Francine Descarries

Francine Descarries (1942 – 12 March 2026) was a Canadian sociologist. She was a professor of sociology at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Descarries is considered a leading figure in feminist studies in Quebec.

Life and career At the age of 16, after the death of her father, Descarries left school so that her family could afford her brother's medical training. Descarries found work as a legal secretary then as a travel agent, then left the workforce to care for her children.

In 1980, Descarries published L'École rose… et les cols roses (The pink school... and the pink collar), based on her master's research. The book addressed the sexual division of labour and social reproduction in workplaces and schools in Quebec.

In 1985, she joined the faculty at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).

Awards and honours 2012: Ursula Franklin Award in Gender Studies, Royal Society of Canada 2019: Prix Marie-Andrée-Bertrand, Prix du Québec, Government of Québec

Selected works

Books

Articles