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Dr CLAUDINE MONTEIL, PhDProfileClaudine Monteil

Dr Monteil is a French feminist and a writer. She received her PhD from Nice university in 1984 and wrote her dissertation on Simone de Beauvoir: l’engagement féministe dans son oeuvre et dans sa vie ( “Feminist Commitment in the life and work of Simone de Beauvoir”). She is one of the founders of the French feminist movement (1970) and a specialist on Simone de Beauvoir. Monteil was long a close friend of Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Beauvoir’s sister, the painter Hélène de Beauvoir. Her publications on the Beauvoirs, Sartre and French feminism have been translated into multiple languages, and have led to numerous interviews and articles on her life and work as an internationally recognized feminist and author. Widely sought as speaker in France and abroad, she has lectured at many institutions, including Bryn Mawr College, Oxford University, the Universities of Stockholm, Göteborg, Paris, Lisbon, Ankara, Istanbul, Turin, Norman, Cincinnatti, Rome, Newcastle and Pittsburgh.

Dr Claudine Monteil was born to a family of French scientists. She was inspired by her mother who found the strength to pursue a career as an academic and as a chemist after World War II when the scientific world was reluctant to accept women in research positions and academia. Bilingual in French and English, Monteil spent part of her childhood in Paris, France, and in Princeton, New Jersey, where her father, a mathematician, visited the Institute for Advanced Study. She later enjoyed a junior year abroad at Haverford College, Pennsylvania. She is also fluent in Russian, which she learned in high school and summer schools in Moscow, St. Petersburg (Leningrad), Kiev and Sotchi.

In March 2002, she was made a Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur, a Knight of the French Legion of Honor, one of her country’s highest Orders, for her contribution to women’s rights.

Previous Research Position

  • September 1 – October 6 2007: Director’s Visitor, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.

Education

  • 1984 (June): Doctorat (Troisième Cycle, Histoire). Université de Nice (Highest Honors): Simone de Beauvoir: L’engagement féministe dans sa vie et son œuvre. (Feminist Commitment in the Life and Work of Simone de Beauvoir). 310 pages. Degree equivalent: Ph.D., Modern French History.
  • 1978 (November): Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies en Lettres Modernes (DEA) Université de Paris VIII, Femmes, Culture, Idéologie (Women, Culture and Ideology). Degree of specialization in Modern French Literature.
  • 1972 (December): Maîtrise de Lettres Modernes, Université de Paris VIII. L’Image de la femme dans la société contemporaine, Simone de Beauvoir (The Image of Women in Contemporary Society: Simone de Beauvoir). Degree Equivalent: M.A., Modern French Literature.
  • 1972 (February): Licence de Lettres Modernes. Université de Paris VIII. Degree equivalent: B.A., Modern French Literature.

