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

Thursday
31
October
The Garden of the (In)visible

The Garden of the (In)visible

, - ,

Reception area, Petal 1 | Maison de la paix, Geneva

Faculty

Profile
Aditya Bharadwaj

Aditya BHARADWAJ

PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Chair, Department of Anthropology & Sociology
Co-Director, Gender Centre
Profile
Jean-François Bayart

Jean-François BAYART

PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
YVES OLTRAMARE CHAIR FOR RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
Profile
Julie Billaud

Julie BILLAUD

Associate professor, Anthropology and sociology
Profile
Filipe Calvão

Filipe CALVAO

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Kauppinen profile picture

Anna-Riikka KAUPPINEN

Assistant Professor, Anthropology and Sociology & Pictet Chair in Finance and Development
Faculty Affiliate, Centre for Finance and Development
Faculty Affiliate, Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy
Profile
Minhua Ling

Minhua LING

Associate Professor, Anthropology and Sociology
Profile
Gregoire Mallard profile

Grégoire MALLARD

Director of Research
Managing Researcher of Sanction and Sustainable Peace Hub
PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Faculty Associate for Global Governance Center, Centre for Finance and Development, ALBERT HIRSCHMAN CENTRE ON DEMOCRACY and Gender Center
Profile
MCNeil

Kristen MCNEILL

Assistant Professor in Anthropology and Sociology & Pictet Chair in Finance and Development
Faculty Affiliate, Centre for Finance and Development
Faculty Affiliate, Gender Centre
Profile
Alessandro Monsutti profil

Alessandro MONSUTTI

PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY & SOCIOLOGY
FACULTY ASSOCIATE, CENTRE ON CONFLICT, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACEBUILDING
FACULTY ASSOCIATE, Global Migration Centre
FACULTY ASSOCIATE, Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy
Profile
Graziella Moraes Silva profil

Graziella MORAES DIAS DA SILVA

CO-DIRECTOR, ALBERT HIRSCHMAN CENTRE ON DEMOCRACY
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Till Mostowlansky NEW

Till MOSTOWLANSKY

Research Professor, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
FACULTY ASSOCIATE, ALBERT HIRSCHMAN CENTRE ON DEMOCRACY
Profile
vinh-kim-nguyen-2

Vinh-Kim NGUYEN

Co-Director, Global Health Centre
PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Shaila Seshia Galvin_2018

Shaila SESHIA GALVIN

Associate PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Affiliated with the Centre for International Environmental Studies
Profile
Patricia Spyer

Patricia SPYER

PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
FACULTY ASSOCIATE, ALBERT HIRSHMAN CENTRE ON DEMOCRACY
Profile
Umut Yildrim grid

UMUT YILDIRIM

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, Anthropology and Sociology
Affiliated to the Global Migration Centre, the Centre for International Environmental Studies and the Gender Centre
Profile
Yvan Droz

Yvan DROZ

SENIOR LECTURER, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Françoise Grange Omokaro

Françoise GRANGE OMOKARO

Lecturer, Anthropology and Sociology
Profile
Aditya Bharadwaj

Aditya BHARADWAJ

PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Chair, Department of Anthropology & Sociology
Co-Director, Gender Centre
Profile
Jean-François Bayart

Jean-François BAYART

PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
YVES OLTRAMARE CHAIR FOR RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
Profile
Julie Billaud

Julie BILLAUD

Associate professor, Anthropology and sociology
Profile
Filipe Calvão

Filipe CALVAO

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Kauppinen profile picture

Anna-Riikka KAUPPINEN

Assistant Professor, Anthropology and Sociology & Pictet Chair in Finance and Development
Faculty Affiliate, Centre for Finance and Development
Faculty Affiliate, Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy
Profile
Minhua Ling

