We are deeply saddened to share the news of the sudden passing of our dear friend and colleague, Claudine Attias-Donfut, on May 15 at the age of 84. Claudine was a brilliant scholar, a dedicated mentor, and a cherished member of our academic community. Her loss leaves a profound void—both professionally and personally—for all who had the privilege of knowing her.
Claudine was internationally recognized for her pioneering work in the sociology of intergenerational relations. Over the course of her career, she authored and co-authored numerous influential books, often in collaboration with her close colleague Martine Segalen, including Avoir 20 ans en 2020, Grandparents, Le nouvel esprit de famille, Destin des enfants d’immigrés, and Sociologie des générations: L’empreinte du temps. She led the Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Viellesse’s Department of Research and was affiliated with the French National Centre for Scientific Research and the Edgar Morin Center.
Yet her intellectual curiosity and moral courage extended far beyond her primary field. In the early 2000s, at a time when many in our disciplines hesitated to address the alarming rise of antisemitism in Europe, Claudine showed extraordinary leadership. Together with the late Robert Fine and others, she co-founded the Research Network on Ethnic Relations, Racism, and Antisemitism within the European Sociological Association. Thanks to her vision and tireless dedication, the network became a vital space for critical scholarship, uniting some of Europe’s leading researchers to engage with these pressing issues. Under her guidance, the network grew to more than 100 scholars and fostered lasting collaborations and conversations that continue to resonate today. Her scholarly legacy in the emerging field of antisemitism studies includes numerous influential publications, most recently the co-edited volume L’antisémitisme contemporain en France: Rémanences ou émergences? (Hermann, 2022), which offers a timely and incisive analysis of contemporary antisemitism in France.
Beyond her academic accomplishments, Claudine was admired for her kindness, wisdom, and remarkable resilience. She faced profound personal challenges—especially in caring for her beloved son during his illness—with quiet strength and unwavering love. To her colleagues and friends, she was a source of thoughtful guidance, generous support, and warm encouragement.
Claudine leaves behind not only a distinguished body of scholarly work but also a vibrant academic community shaped by her vision and generosity. Her memory will live on in the many lives she touched and in the important intellectual conversations she helped to inspire.
She will be deeply missed. May her memory be a blessing.