Publications Books

  • Simone de Beauvoir, modernité et engagement,  (Simone de Beauvoir, modern and committed) ed L’Harmattan, Paris septembre 2009.
  • Simone de Beauvoir, côté femme, cinquante histoires (Simone de Beauvoir: Her Life as a Woman. Fifty Stories. [Illustrated]). Paris: Editions Timée, 2006. 143 pages. ISBN-10: 29 155 86 42 X .Translations into Chinese ( Sea Sky Publishing House, June 2007); translations into Japanese, Korean and Greek under discussion.
  • Les Sœurs Beauvoir (The Beauvoir Sisters). Paris: Editions 1, 2003. 302 pages. ISBN- 28 46 12 11 33. Translations: English (Seal Press, Avalon Group, 2004); Spanish (Las Ediciones Circe, 2004); Korean: Shilcheonmunhak, 2005); German (Nymphenburger-verlag, 2007); Chinese (Yilin Press, forthcoming in 2007).
  • Les Amants des Temps Modernes, Oona et Charles Chaplin (Lovers of Modern Times: Oona and Charles Chaplin). Paris: Editions 1, 2002. 305 pages. (with the testimonies of the Chaplin’s children, including the actress Geraldine Chaplin).ISBN- 28 46 12 02 26. Translations: Portuguese (Editorial Inquerito, 2002); Greek (Kastoniatis, forthcoming in 2008)
  • Les Amants de la Liberté, l’aventure de Jean-Paul Sartre et de Simone de Beauvoir dans le siècle (Lovers of Liberty: Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, a Twentieth-Century Adventure). Paris: Editions 1, 1999. 321 pages. ISBN-10: 28 63 91 95 71.
    • Paperback edition: Paris: Flammarion, “J’ai Lu” collection (no. 6133), 1999. ISBN-13: 978 286 39 19 576. Translations: Portuguese (Editorial Inquerito, 2000); Greek (Kastoniatis, 2001); Chinese (Yilin Press 2001); Swedish (Nordstedts, 2002); Rumanian (Editura Vivaldi, 2004); Turkish (Can Yayinlari, 2005); Japanese (Fujiwara Shoten, 2006)
  • Simone de Beauvoir, Le Mouvement des Femmes, Mémoires d’une Jeune Fille Rebelle (Simone de Beauvoir and the Feminist Movement: Memoir of a Rebellious Daughter). Outremont, Quebec: Editions Internationales Alain Stanké, 1995. 180 pages. ISBN- 27 60 40 50 28. French Edition: Paris: Editions du Rocher, 1996. Translations: Swedish (Bokförlaget Atlas, 1996); Japanese (Fujiwara-Shoten, 1999)

Selected published articles

  • “Hommage à Eleanor Roosevelt et Hansa Mehta, pionnières de la Déclaration des droits de l’Homme” (A tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt and Hansa Mehta, pionneers of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) LMag n°285, December 2008;
  • “Hommage à Lorraine Rothman: en pleine guerre du Vietnam, une féministe lutte pour la santé des femmes” (”A tribute to Lorraine Rothman: during the Vietnam War, a feminist fights for women’s health”) LMag n°276, February 2008.
  • “Feministe au quotidien”, “Simone de Beauvoir, a Feminist activist day by day” Le Monde 2, special issue of Le Monde, 12 January 2008, reproduction of an article already published in Le Monde January 10, 1978 for the seventieth birthday of the writer.
  • “Hommage à Hedy Lamarr : en pleine deuxième Guerre mondiale, l’actrice sous les lumières d’Hollywood devient une scientifique de l’ombre” (« A tribute to Hedy Lamarr : during World War II, the actress under Hollywood spotlights becomes a secret scientist ») LMag n°270 July-August 2007.
  • “De Simone de Beauvoir à Nawal al-Saadawi” (“From Simone de Beauvoir to Nawal al-Saadawi”). LMag 263 (December) 2006. (International homage to Simone de Beauvoir on the twentieth anniversary of her death and report on the conference of the International Simone de Beauvoir Society in Rome. See Guest Lectures, below.)
