Exhibition : From field to text. Publishing ethnology and its images

" From field to text. Publishing ethnology and its images "
Exhibition on file at the Institute of Civilizations
From November 14 2025 to March 27 2026
Free admission

Observing, listening, noting. Walk alongside others to better understand them. An ethnologist's work always begins in the field. But how do you trace ? How do you record what you've seen, heard and experienced ?

The exhibition Du terrain au texte. Publier l'ethnologie et ses images invites visitors to discover two collections published by The Collège de France Publishing Department's Laboratoire d'anthropologie sociale (LAS) : the Cahiers d'anthropologie sociale (éditions de L'Herne) and the collection Ethnologiques (éditions Mimésis), both directed by Philippe Descola. The two curators, Monique Jeudy-Ballini and Salvatore D'Onofrio, ethnologists and members of the LAS, offer a journey to the heart of their colleagues' work, based on a selection of images, objects and testimonials.

The collections exhibited here each have their own specificity :Cahiers hosts collective reflections from the laboratory's study days on major contemporary issues, whileEthnologiques publishes monographs based on field surveys.

Focusing on major LAS figures Claude Lévi-Strauss (1908-2009), Françoise Héritier (1933-2017) and Philippe Descola (b. 1949), the exhibition shows the different facets of the ethnologist's profession :

• field notebooks in which everyday observations are recorded,
• the images associated with the various volumes, revealing the diversity of the places and cultures studied,
• and the objects collected on site by exchange, gift or purchase, whose importance lies in the gestures, values and symbolic functions they embody. The objects presented in this exhibition are related to the various anthropological themes covered by Cahiers d'anthropologie sociale and the Ethnologiques collection .

Conferences

• Alexandre Surrallés : " Pierre Clastres en héritage " (presentation of the recently published issue 22 of Cahiers d'Anthropologie Sociale), November 20 2025, 5 pm h.
• Monique Jeudy-Ballini : " L'expérience ethnographique ", Wednesday, December 3 2025, 5 h.
• Salvatore D'Onofrio : " Bal des époux et hiérogamie symbolique ", Thursday 15 January 2026, 17 h 45.
• Julien Bonhomme : " Senegalese wrestling ", Wednesday 21 January 2026, 17 h.

Practical information :
Venue : Institute of Civilizations, Françoise-Héritier room
Duration : 1 h
Admission free, subject to availability.

Guided tours by the exhibition curators

• friday, November 14 2025, 5 pm  (sold out)
• monday, December 8 , 11  h (sold out)
• monday December 8 , 17  h (sold out)
• wednesday January 14 , 17  h (sold out)
• thursday January 15, 2 pm (sold out)
• thursday February 5 , 17 h
• monday 9 February, 17 h
• tuesday February 17, 11 h (sold out)
• tuesday February 17, 5 pm
• wednesday, March 11 , 5 pm 
• friday 13 March, 11 h
• friday, March 13, 5 pm
• friday, March 20, 11 h
• friday, March 20, 5 p.m

Practical information :
To register : https://form.jotform.com/252573782132357
15 people maximum
Duration : 45 mn

An Easy-to-Read and Understand tour booklet is available for download from the site reception desk.

Guided tours for school groups and students

• mondays at 2 pm   30 (except during zone C school vacations).

Practical information :
To register : https://form.jotform.com/230442600618346
Duration : 45 mn