Julia Malik

Julia Malik is a doctoral student and university assistant at the University of Klagenfurt within the Institute for Society, Knowledge and Politics. Her research focuses on digitalization, welfare systems, and statehood, particularly through ethnographic studies in Colombia and the Philippines. She holds a BA and MA in cultural and social anthropology from the University of Vienna.

Research Interests: Malik explores how digital technologies reshape state welfare practices and statehood, including automation in social benefits distribution. Her work intersects anthropology, STS, and policy analysis, addressing topics like kinship, care, and bureaucratic governance. She employs ethnographic methods to study the interplay between technology, bureaucracy, and societal dynamics.

Projects: Her dissertation project, "Classifying Citizens, Updating the State: How Practicing Digital Welfare Shapes Statehood in Colombia," examines Colombia’s digital socioeconomic classification system through 13 months of fieldwork. Earlier work analyzed care practices in a Philippine hospital, bridging medical and familial domains.

Professional Affiliations: Malik is part of the Institute’s interdisciplinary team, collaborating with scholars such as Erik Aarden and Daniel Barben. She contributes to courses and research initiatives at the University of Klagenfurt.