  • “The Modernity of Simone de Beauvoir in the Context of Globalization: the Status of Women Twenty Years after Her Death.” LMag 263, December 2006.
  • Cinquantenaire du Deuxième Sexe. “L’héritage politique de Beauvoir: Simone de Beauvoir et le mouvement des femmes, un témoignage” (“The Political Heritage of Simone de Beauvoir and the Feminist Movement: an Eyewitness Account”). Paris: Editions Syllepse, 2002.
  • “Simone de Beauvoir and the Women’s Movement in France: an Eyewitness Testimony.” Simone de Beauvoir Studies 14 (1997): 6-12. (Journal of the International Simone de Beauvoir Society)
  • “Un devoir pour les femmes: vivre” (“A Woman’s Duty: Live”). Le Monde April 20, 1986. (Obituary of Simone de Beauvoir; by-line, Claudine Serre)
  • “Beauvoir, les deux soeurs, entretien avec Hélène de Beauvoir” (“The Beauvoir Sisters”). Le Monde April 20, 1986. (Interview with Hélène de Beauvoir on the occasion of her sister’s death; by-line, Claudine Serre)
  • “Simone de Beauvoir, l’engagement d’une oeuvre et d’une vie,” (“Committment in the Life and Work of Simone de Beauvoir.” Le Monde January 10, 1978. (Article in honor of the writer’s seventieth birthday; by-line, Claudine Serre)
  • “Cartes postales de Chine” (“ Postcards from People’s Republic of China”, report on a trip in China when it was opening to tourists right after the Cultural Revolution and Mao’s death) Le Monde, July 22, 1978
  • « L’éveil des femmes en Suisse » (The awakening of Swiss women » by-line, Claudine Serre) Le Monde, October 16-17, 1977
  • “Lettre de San Diego: une oasis entre les marines et le chômage » (« Letter from San Diego, a heaven located between the marines and unemployment », by-line, Claudine Serre). Le Monde, November 31-October 1, 1976
  • « La minorité chicano entre deux civilisations »( « The Chicano minority between two civilizations » by-line, Claudine Serre), Le Monde October 29, 1976
  • “Amériques: Norman, Oklahoma: citoyens et gestionnaires d’une petite ville » (« Norman, Oklahoma : citizens and managers from a small town in America » by-line, Claudine Serre ) Le Monde, October 19, 1976
  • “Le cinéma dans la tête: du triangle oedipien à l’interrogation narcissique” (« Movies in the psyche: from the oedipian triangle to a narcissist self-questionning” by-line, Claudine Serre) Le Monde, September 30, 1976
  • « L’image des hommes dans le cinéma, la femme absente » (« The picture of men in the movie industry, the woman is absent», by-line Claudine Serre ) Le Monde, April 1, 1976
  • « Un point de vue sur la femme dans le cinéma français: des images pour un album à refaire » (« A point of view on woman’s picture in the French movies : some images for an album to redefine », by-line Claudine Serre) Le Monde, November 27, 1975
  • “La parole des femmes dans la presse feminine” (“ Women’s Words in Women’s Magazines”). Les Temps Modernes: Les femmes s’entêtent 333-334 (April-May) 1974: 1770-1780. (Special issue on feminism entitled Women Insist, preface by Simone de Beauvoir; by-line, Claudine)
  • “Les femmes du cinéma et la presse féminine” (Women in Cinema as Portrayed in Women’s Magazines). Image et Son 283 (April) 1974, 37-41. (Image and Sound Magazine; by-line, Claudine Serre)

