đ What does it mean to be romantic today? đ
Discover our 2026 programme and sign up now!
đïž Lunch Talk â Mariana Borges da Fonseca â Friday, December 8, 2025 â 12:30 PM online (Zoom)
Mariana Borges da Fonseca, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Psychology at Concordia University and member of the Culture, Health, and Personality Lab, will present her research entitled
« What Makes a âGoodâ Woman or Man to Date? Cultural Models of Desired Partner Characteristics for Long- and Short-Term Relationships in BrasĂlia and Montreal »
The lecture will be delivered in English.
The ERICA Chair at the Night of Researchers â November 14, 2025, from 7 PM to midnight â at the Biodome
The ERICA Chair will be participating in the 6th edition of the Night of Researchers at the Biodome (4777 Pierre-De Coubertin Avenue, Montreal, QC, Canada; H1V 1B3).
Under the theme âA grand celebration for the love of scienceâ, this event brings together over 100 scientists from around thirty renowned organizations. In a festive and friendly atmosphere, they will share their daily work, discoveries, and the issues they are passionate about. This unique evening is an opportunity for the public to:
- show their love for science,
- engage with researchers,
- reflect on the role of science in our society.
Come visit our booth âFor the Science of Loveâ, where Chiara Piazzesi, NoĂ© Klein, FĂ©lix Dusseau, Sony Carpentier and Lamia Djemoui will talk about love, romance, power dynamics⊠and much more!
We hope to see many of you there!
Limited spots â reserve your tickets now !
đ Fall Programming â Conferences and Lunchtime Talks đ
đïž ERICA Conference â Emmanuelle Santelli – Friday, November 21, 2025 â 9:00 AM (Montreal) / 3:00 PM (France) â Online (Zoom)
Emmanuelle Santelli, sociologist, Director of Research at the CNRS, and member of the Max Weber Center in Lyon, will present:
Les filles câest fait pour faire lâamour. This animated documentary offers a critical perspective on gender norms and conjugal female sexuality, shedding light on enduring inequalities.
đïž Lunchtime Talk â Malthe Sebastian Rye Thomsen – Monday, November 3, 2025 â 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM (ET) â Online (Zoom) â In English
Malthe Sebastian Rye Thomsen, a PhD candidate in Anthropology at the Department of Communication, University of Copenhagen, will present his research entitled: Longing for Love in a Digitized Dating Life: Disillusion and Dreams among Young Danish Adults.
An anthropological exploration of love, longing, and disillusionment in the context of digital dating platforms, as experienced by Danish youth.
Updates from Our Members
Sony Carpentier
đ„ Sony Carpentier, a PhD candidate in Sociology, is conducting research on how adolescent boys learn and internalize masculinity norms. He will be participating in the following upcoming events:
âą October 29, 2025 â A presentation on the TĂ©lĂ©-QuĂ©bec documentary ALPHAS, during a closed session for students at CĂ©gep de Ste-Foy.
âą November 6, 2025 â 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (ET) â A webinar on masculinities and mental health, in collaboration with the Canadian Mental Health Association â Montreal. This is a free online event, available upon registration.
Maryse Tremblay
đ§ Maryse Tremblay, a PhD candidate in administration at ESG UQAM, who is conducting doctoral research on subtle and everyday forms of violence within entrepreneurship, examined through a queer theoretical lens, is also the co-host (along with Charles Roy) of the podcast đïžOndes Civiques.
This podcast follows citizen initiatives that address social issues, engaging them in dialogue with academic research. đ§ Season 1 explores themes such as invisible labour, gender roles within couples, and rethinking the concept of family.
đ All episodes are now available online.
Also accessible via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and other platforms.
Follow the project on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Jules Pector-Lallemand
đ Jules Pector-Lallemand, PhD candidate in Sociology at UniversitĂ© de MontrĂ©al, will be participating in two events in the coming weeks:
- He will be publishing an article in the upcoming issue of Siggi, the sociology magazine. Titled âMariaâs Confidantâ, the piece focuses on the theme of ongoing conversation in intimate partnerships. The article will soon be available on the Ărudit platform.
đ The launch event of Siggi will take place on October 23, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, at Librairie Le Port de TĂȘte (Montreal).
đ Facebook event link
- Jules will also give a talk titled âLove, Sexuality, Intimacy: Boundaries Between Relationship Modelsâ, in which he will explore the various forms of intimate relationships and what they share in common.
đ This conference will be held on November 4 at 10:30 AM, at CollĂšge Lionel-Groulx.
Eve Morissette
âš Welcome to Eve Morissette !
We are delighted to welcome Eve Morissette, a new Masterâs student under the supervision of Chiara Piazzesi, who is also joining the ERICA Chair as a student member.
