Description
Is there such a thing as an authentic Breton matriarchy? Hosted by Anne Guillou (sociologist and holder of a Doctorat d’État in sociology).
Anne Guillou is a sociologist and essayist. She holds a Doctorat d’État in sociology and is the author of a thesis entitled *Les Femmes, la Terre, l’Argent* (1987). Her research has focused in particular on rural sociology and, more specifically, the sociology of women and social relations in rural areas. She was a professor of Sociology at the University of Brest (UBO) from 1991 to 2003. It was there that she established the Department of Sociology.
Talking about matriarchy is a distinctive feature of Brittany. Nowhere else in France is this term in common use. Objectively speaking, patriarchy – its masculine counterpart – seems to be accepted everywhere. One might therefore wonder about this Breton peculiarity. Does the claim that a matriarchy exists in Brittany stand up to scrutiny? The use of the term is well established. We know who popularised it and can pinpoint its emergence in history. But what about reality? Is there a specific historical legacy that would explain the presence of a Breton matriarchal system? Can we gather evidence of a genuine matriarchy in Brittany?