Poetry

  • “Nos cris traversent les murailles” (”Our Cries Pierce the Walls”). Cent lettres aux femmes afghanes (One Hundred Letters to the Women of Afghanistan). Paris: Editions 1, 2002.
  • “Nous les femmes, Nous les encrières”; “Je/femme” (two poems). Les Temps Modernes, Les femmes s’entêtent 333-334 (April-May) 1974: 1935-1937. (Special issue devoted to feminism entitled Women Insist, preface by Simone de Beauvoir; by line, Claudine.)

Selected Interviews, Profiles and Reviews Print Media

In addition to the entries below, profiles of Dr Monteil and articles about her work have appeared in numerous magazines in France and abroad, including South America and Japan, and have been reviewed in many regional French newspapers. She was also interviewed by Japanese, French, German, Italian, German and Turkish newspapers and radio stations for the twentieth anniversary of Simone de Beauvoir’s death in April 2006and in many televisions, radios and newspapers for the hundreth anniversary of Simone de Beauvoir in 2008, including Austria, Brazil, Germany, United Kingdom, Norway, Greece, Switzerland and others.

  • Helen Chazdichristou. ” The famous feminist and writer Claudine Monteil tells us about the French women’s liberation movement, political and social issues.” I Khathimerini, Greek national daily newspaper. Athens, March 16, 2008.
  • Isabelle Gautier.”Simone de Beauvoir, a free woman, Claudine Monteil testifies”. L’Yonne Républicaine, supplementary 1120, Auxerre, March 15,2008.
  •  Hege Duckert. ” Castor’s come back, an interview with Claudine Monteil”. Dagbladet, Norvegian national daily newspaper. Oslo, March 13, 2008.
  • “Simone de Beauvoir used scandal, Claudine Monteil testifies”. Ta Nea, Greek national daily newspaper. Athens,  March 6, 2008.
  • Helmut Hein. “ Simone cried in my arms, interview with Claudine Monteil on Simone de Beauvoir, Sartre and feminism”. Mittlebayerische, Germany ( Bavarian daily newspaper) May 10, 2007.
  • “The Beauvoir Sisters” Westdeusche Zeitung, Germany( daily newspaper, article not signed) April 19,2007.
  • Inka Bohl. “Bücher, Bilder, Beauvoirs” Der Literat, Münich, Germany. April-May 2007, p16-17, “Books, Paintings, Sisters” (Book review of The Beauvoir Sisters published in German).
  • Jacqueline Pasquier. “Simone de Beauvoir, côté femme.” LMag 259 (July-August) 2006. (Book review on Simone de Beauvoir: her life as a woman, fifty stories, illustrated).
  • Jacqueline Pasquier. “Claudine Monteil évoque Simone de Beauvoir” (“Claudine Monteil Evokes the Spirit of Simone de Beauvoir). LMag 259 (July-August) 2006.
  • Jacqueline Pasquier: “Paris aime l’égalité, hommage à Simone de Beauvoir” (“Paris Loves Equality: Homage to Simone de Beauvoir”) LMag 257 (May) 2006. (Mention of Claudine Monteil’s presentation on Beauvoir at City Hall in Paris, March 7, 2006.)
  • Liliane Lazar. “Claudine Monteil, Les Soeurs Beauvoir”. The French Review, April 2005, n°5 (American litterary review, article on “The Beauvoir Sisters”).
  • Cristina de Stefano. “Simone e Hélène de Beauvoir, Le due sorelle” (“Simone and Hélène de Beauvoir, Two sisters.”Elle, (Italy) n°1 (January) 2005: 77-80. (Review of The Beauvoir Sisters).
  • Claire Rostan. “Une Beauvoir peut en cacher une autre” (“One Beauvoir May Hide Another”). Elle ( France) July 2003. (Review of Les Soeurs Beauvoir).
