Profile

I am a sociologist working at the Laboratory of Urban Sociology (LASUR) at EPFL. My research is organized around three interconnected axes: 

• the politics of living together,

• the politics of hospitality and the experience of newcomers in cities, and

• citizenship.

This work is grounded in a detailed understanding of the Swiss political and institutional context, particularly in the French-speaking region, and sits at the intersection of urban sociology, political sociology, and the sociology of migration, with a strong methodological commitment to qualitative approaches.

Research Interests

Broadly, my research examines the politics of living together through a series of social and political "problems." The first concerns integration into the political community—whether at the threshold of civic and civil majority or through the naturalization process. The second addresses the arrival of newcomers—often with limited resources and precarious legal status—in a highly regulated urban environment, where gaps and margins nonetheless persist and where policies of hospitality emerge at the crossroads of social movements and social work.

Methods and Teaching

Methodologically, I specialize in qualitative approaches, with extensive experience in ethnographic fieldwork. My research has drawn on a range of methods—observation, interviews, focus groups—and a wide variety of materials. I am also proficient in questionnaire design and quantitative data analysis, including network analysis. I have taught qualitative methods, urban sociology, and the sociology of housing at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), the University of Geneva and the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland.

I am a sociologist working at the intersection of urban sociology, sociology of migration and sociology of social networks. 

In August 2024, I joined the Responsible City research team. Together with an interdisciplinary team from UZH, ETHZ, UNINE and EPFL, we analyse how cities respond to socio-ecological controversies in housing. Read more on our website: https://responsible.city

My research is organised around three domains:

1. Relations to neighbours and to neighbourhoods as a case for exploring the dynamics of familiarity and the role of urban space in the formation of social ties

2. Citizenship and rituals: how do 'foreigners' turn into 'nationals', in the case of the naturalization ceremonies, and how do coming-of-age ceremonies turn minors into adult citizens?

3. Newcomers in cities: how do precarious newcomers find their way into a new city, how do they find a place to stay?