Columbia in Paris

Class Schedule:

• Tuesday, 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm

The question of violence - a central paradigm for analyzing and understanding the ambivalences, paradoxes, and tensions of our contemporary societies - will be questioned in contexts of specific gender, class and racial power relations: those of revolution(s), war(s) and genocide(s) between the 19th century to the present in Europe, Asia, America and Africa. However, although the course focuses on situations of extreme violence against women in times of conflict, (in class we will refer to Diana Russel’s 1990 concept of “feminicide”), this course also intends to place women in an epistemological and political continuum: that of the "banality" of physical, psychological and sexual violence of everyday life. Yet, while women are undeniably victims of violence, the course will also demonstrate that there, as elsewhere, they are neither "inert" nor "passive". Indeed, violence will not only refer to the violence suffered by women but will also concern the violence produced by them.

Multiple examples taken from contemporary history will demonstrate this last point (e.g. fighting figures such as Amazons, Pétroleuses - female supporters of the Paris Commune, accused of burning down much of the city during the last days of the Revolution in May 1871 -, women terrorists / suicide bombers / jihadists, women soldiers, anti-colonialist and / or anti-imperialist revolutionary activists). In addition, using concepts of agency and empowerment, students will rethink the question of these "women in arms" allowing them to interrogate central notions of gender studies such as gender binarity, the fixity of female identity, the "virilization" of women, gynophobia…, in many historical and current contexts where male domination is proven.

Through these reflections, students will question the central link between combat (revolutionary or conventional) and women's emancipation / liberation. It is, however, in this dynamic between suffered violence and produced violence that lies the heart of the course. Indeed, throughout history, violence of women - which is still globally undiscussed and remains a minority field in academic and scientific discourse - was a way to control, monitor and punish women. This can be seen in the paradigmatic example of the French Revolution, at the end of the 18th century, with which we will begin our investigations and reflections.

This course is approved as a Global Core at Columbia.

This course has previously included visits of photography expositions at the Jeu de Paume and Musée de la Libération de Paris, theater and opera excursions, and public talks by Professor Taraud. Excursions for Spring 2026 will be confirmed at the beginning of the semester and are subject to availability.