  • Xavier Houssin. “Simone et Hélène de Beauvoir, deux jeunes filles rangées” (“Simone and Hélène de Beauvoir, Two Proper Young Ladies” ; review of Les Sœurs Beauvoir). Point de Vue, July 4, 2003.
  • Frederic Pagès. “Les Soeurs Beauvoir.” « The Beauvoir Sisters » Le Canard Enchaîné, July 2, 2003. (Book review).
  • Christine Arnothy. “Christine Arnothy a lu Les Sœurs Beauvoir.” ( « Christine Arnothy read The Beauvoir Sisters ») Le Parisien, June 28 , 2003. (Book review).
  • “Claudine Monteil raconte les soeurs Beauvoir” (“Claudine Monteil on the Beauvoir Sisters”). Le Figaro, May 9, 2003 ( review not signed).
  • Hélène de Montferrand. “Les Soeurs Beauvoir.” (« The Beauvoir Sisters”) LMag 64 (July-August) 2003. (Book review).
  • Jean-Claude Perrier : « Poupette et le Castor », Livres Hebdo, April 11, 2003. (« Poupette and The Castor » nicknames of Hélène and Simone de Beauvoir, review on The Beauvoir Sisters).
  • Evelyne Bloch-Dano. “Les Soeurs Beauvoir: si proches, si rivales” (“The Beauvoir Sisters: So Alike, So Dissimilar”). Marie-Claire (France) March 2003. (Extracts of Les Sœurs Beauvoir introduced by Bloch-Dano).
  • Ulrika Kärnborg. Dagens Nyeheter April 24, 2002. (Major Swedish newspaper: Interview on Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre; profile of Claudine Monteil as author and activist).
  • Anneli Rogeman. Svenska Dagbladet April 23, 2002. (Major Swedish newspaper: Interview and profile of Claudine Monteil as author and activist.)
  • Patrick Girard. “Charlot amoureux”, (“Charlie in Love”). Marianne March 18, 2002. (Review of Les Amants des Temps Modernes, Oona et Charlie Chaplin).
  • Geneviève Rambaux. “Oona et Charles Chaplin, un amour extraordinaire” (Oona and Charles Chaplin: an Extraordinary Love”). Questions de femmes January 2002. (Review of Les Amants des Temps Modernes ).
  • Stéphanie Belpêche. “Géraldine raconte Oona et Charlot”, (Geraldine Reminisces about Oona and Charlie”) Journal du Dimanche January 20, 2002. (Review of Les Amants des Temps Modernes and interview with the actress Geraldine Chaplin at her press conference for Monteil’s book).
  • Pierre Vavasseur. “Des révélations sur Charlot” (“Disclosures on Chaplin”), Le Parisien, January 7, 2002 (Book review on the Chaplins)
  • Xavier Houssin. “Les Amants des Temps Modernes, Oona et Charlie Chaplin,” Point de Vue January 9, 2002. (Book review).
  • Emmanuèle Frois. “Géraldine Chaplin, Souvenirs, Souvenirs” (“Geraldine Chaplin, So Many Memories”) Le Figaro January 2, 2002. (Following a press conference that Geraldine Chaplin gave in Paris for the publication of Monteil’s book Les Amants des Temps Modernes,“ Lovers of Modern Times”).
  • Anita Goldman. Aftonbladet April 15, 2001. (Swedish newspaper: review of the publication in Swedish of Les Mémoires d’une Jeune Fille Rebelle and on Monteil as a women’s rights activist and friend of Simone de Beauvoir).
  • Johan Dalhbäck. « Simone, we miss you », Göteborgs-Posten, March 8, 2001. (Swedish newspaper : review of the publication in Swedish of Les Mémoires d’une Jeune Fille Rebelle and on Dr Monteil as a women’s rights activist and friend of Simone de Beauvoir).
  • Pia Zandelin. “Sisters, Bread and Roses”, Expressen, March 8, 2001.( Swedish magazine : review of the publication in Swedish of Les Mémoires d’une Jeune Fille Rebelle and on Dr Monteil as a women’s rights activist and friend of Simone de Beauvoir)
  • Monique Roy. “Passions brûlantes” (A Burining Passion”) La Châtelaine February 2001. (Montréal; review of Les Amants de la Liberté).
