Julie Billaud

Julie Billaud is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Geneva Graduate Institute). She holds a PhD from the University of Sussex and the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS). Her research focuses on human rights, humanitarianism, colonialism, and gender politics in conflict zones like Afghanistan, as well as the bureaucratic practices of international organizations such as the UN and ICRC.

Her work critiques the technocratic tendencies in humanitarianism and international governance, examining how concepts like 'accountability' and 'transparency' reshape humanitarian practices. Notable projects include the FNS-funded 'Digital Humanitarianism' initiative (2025–2029) and co-editing the Allegra Lab blog. She has published extensively, including the monograph Kabul Carnival: Gender Politics in Postwar Afghanistan (2015), and her 2020 article Masters of Disorder won the International Geneva Award.

Billaud's geographical expertise spans Afghanistan, France, and Switzerland, with thematic strengths in global governance, gender policy, and decolonial theory. She co-convenes LAWNET (Anthropology of Law, Rights, and Governance) and participates in the European Association of Social Anthropology's Working Group on Human Rights and Academic Freedom.