Anthropology and Sociology

Understand global issues from a grounded perspective.

Anthropology and Sociology at the Geneva Graduate Institute

The Department of Anthropology and Sociology (ANSO) approaches the study of international affairs and development by inquiring into how social and cultural life, as well as political and economic practices, are shaped across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Our master's and PhD degree programmes foster the study of contemporary issues in global and transnational terms.

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Our faculty ground their research and teaching in a commitment to theoretical innovation, robust empirical research and fine-grained ethnographic fieldwork. From this, we develop critical perspectives on how global problems are experienced differently around the world. Among the few bi-disciplinary departments of anthropology and sociology in Europe, our work bridges conventional North-South divides, theory and practice, and the worlds of academia and policy.

Be it in Africa, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, or in Europe, North and South America, our research is primarily geared towards the analysis of social, political, economic, legal and cultural phenomena across the following domains:

  • Governance, the state, international organisations, law and policy
  • Global security and everyday insecurity, violence and conflict
  • Markets, land, labour and corporations
  • Migration, forced displacement, borders and minorities
  • Poverty, inequality and social movements
  • Race, ethnicity and gender relations
  • Environment, rural development, agriculture and food security
  • Cities and urban issues
  • Bio-medicine and bio-technologies
  • Visual and material culture
  • Gender, sexuality and queer theory
WEBINAR

SPECIAL EVENTS FOR FUTURE STUDENTS

Join our department Faculty in conversation in the language of your choice

*Save the DatE & Register

 
WEBINAR IN PORTUGUESE: Tuesday 5 November, 3PM CET 
With professors Graziella Moraes & Filipe Calvao
 
WEBINAR IN SPANISH: Wednesday 6 November, 3PM CET 
With professors Graziella Moraes & Filipe Calvao

WEBINAR IN ENGLISH: Tuesday 3 December, 3PM CET 
With professors Kristen McNeill & Shaila Seshia Galvin

Upcoming events

HIGHLIGHTS

NEW Book and PODCAST

Max Hirsh and Till Mostowlansky
"Infrastructure and the Remaking of Asia" (U Hawaii Press, 2022)

Listen to the Podcast

Find out more

 

 

MEG-Geneva Ethnography Museum visit

A special visit to the new temporary exhibition "Remembering. Geneva in the Colonial World" was organised by Nina Khamsy for our students as part of the new collaboration between the MEG and ANSO Department.  

 

the Best 2023 MA Thesis Award

Interview with Krithi Ramaswamy

Ethnogaphic field work

Ethnographic Fieldwork SEMINAR

ANSO students on the field: 1st year ANSO students practicing observation methods in Cornavin Station.

L'Énergie de l'État

Conférence de Jean-François Bayart | Académie royale de Belgique

What Matters Today

UNRWA Funding Suspension with Emeritus Professor Riccardo Bocco

Seven podcasts by students on human rights and humanitarianism

More information

Shaila SESHIA GALVIN

An Anthropologists eye for the visual

Patricia Spyer

La Chaire Yves Oltramare

La direction scientifique des Entretiens de la chaire Yves Oltramare et leur réalisation sont assurées par Thomas Gmür, Nina Khamsy et Sophie Schrago, en partenariat avec le professeur Jean-François Bayart, titulaire de la chaire Yves Oltramare.

 

 

La Chaire Yves Oltramare

La chaire Yves Oltramare Religion et politique dans le monde contemporain a pour mission d'apporter une contribution scientifique majeure à l'analyse de l'impact des rapports entre religion et politique sur l'évolution des sociétés et du système international.

Research projects

Contact us

Aditya Bharadwaj

Prof. Aditya Bharadwaj | Head of the Department
aditya.bharadwaj@graduateinstitute.ch
Office: P1-507
Office hours: by appointment only

The Head of the Department sets the strategic direction of the curricula and is responsible for coordinating the overall academic content.

Evelyne Bryden

Evelyne Bryden | Department Manager
evelyne.bryden@graduateinstitute.ch
Phone: +41 (0)22 908 58 76

The Departmental Manager supports the efforts of the Head of Department in the successful coordination of the department.

Mailing Address

Anthropology and Sociology
Maison de la paix
Chemin Eugène-Rigot 2A
Case Postale 1672
CH-1211 Genève 1

Email: anso@graduateinstitute.ch

Access

The Maison de la paix is located at Chemin Eugène-Rigot 2A, on the corner of Avenue de France. You may take tram 15 until the Maison de la paix stop or Collège Sismondi stop.