  • “Charlot contre le FBI: passionnant!” (“Charlie against the FBI: Fascinating!”), Le Populaire November 30, 2001. (Book Review).
  • Sophie Pajot. “Les Flor(e)ilèges de Claudine Monteil”, (“Claudine Monteil Reminisces at Le Café Flore”) LMag 192 (April) 2000 (portrait, interview and review of books).
  • Pascale Navarro. « Les grands esprits » (« High spirits »), Voir, Montréal February 10-16, 2000 (Book review of Les Amants de la Liberté, Sartre and Beauvoir in the XXth Century)
  • Michel Braudeau. “Le devoir de liberté” (“The Duty of Liberty”), Vogue (France), February 2000. (Review of Les Amants de la Liberté).
  • “Amis amants” (Friends and Lovers”). France-Soir February 9, 2000. (Review of Les Amants de la Liberté).
  • Olivier Maison. “Beauvoir ou les mémoires d’une jeune fille bafouée” (Beauvoir, or the Memoir of a Young Girl Ridiculed”). Marianne December 6-12, 1999. (Review of Les Amants de la Liberté).
  • Christine Bouchara. “Beauvoir en Majesté” (“The Majesty of Beauvoir”). LMag 180 and 181 (March and April 1999). (Two-part article on the colloquium on the fiftieth anniversary of The Second Sex, with a report on Dr Monteil’s presentation of Simone de Beauvoir and life as an activist).
  • Annuska Palme. “Simone de Beauvoir and her “daughters”, La Rinascita della sinistra, Roma, Italy, n°12, April 16, 1999.
  • Alan Riding. “The World Reintroduces Beauvoir to the French.” New York Times, January 30, 1999: B17 +. (Article on the international celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Sex in Paris, with mention of Dr Monteil’s presentation on Simone de Beauvoir at the Sorbonne).
  • Michel Braudeau. “Claudine Monteil, une femme en mouvement” (“Claudine Monteil, Woman on the Move”). Le Monde May 24-25, 1998. (Portrait and interview of Monteil as author and activist in the student’s uprising of May 1968, in the women’s movement and of her friendship with Simone de Beauvoir).
  • Asa Moberg. Aftonbladet, May 1998. (Interview on the Beauvoir Sisters with a well-known Swedish writer.)
  • Francine Ghysen. “Beauvoir parmi nous”, (“Beauvoir among Us”). Femmes Plurielles March 31, 1997. Women in the Plural; Review from Brussells, Belgium of Simone de Beauvoir, Le Mouvement des Femmes, Mémoires d’une Jeune Fille Rebelle.
  • Anne-Christine Condomine. « Des femmes en mouvement » (« Women in movement ») , Modes et Travaux, September 1996 (Review of Simone de Beauvoir, Le Mouvement des Femmes, Mémoires d’une Jeune Fille Rebelle).
  • Pascale Frey, Laurence Liban, and Alexie Lorca. “Que reste-t-il du féminisme?” (“What Remains of Feminism?”) Lire 246 (June) 1996. (Special issue on feminism, including a review of Monteil’s feminist activity, writing and friendship with Simone de Beauvoir).
  • “La génération femmes”, (“The Women’s Movement Generation”, not signed). Libération May 30, 1996. (Review of Simone de Beauvoir, Le Mouvement des Femmes, Mémoires d’une Jeune Fille Rebelle).
  • Josyane Savigneau. “Pour une morale de la lucidité” (“The Morality of Lucidity”). Le Monde April 19, 1996. (Review of Simone de Beauvoir, le mouvement des femmes, Mémoires d’une Jeune Fille Rebelle).
  • Carmen Montessut. “Claudine Monteil à la recherche de l’origine du mouvement féministe” (“Claudine Monteil on the Origins of the Feminist Movement”). Le Journal de Montréal November 15, 1995 (Interview and book review of Mémoires d’une Jeune Fille Rebelle.)

