Elizaveta was born and raised in St. Petersburg, often referred to as the unofficial cultural capital of Russia. From a young age, she developed a deep appreciation for literature, reading everything she could get her hands on—a passion that, in many ways, defined her future life. After giving up her spot at the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts and choosing to focus on literature instead of theater, she earned an honors degree in philology at one of Russia’s top universities, National Research University's “Higher School of Economics.”

As a student, she authored several pieces that were published in the university’s student academic journal. Upon completing her undergraduate studies, she was recommended for admission to the Master’s program at her alma mater. However, her political views, which stood in stark opposition to the aggressive occupational policies of her home country, prompted Elizaveta to make the decision to leave Russia and begin a new life elsewhere. After securing a spot in a Master’s program at the University of Potsdam, Germany, Elizaveta relocated to Berlin, where she currently resides, and switched her academic focus from Russian literature in general and Dostoyevsky studies in particular to the broad field of modern Anglophone literatures and cultures. In addition to her studies, she worked as an intern at the Leibniz-Centre General Linguistics (ZAS) in the area of language development and multilingualism, where she assisted with a research project that studied language acquisition in primary school-aged bilingual children.

Now nearing the completion of her Master’s degree, she is preparing to continue her education by pursuing a PhD. The life of an expat, combined with the many travels she embarked on as a child, brought her interest in the cultures of different peoples and countries to a new level. Armed with various critical approaches she was trained in during her university years and combining them with the practical and theoretical knowledge of the world’s different traditions, practices, cultures, languages, mindsets, and perspectives, she picks apart various aspects of human life in her writing, devoting herself to the ceaseless process of learning something new about the world as well as herself every single day. Elizaveta takes joy in engaging in deep conversations on complicated matters and writes thought-provoking articles that invite readers to delve into these intricate issues alongside her.

Although Russian literature still holds a special place in her heart, her intellectual interests span a wide range of topics, from Japanese folklore to late French psychoanalysis and post-structuralism. Her ultimate aspiration is to bridge the gap between academia and popular culture, making nuanced critical approaches accessible to a broader audience. Through her writing, she hopes to contribute to the global dialogue on cultural dynamics in a rapidly changing world. Curious and inquisitive by nature, Elizaveta draws inspiration from the vibrant and multicultural city of Berlin, which she now calls home; from her friends and loved ones that bring their diverse backgrounds and perspectives to their discussions; from her travels around the globe, which expose her to unfamiliar ways of living; and from the books and articles that make her question her preexisting beliefs and opinions.

In her free time, she enjoys exploring Berlin’s many art spaces and galleries, taking photographs with her old film camera, crocheting—and, of course, reading. For Elizaveta, the world is an inexhaustible source of questions and stories, and she is committed to exploring them with curiosity, humility, and a critical eye. As a columnist for this journal, Elizaveta aspires to spark meaningful conversations about the intersections of literature, culture, and identity, offering readers a fresh perspective on timeless and contemporary themes.