Clémence Pinaud

Clémence Pinaud is an Associate Professor in the Department of International Studies at the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, Indiana University Bloomington. She serves as Director of Undergraduate Studies and is a leading expert on South Sudan, African civil wars, and genocide. Her interdisciplinary research combines political science and history, grounded in extensive fieldwork in South Sudan since 2009.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in History from Paris Sorbonne University (2013) and M.A. & B.A. in Political Science from Sciences Po Lille (2009).

Pinaud’s research focuses on the intersections of violence, predation, state formation, and gender in conflict zones, especially during South Sudan’s civil wars. Key themes include military kinship, sexual and gender-based violence, social class formation, and the role of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). She examines how wartime processes contribute to long-term sociopolitical structures and genocidal dynamics.

Her recent publications reveal a strong trend toward analyzing systemic violence, particularly genocidal rape and predatory state-building. Her work spans academic journals, policy briefs, and major media, reflecting a commitment to both scholarly rigor and public engagement. She has published with Cornell University Press, African Affairs, and Human Rights Quarterly, and contributed to outlets like Democracy in Africa and Le Monde.

• War and Genocide in South Sudan (Cornell University Press, 2021)
• Genocidal Rape in South Sudan (Human Rights Quarterly, 2020)
• Military Kinship, Inc. (Review of African Political Economy, 2016)

Pinaud has collaborated on policy initiatives with organizations such as the United States Institute of Peace and African Arguments. She has not received publicly listed scientific awards, but her influence extends through academic leadership and media commentary.

She advises students in international studies and gender-related conflict research, though specific advisees are not named. Her work is supported by field-based research and institutional affiliations rather than explicitly mentioned grants. She is actively involved in shaping curriculum as Director of Undergraduate Studies.

While no formal lab or research center is mentioned, her work aligns with interdisciplinary teams focused on conflict, human rights, and African studies at Indiana University. Her future research is likely to continue exploring the legacies of violence and state formation in post-colonial Africa.