai i te Iho ki te Pae – Special Commendation Award (for her work with Māori students), and VUWSA Oustanding Lecturer Certificate. She also contributed to the establishment and held the position of PSIR Liasion for International and Refugee-Background Students.