Television and Radio

      Interviews on Arte for the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of Simone de Beauvoir’s birth (January 9, 2008), on French tv news, France 2, Tv Globo (Brazil), German, British and Austrian radios ; Arte (History Series, Les Refrains de la Mémoire: multiple interviews on Beauvoir, Sartre, and Chaplin’s influence in the 20th century, May 27, 2002 and 2003); and BBC (April and August 2006); France Culture (2003, 2001, 1999, 1998); Radio Bleue “ le coeur à lire” February 21, 1999; RTL and France Inter (2003); Radio Canada (March 2003, March 2000, October 1995, May 1975); France 2, night-time news (TV, 1999); France 3 (TV) and France Culture ( December 12, 1996); RFI, France 2, Télématin, Les Quatre Vérités (May 1996); Various radio and newspaper interviews in France, Canada, the United States, Argentina, the United Kingdom, and Turkey, (details available on request).

Selected Presentations

  • 2010 (June): Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, 18th international conference of the Simone de Beauvoir Society, chair of a panel, lecturer on the painter Hélène de Beauvoir for the 100th anniversary of her birth, and on “Simone de Beauvoir’s modernity: her influence in the XXIrst century”.
  • 2010 (March): Trinity College, Cambridge, United Kingdom: “Simone de Beauvoir’s modernity in the XXIrst century”.
  • 2009 (October), Stockholm, Sweden. ABF and French Institute;”The publication of She came to stay in Sweden, Simone de Beauvoir’s modernity, a testimony”.
  • 2008 (June) : Newcastle, university of Northumbria, UK. “Conversations with Simone de Beauvoir on her writings, on Marguerite Yourcenar, Maria-Antonietta Macciocchi, Michel Foucault and Henry Miller”.
  • 2008 (March) : Guest speaker at the French cultural institute, Athens (Greece): “Forty years after the May 1968 events, what does it mean to be a woman?”
  • 2008 ( January 8): Guest speaker with the Swedish writer Asa Moberg on Simone de Beauvoir and Florence Nightingale”two women, two centuries”, Swedish Cultural Center, Paris.
  • 2007 (November): Interview, documentary on Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre. Arte (Franco-German state television).
  • 2007 (December): Guest Speaker at Lyon (France) in the honor of the hundredth anniversary of Simone de Beauvoir’s birth.
  • 2007 (September): Rutgers University: “the modernity of Simone de Beauvoir in the XXIrst century”.
  • 2007 (June): Women’s Assembly, Paris session. “Women’s issues in the context of globalization: the modernity of Simone de Beauvoir.”
  • 2007 (April): Regensburg, Germany. Interviews, lecture and a reading (Book launch of the German publication of The Beauvoir Sisters.)
  • 2006 (September): Rome, Italy. Conference of the International Simone de Beauvoir Society. Vingt ans après la disparition de Simone de Beauvoir, les enjeux des droits des femmes dans le monde (What’s at Stake? The Global State of Women Rights Twenty Years after the Death of Simone de Beauvoir.) Session Chair: “Simone de Beauvoir aujourd’hui ” (“Simone de Beauvoir Today”). Presentation: “The Modernity of Simone de Beauvoir.”
  • 2006 (April): Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey. Guest Speaker, French Cultural Institutes. “The Modernity of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir.”
  • 2006 (March): Paris, France. Public Lecture and Discussion with the Mayor of Paris, Mairie de Paris (City Hall). “A Tribute to Simone de Beauvoir.” (A talk on the contemporary relevance of Beauvoir’s work given to 600 high school students on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of Beauvoir’s death.)
  • 2005 (April): Tréport-Paris-Plage, France. Guest Speaker, Mairie (City Hall). “Charles and Oona Chaplin.”
  • 2005 (March): Stanford, Connecticut, U.S.A. Guest Speaker, University of Connecticut. “Deux créatrices au XXème siècle, les Sœurs Beauvoir” (“Two Creative Spirits: The Beauvoir Sisters and the Twentieth Century”).
  • 2005 (March): Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A. Guest Speaker, Saint Joseph College. “Simone de Beauvoir et Jean-Paul Sartre, deux intellectuels français au XXe siècle” (“Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre: Two French Intellectuals in the Twentieth-Century ”).
  • 2005 (March): Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.A. Guest Speaker, University of Oklahoma.“Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre: Two French Intellectuals in the Twentieth-Century ”.
  • 2004 (March): Bryn Mawr and Haverford, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Guest Speaker, Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges. “Simone et Hélène de Beauvoir, deux créatrices françaises au XXème siècle.” ( Two French women artist in the Twentieth–Century”).
