Photo : © FMSH
The Humanities in Forms
Forget dusty lecture halls; the social sciences are reinventing themselves through film, interactive media, and bold new storytelling techniques. Spend the day diving into how knowledge is created and shared in our digital age, meeting researchers and creators who bridge the gap between academic rigor and artistic expression. It is a brilliant opportunity to rethink how we engage with complex ideas in a changing world.
Fondation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme (Paris 6th)
About
On November 26, 2026, the Fondation Maison des Sciences de l’Homme hosts Les humanités en formes, a full-day event dedicated to the evolution of humanities and social sciences. From 09:00 to 21:00, scholars, artists, and publishing professionals examine how digital tools and artificial intelligence are redefining academic research and public dissemination. Featuring conversations, film screenings, and book presentations, the event is designed for anyone interested in the future of knowledge. Held in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the venue is wheelchair accessible. Attendance is free, provided that visitors book their places in advance.
The conditions for the production and circulation of knowledge in the human sciences are increasingly opening up to new territories: hybrid writing, collaborative annotation, multimedia platforms, artificial intelligence, and new mediums. By following the research cycle (from its creation to its circulation in the public space), this day intends to map this new landscape and confront different points of view on the upheavals underway.
How do we write research in a world saturated with narratives? Through which channels is it published and made visible? What becomes of scientific authority and dialogue with society in a fragmented and algorithmic media space? What ethical and technical challenges are posed by new means of research production and dissemination? In short: how are the human sciences redefining their modes of existence, circulation, and sharing today?
Through four stages—Create, Publish, Disseminate, Dialogue—the 2026 Grand Format of the FMSH brings together researchers, publishers, creators, knowledge dissemination professionals, and cultural actors to exchange perspectives and debate the transformations currently affecting the human and social sciences. Conversations, screenings, a photography exhibition, and book presentations will punctuate this day, conceived as a space for reflection, discovery, and dialogue.
In closing, the evening will be dedicated to the official launch of the "54 poche" collection, with the discovery of its two new titles signed by Paul Virilio and Achille Stocchi.
9:00 AM | Participant welcome
CREATE | 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Conversation | Writing differently, researching differently?
The human sciences have long experimented with alternative forms of writing: cinema, comics, theater, augmented and interactive writing, and hybridizations between research and creation. Moving from one format to another is not a simple transposition, and these developments, far from being purely formal, question the very nature of the knowledge produced. Does experimenting with these "other" forms of writing constitute an enrichment, an opening toward other audiences, or is it a redefinition of scientific practices themselves? Where do the zones of tension lie between academic rigor, experimentation, and creation?
Speakers:
Séverine Leroy (theatrical studies – Catholic University of the West)
Sylvain Venayre (history – Grenoble Alpes University)
Nicolas Sauret (information and communication sciences – Paris 8 University)
Discussant: Émilie Balteau (sociologist and filmmaker, Cirec)
Interlude | A half-hour walk to discover the selection of works by our partner bookseller, discuss the titles selected by our speakers, and explore our selection of audio and film documentaries.
PUBLISH | 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
Carte blanche | Authors, actors, and readers of SHS publishing
Publication does not consist solely of disseminating scientific content: it participates in the construction of its legitimacy, visibility, and circulation in the national and international public space. Between academic publishing and major publishing houses, between internationalization and new audiences, which actors and circuits are shaping the circulation space of the human sciences today? How does a large publishing house build its editorial policy, promote its catalog, and position itself in the landscape of ideas? Carte blanche to Sophie Kucoyanis, Secretary General for Humanities, Gallimard editions.
Speaker: Sophie Kucoyanis (Secretary General, Humanities, Gallimard editions)
Discussant: Maria Vlachou (Director of Éditions de la MSH)
Interlude | Presentation by master's students in "Politics and Mediatization of SHS" (Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University) of a selection of titles published around the themes of the day.
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1:00 PM | Lunch
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DISSEMINATE | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Conversation | What does AI do to the humanities?
Artificial intelligence is transforming the conditions of access to, translation of, writing of, and circulation of knowledge. But behind its apparent ease and promises of efficiency, its generalization raises critical questions: technological sovereignty, algorithmic bias, content standardization, hallucinations, and linguistic simplification. How is research in the human and social sciences impacted by its massive and unregulated appropriation? Between "conscientious objection," mastered appropriation, or creative tinkering, how do research actors position themselves in the face of AI?
Speakers:
Valérie Beaudouin (sociologist – EHESS)
Thomas Parisot (Deputy Director, Cairn)
Marie van Effenterre (translator, Association for Translation in Social Sciences)
Discussant: Anne Madelain (historian, Inalco)
Interlude | Screening of the video work The book of flowers (Agnieszka Polska)
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4:00 PM | Break
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DIALOGUE | 4:15 PM – 6:15 PM
Conversation | Transmitting the human and social sciences in a fragmented media and political space
The circulation of the human sciences currently takes place in an environment marked by polarization, disinformation, and competition for attention. The concrete conditions of dialogue between social science research and society have evolved. In this context, how can we produce scientific discourse that is audible without excessive simplification? How can we convey verified knowledge to the general public? How do we understand adherence to fake news or conspiracy theories? Finally, in the face of attacks on the scientific world, what responsibility and what framework should be given to the engagement of researchers in public debate?
Speakers:
Ulysse Baratin (Director, Scène de recherche Paris Saclay)
Sylvain Delouvée (social psychology – Rennes 2 University)
Stéphanie Ruphy (philosophy – Paris Cité University)
Discussants: Zara Fournier and François-Ronan Dubois (Institut français)
Interlude | Screening: improvised dance (Paris Conservatory)
LAUNCH PARTY
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
"The 54 in the pocket"
On the occasion of its first anniversary, the "54 poche" collection continues to weave its geography: a place for the texts of great thinkers and a place of creation for unpublished texts. Strengthened by their interdisciplinary improvisations and their critical and intimate apparatuses, the two new volumes are accompanied by a photography exhibition by Sophie Virilio around the genesis and heritage of Bunker Archéologie.
Presentation of the 2026 titles:
• Bunker Archéologie, Paul Virilio
• La vie dans le vide, Achille Stocchi
Speakers:
Sophie Virilio (photographer and novelist)
Peter Geimer (Director, German Center for Art History in Paris)
Achille Stocchi (Director, Laboratory of Physics of the Two Infinites, Saclay)
Christian Joschke (Professor, Beaux-arts de Paris)
Discussant: Juliette Cerf (journalist, Télérama)
Our take on this event
The FMSH Grand Format 2026 investigates the challenges of producing, publishing, and sharing knowledge in a fragmented media landscape. The program is divided into four thematic sessions: Create, Publish, Disseminate, and Dialogue. It begins at 09:30 with an exploration of alternative writing formats, followed by a session led by Sophie Kucoyanis from Gallimard editions focusing on the dynamics of modern academic publishing. Afternoon discussions address the critical implications of artificial intelligence within the research community.
Attendees can participate in expert debates, view thematic exhibitions, and explore a curated selection of audio and film documentaries. Students from the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne will also present specific titles related to the day’s themes. The event concludes at 21:00 with the official launch of the "54 poche" collection, featuring new works by Paul Virilio and Achille Stocchi.
The venue is located at 54 boulevard Raspail, 75006 Paris. While entry is free, advanced booking is required to attend. The building is fully accessible to wheelchair users.
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