October Highlights of our Chair !
Our Chairholder Chiara Piazzesi and student member NoĂ© Klein, coordinator of the MACLiC project, are featured on the front page of LâactualitĂ©!
In an article by Marie-HĂ©lĂšne Proulx entitled âLove in the Time of Polarization,â the MACLiC project is in the spotlight. Congratulations to both of them for this great recognition!
Latest News from the ERICA Chair!
The members of the ERICA Chair are off to a busy start this fall! Here are a few updates:
We wish our colleague Noé Klein a great trip! Noé is the coordinator of the Maclic project and a specialist in social networks and online dating.
He will be presenting his research, titled “From Match to Meaning: Exploring Intimate Journeys Through Dating Apps”, at the international conference Digital Intimacies, Young People and Everyday Life, organized by the research group Digital Practices, Gender and Intimacy in Teensâ Everyday Life (Di.G.I.T), to be held on September 25â26 at the UniversitĂ di Padova.
The doctoral thesis of our colleague FĂ©lix Dusseau, member of the ERICA Chair and the MACLIC project, is now available online!
đ Desires for Otherness: Relational Experiences of People in Non-Exclusive Intimate Configurations.
The ERICA Chair will be represented at the Week of Awareness on Diversity and Gender Equality at Cégep du Vieux Montréal, taking place from September 29 to October 3. Marilou Nantel, Noé Klein, Félix Dusseau, Jules Pector-Lallemand, Chiara Piazzesi, and Lamia Djemoui will present their respective work on intimacy, love, romantic relationships, and relational and sexual violence.
đ
30 septembre 2025 â Sommes-nous encore romantiques ? â Chiara Piazzesi
đ
1er octobre 2025 â Les relations amoureuses des jeunes : perspectives comparĂ©es entre MontrĂ©al, New York et Paris â Jules Pector-Lallemand
đ
3 octobre 2025 â Vivre, voir et comprendre les intimitĂ©s amoureuses et sexuelles â Marilou Nantel, NoĂ© Klein, FĂ©lix Dusseau, Lamia Djemoui
ERICA SPEAKER SERIES FĂ©lix Dusseau â Friday, September 26, 2025 â 9:00 AM (Zoom).
For our first ERICA conference of the year, we will welcome FĂ©lix Dusseau, a specialist in polyamory, contemporary forms of partnerships and plural sexualities, as well as bisexuality.
Dr. Dusseau will present his work in a lecture entitled:
“Plural Intimacies: Relational Experiences of People in Non-Exclusive Relationships.”
The conference will be offered online, via Zoom.
ERICA lunchtime Talks – Monday, September 8, 2025 from 12h30 to 13h30 on ZOOM – Marine Lambolez
đ Itâs back-to-school season, and the ERICA Chair has an exciting lineup of events planned for September!
To kick things off, our ERICA Lunchtime Talk welcomed Marine Lambolez, PhD candidate at the Centre Max Weber (ENS Lyon), under the supervision of Christine DĂ©trez.
She presented her research on:
“New Romantic Norms Among Adolescents: A Case Study of 13-Year-Olds in France” đŹâ€ïž
đ
September 8, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. (Montreal time)
Publication â Love Languages and Attachment Styles as Folk Theories of Intimate Compatibility
Congratulations to co-authors Chiara Piazzesi (ERICA Chair holder), Martin Blais (DSPJ Chair holder) and Mathilde Renaud on their publication in the journal Sexuality and Culture
Read the full publication by following this link:
Piazzesi, C., Blais, M., & Renaud, M. (2025). Love Languages and Attachment Styles as Folk Theories of Intimate Compatibility. Sexuality & Culture: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 1â19.
The ERICA Chair Day
Find out more about the conferences presented at the event by clicking on the link!
FĂ©lix Dusseau thesis defence – 16 June 2025 – 9.30am to 12pm (at UQAM and on Zoom).
đ It is with great joy đ that we announce đ the date of the viva of our colleague FĂ©lix Dusseau
đ 16 June 2025
đ from 9h30 to 12h (Montreal time – 15h30 to 18h France time).
đAt UQAM, in room A5020 or on Zoom (contact FĂ©lix Dusseau for the link).
The annual conference of the PRFM & ERICA Chair : 
La norme du couple 
Ă l’Ă©preuve : IntimitĂ©, parentalitĂ© 
et faire famille 
hors du cadre conjugal.
The Chaire Erica is taking part, this Friday 23 May, from 8.30 am in the conference co-organised with the research partnership Familles en mouvance.
Find out more about the very interesting programme, which brings together an international panel of researchers.
