Bonjour, I’m Sophie!

Political Anthropologist

& Documentary Film Director

I am a nomadic spirit and carefully craft my life’s journey to satisfy my profound desire to explore and understand Politics, the Arts and the Human Mind. I was born in France with roots in Romania, and my intellectual wanderings have led me across continents in Asia, North-America, Australia, and Africa.

Based in Rabat, Morocco from January 2025, I’m conducting a comparative ethnographic project between Morocco and Malaysia while continuing my Southeast Asian research and consulting activities. This reconnection with North Africa inspires deeper political reflections and enhances my contributions to global policy discussions. Exciting developments are in progress – stay connected!

At the crossroads of research, politics and the Arts, I am working on several documentary film projects addressing contemporary political and social issues globally in collaboration with Effervescence Production, Paris.

Photo by: Alexandra Radu

My Areas of Expertise

Geographical Areas: Malaysia, Southeast Asia and North Africa

Themes : Political Power: Strongmen, personality politics, legitimacy and the construction of political narrative

Politics & Religion: Religion, Civil Society, Political Violence, Identity Politics

Society & Democracy : Orphan’s Rights and Minority Rights

Discipline & Methods: Political Anthropology, Sociology, Comparative Politics, Cognitive & Behavioral Sciences, Ethnography, Film

The Diplomat | Should AI Convert to Islam?

(ID 330154766 © Bruno Coelho | Dreamstime.com) Recently, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made headlines when he urged young IT developers and tech professionals to incorporate Islamic values into artificial intelligence (AI) systems, arguing that this would...

CNA | Commentary: Najib Razak’s new bid for house arrest leaves Malaysia in a political funk

(Photo: CNA/Fadza Ishak) KUALA LUMPUR: In a country where political drama is as common as the tropical heat, Malaysia finds itself embroiled in yet another controversy surrounding its former prime minister, Najib Razak. The man who remains behind bars, shouldering...

CSIS | Spotlight – Malaysia: January 2025

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia finds himself navigating choppy waters as his reformist agenda faces mounting challenges. The recent caning of a man in Terengganu state has cast a dark shadow over Anwar’s liberal democratic credentials, highlighting the...

CNA | Commentary: Anwar’s approach to Syria could boost Malaysia’s standing in global Muslim community

(Photo: Reuters/Franck Robichon/Pool) KUALA LUMPUR: A few days after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria last month, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim gave an address at a conference in Kuala Lumpur, calling for a peaceful transition of power free of sectarian...

CNA | Commentary: In Malaysia, politics can’t be ignored in legal decisions

Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, was acquitted last week of 17 charges relating to money laundering and tax evasion. As soon as news of her acquittal broke, speculation began that current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had...

CSIS | Dynasties and Controversies: Anwar Ibrahim’s Thaksin Tango

Recent developments in Malaysia’s political landscape have been overtaken by the controversial appointment of Thaksin Shinawatra as an informal adviser to Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim for his upcoming chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian...

CNA | Commentary: Former Malaysia finance minister Daim Zainuddin shows how political legacies outlast controversy

Daim Zainuddin is seen in a wheelchair at the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex on Jan 29, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Fadza Ishak) KUALA LUMPUR: In the annals of political history, few can boast the ability to weather controversy as effectively as Malaysia’s former finance...

CSIS | Spotlight – Malaysia: November 2024

Photo: Rohd Rasfan/ Getty Image Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent call for Malaysians abroad to support his government in its anti-corruption agenda faces a credibility crisis, particularly in light of the outpouring of positive obituaries following the death...

CSIS | The Death of Reformasi: Anwar Ibrahim, UMNO, and the Betrayal of a Movement

Photo: HASNOOR HUSSAIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images In the annals of Malaysian politics, few figures have been as emblematic of reformative hope as Anwar Ibrahim. Once a beacon for a new Malaysia—a champion of transparency, social justice, and anti-corruption—his...

CNA | Commentary: Najib Razak’s 1MDB apology and the art of redemption in politics

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak is escorted by prison officers during an appeal hearing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Jun 5, 2024. (Photo: AFP/Mohd Rasfan) KUALA LUMPUR: In the theatre of politics, redemption is not just a narrative device but a...