  • 2004 (March): Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Guest speaker, Franklin Club and the Cosmopolitan Club. “Simone de Beauvoir and Hélène de Beauvoir: Two Twentieth-Century Women Artists.”
  • 2003 (June): Paris, France. Conference of the International Simone de Beauvoir Society, From Beauvoir to Sartre, from Sartre to Beauvoir. Session Chair: “Testimonies.” Presentation: “Simone et Hélène de Beauvoir, deux créatrices au service des droits des femmes, un témoignage” (“Simone and Hélène de Beauvoir: Two Women Artists in the Struggle for Women’s Rights – An Eyewitness Account”). (Presentation also given at numerous schools, high schools, and literary clubs in Paris and elsewhere in France.)
  • 2002 (June): Turin, Italy. Conference of the International Simone de Beauvoir Society, Simone de Beauvoir Returns to Italy. University of Torino. Presentation: “Simone de Beauvoir and Hélène de Beauvoir: Two French Artists of the Twentieth Century.”
  • 2002 (April): Pentemont, France. Guest Speaker, Eglise réformée de Pentemont (Reformed Church of Pentemont). “Charles Chaplin, un cinéaste au service des droits de l’homme” (“Charles Chaplin: Filmmaker in the Service of Human Rights”).
  • 2001 (July): Oxford, United Kingdom. St. John’s College, Oxford University. Conference of the International Simone de Beauvoir Society, Engaging with Simone de Beauvoir. Presentation: “La notion de famille chez Simone de Beauvoir et Sartre” (“Simone de Beauvoir, Sartre, and the Idea of Family”).
  • 2000 (June): Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Conference of the International Simone de Beauvoir Society, Simone de Beauvoir, Commitment in Her Life and Work. Trent University. Presentation: “Jean-Paul Sartre et Simone de Beauvoir, les amants de la liberté” (“Lovers of Liberty: Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir”).
  • 1999 (June): Lisbon, Portugal. University of Lisbon. Conference of the International Simone de Beauvoir Society, The Second Sex Turns Fifty. Presentation: “Writing Is Not Seduction.”
  • 1999 (January): Paris, France. Speaker, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne. Célébration du cinquantenaire de la publication du Deuxième Sexe (Celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of The Second Sex). “Simone de Beauvoir, un témoignage” (“Remembering Simone de Beauvoir”).
  • 1999 (January): Paris, Speaker, Swedish Cultural Center : “Simone de Beauvoir, a very Swedish French woman” ( Franco-Swedish colloquium for the celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of The Second Sex).
  • 1998 (May): Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. University of Pittsburgh, U.S.A. Conference of the International Simone de Beauvoir Society, Beauvoir at Ninety: a Reevaluation. Presentation: “La famille Beauvoir: relations entre Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Hélène de Beauvoir et Lionel de Roulet” (“Relationships in the Beauvoir Family: Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Hélène de Beauvoir and Lionel de Roulet”).
  • 1998 (May): Stockholm and Göteborg, Sweden. Guest Speaker, University of Stockholm, French Institute of Stockholm, and University of Göteborg. “Simone de Beauvoir et le mouvement des femmes.” (« Simone de Beauvoir and the Women’s Movement ».
  • 1997 (April): Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A. Northern Kentucky University. Conference of the International Simone de Beauvoir Society, Simone de Beauvoir, Eye Witness to the Century. Presentation : “Simone de Beauvoir et le Mouvement des Femmes, un témoignage.” (« Simone de Beauvoir and the Women’s Movement, a Testimony »).
  • 1997 (March): Paris, France. Université Paris-Jussieu. Conference (Organised by Julia Kristeva and Pascale Fautrier). “L’actualité de Simone de Beauvoir” (“The Relevance of Simone de Beauvoir”).
  • 1984: Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.A. Guest Speaker, University of Oklahoma. “Simone de Beauvoir and the French Feminist Movement”.
  • 1982: Rochester, New York. Guest Speaker, University of Rochester, U.S.A. “Simone de Beauvoir and the French Feminist Movement”.
  • 1975: San Diego. California. Guest Speaker, University of Southern California, U.S.A. “Feminist Commitment in the Life and Work of Simone de Beauvoir”.
  • 1972-1980: Los Angeles, San Diego, Chico, San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, Tallahassee, U.S.A. Guest Speaker, Women’s Health Centers. “Simone de Beauvoir and Women’s Liberation”.

Please note: some of the above presentations in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, were delivered in English.

Awards and Honors

  • Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur (Knight, French Legion of Honor), March 2002.

Memberships

  • The International Simone de Beauvoir Society
  • The French League of Women’s Rights (founded by Simone de Beauvoir)