Our Chair Chiara Piazzesi will be giving the closing lecture at âšïž Living outside a couple: a case study of non-monogamous, single and non-cohabiting people. âšïž
ERICA Chair Day – Wednesday 14 May 2025 – 8.30am to 2.40pm – UQAM (DS-1950) and Zoom
In preparation for this great event, and to encourage eco-responsible practices, please bring your own reusable mug and water bottle for the day.
To mark the one-year anniversary of the ERICA Chair, we are organising a one-day conference bringing together a panel of researchers from different geographical and academic backgrounds, all of whom are dedicated to exploring the topic of intimacy.
Our bilingual event will take place on Wednesday 14 May 2025 between 8.30 a.m. and 2.40 p.m. (Montreal time) [from 2.30 p.m. in France] in hybrid for our guests.
To register, all you have to do is follow one of the links below:
In person: at UQAM in room DS-1950 (Pavillon J.-A._DeSĂšve (DS) at 20, rue Sainte-Catherine Est, MontrĂ©al, H2X 1L7). –
A free buffet lunch will be served on site.
Find out more about the programme
ERICA lunchtime Talks – Selemani Djemba – Monday, April 14th 2024 from 12h30 to 13h30 â on ZOOM
Selemani Djemba, a master’s student in sociology at UQAM, will present her work
Marriage and dowry: Baluba women of the Belgian diaspora and tradition
When: Monday 14 April 2025 from 12.30 to 1.30 pm
Where: Zoom
To register, follow the link!
ERICA lunchtime Talks – Rajae Anys – Monday, March 17th 2024 from 12h30 to 13h30 â on ZOOM
Rajae Anys, a PhD student in sociology at UQAM, will present her work on
Marriage of underage girls in Morocco: a qualitative study of the factors encouraging this intimate practice among adult husbands
When: Monday March 17, 2025 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Where: on Zoom
ERICA SPEAKER SERIES- Amy Moors – Friday, January 24th at 11am – on Zoom
Amy Moors, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Chapman University and researcher at the Kinsey Institute, presented her work entitled
« Relationship Quality and Sexual Health: Addressing Common Misconceptions about People engaged in Consensual Non-monogamy ».
ERICA lunchtime Talks – Monday, January 13th 2024 from 12h30 to 13h30 â on ZOOM
Amélie Cousineau, PhD student in Population Studies at the Institut National de Recherche Scientifique (INRS) presented her work entitled
âReprĂ©sentations des agressions sexuelles dans la tĂ©lĂ©sĂ©rie quĂ©bĂ©coise âMâentends-tu ?â.
ERICA lunchtime Talks – Monday, December 9th 2024 from 12h30 to 13h30
Jules Pector-Lallemand, PhD student in sociology at the UniversitĂ© of MontrĂ©al and student member of the ERICA Chair, presented his work on âLes cadres de lâintimitĂ©: le casual, la frĂ©quentation, le sĂ©rieuxâ
ERICA SPEAKER SERIES- Christine DĂ©trez – Friday, December 6th 2024 at 9am
Christine DĂ©trez, professor of sociology at the ENS in Lyon, presented her work: Pour un crush avec toi : une nouvelle Ă©ducation sentimentale ?
ERICA SPEAKER SERIES – HĂ©lĂšne Belleau – Friday, November 29th, 2024 – 9am
HĂ©lĂšne Belleau, sociologist and full professor at INRS’s Centre Urbanisation, Culture et SociĂ©tĂ©, presented her work on âLong-term money management: an overlooked or an unthinkable of married life?â
ERICA lunchtime Talks – Aziliz Kondracki – Monday, November 18th 2024 – 12h30 Ă 1:30 pm
Aziliz, PhD student in Anthropology at CeRCLEs, presented her research on reality TV, entitled âOrdinary beauties: The selection of candidates for the reality TV show âMarried at First Sightâ in Polandâ.
Lunchtime talk – Poul Poder – Monday, october, 28th 2024 from 12h30 to 2pm:
ERICA lunchtime Talks – Monday october, 21st 2024 from 12h30 to 1:30 pm:
Meygan St Louis, a PhD student in history at UQTR, presented her work on Madonna’s SEX (1992): an analysis of the origins and manifestations of American bourgeois sexual culture.
Call for participation (2023/2024)
Call for participation in the study conducted by our colleague Noé Klein (PhD candidate specialised in digital media & coordinator of the MACLIC project) on the use of dating platforms by 25-35 year-olds!
You will receive a $20 gift card with your second interview!
Contact: klein.noe@courrier.uqam.ca
The new issue of the sociology magazine Siggi is finally here! âŠ. and the theme is âloveâ â€ïž
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