Marie-Françoise Durand

Marie-Françoise Durand established herself as a prominent figure in French academic geography during her tenure at Sciences Po from 1989 to 2015. As an agrégée professor of Geography, she founded and directed the influential Atelier de cartographie (Cartography Workshop), which became a cornerstone of geographic education and research at Sciences Po. Her teaching responsibilities included comprehensive undergraduate and master's level courses in geography, cartography, and research methodology. She gained recognition for coordinating the World Space course and developing several innovative MOOCs in geographic education. Her most significant contribution includes overseeing six editions of the Atlas of Globalization, which became a fundamental reference work in the field. As director of the Cartography Workshop, she pioneered new approaches to geographic visualization and data representation, helping establish Sciences Po's reputation for excellence in social science cartography. Her work has been instrumental in bridging traditional cartographic methods with contemporary geographic analysis, influencing how geography is taught and understood in French higher education. Her legacy continues through the methodologies and educational approaches she developed, which remain influential in geographic education and cartographic practice.