Minhua LING

Associate Professor, Anthropology and Sociology
Profile
Gregoire Mallard profile

Grégoire MALLARD

Director of Research
Managing Researcher of Sanction and Sustainable Peace Hub
PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Faculty Associate for Global Governance Center, Centre for Finance and Development, ALBERT HIRSCHMAN CENTRE ON DEMOCRACY and Gender Center
Profile
MCNeil

Kristen MCNEILL

Assistant Professor in Anthropology and Sociology & Pictet Chair in Finance and Development
Faculty Affiliate, Centre for Finance and Development
Faculty Affiliate, Gender Centre
Profile
Alessandro Monsutti profil

Alessandro MONSUTTI

PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY & SOCIOLOGY
FACULTY ASSOCIATE, CENTRE ON CONFLICT, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACEBUILDING
FACULTY ASSOCIATE, Global Migration Centre
FACULTY ASSOCIATE, Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy
Profile
Graziella Moraes Silva profil

Graziella MORAES DIAS DA SILVA

CO-DIRECTOR, ALBERT HIRSCHMAN CENTRE ON DEMOCRACY
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Till Mostowlansky NEW

Till MOSTOWLANSKY

Research Professor, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
FACULTY ASSOCIATE, ALBERT HIRSCHMAN CENTRE ON DEMOCRACY
Profile
vinh-kim-nguyen-2

Vinh-Kim NGUYEN

Co-Director, Global Health Centre
PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Shaila Seshia Galvin_2018

Shaila SESHIA GALVIN

Associate PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Affiliated with the Centre for International Environmental Studies
Profile
Patricia Spyer

Patricia SPYER

PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
FACULTY ASSOCIATE, ALBERT HIRSHMAN CENTRE ON DEMOCRACY
Profile
Umut Yildrim grid

UMUT YILDIRIM

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, Anthropology and Sociology
Affiliated to the Global Migration Centre, the Centre for International Environmental Studies and the Gender Centre
Profile
Yvan Droz

Yvan DROZ

SENIOR LECTURER, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Françoise Grange Omokaro

Françoise GRANGE OMOKARO

Lecturer, Anthropology and Sociology
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Honorary and Emeritus Faculty

Profile
Ricardo Bocco photo profil

Riccardo BOCCO

EMERITUS PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Jean-Pierre Jacob

Jean-Pierre JACOB

Honorary Professor
Profile
Isabelle Milbert profil

Isabelle MILBERT

HONORARY PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Isabelle Schulte-Tenckhoff photo profil

Isabelle SCHULTE-TENCKHOFF

HONORARY PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Christine Verschuur

Christine VERSCHUUR

Retired Senior Lecturer, Anthropology and Sociology
Affiliated to the Gender Centre
Profile
Fenneke Reysoo

Fenneke REYSOO

Chargée d'enseignement et de recherche retraitée
Profile
Rafael Sanchez

Rafael SANCHEZ

Former SENIOR LECTURER, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
TAUGHT IN 2017-2022
✝︎
Profile
Ricardo Bocco photo profil

Riccardo BOCCO

EMERITUS PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Jean-Pierre Jacob

Jean-Pierre JACOB

Honorary Professor
Profile
Isabelle Milbert profil

Isabelle MILBERT

HONORARY PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Isabelle Schulte-Tenckhoff photo profil

Isabelle SCHULTE-TENCKHOFF

HONORARY PROFESSOR, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
Profile
Christine Verschuur

Christine VERSCHUUR

Retired Senior Lecturer, Anthropology and Sociology
Affiliated to the Gender Centre
Profile
Fenneke Reysoo

Fenneke REYSOO

Chargée d'enseignement et de recherche retraitée
Profile
Rafael Sanchez

Rafael SANCHEZ

Former SENIOR LECTURER, ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
TAUGHT IN 2017-2022
✝︎
See all

Upcoming events

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News

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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.  

 

In MEMORiAM

Rafael Sánchez Cacheiro

 

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

How are anthropology and the environment related?

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.

Découvrez les Entretiens
Découvrez la Chaire

 

 

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

See all the 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.