RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Impact of forced displacement on harmful gender-based norms in the Sahel region of Africa WORKSHOP in PARIS 2026

Project Title: Impact of forced displacement on harmful gender-based norms in the Sahel region of Africa WORKSHOP in PARIS 2026
PI: Jean Decety
Award Type: 1-Year IIRP-Based
Department: Psychology
Division/School: Social Sciences
Start Year: 2026
Description:

A two-day workshop at the IIRP will bring together partners from several Parisian Universities who are studying the impact of forced displacement on social norms. The workshop will showcase findings from our ongoing project–funded by NSF and ANR–conducted in the Sahel region of Africa. This research involves a collaboration between a social neuroscientist from the University of Chicago, an experimental economist from the University of Lyon, and a partner in Burkina Faso. The primary objective is to understand how forced displacement impacts the perceptions of harmful gender social norms of adolescents and their parents. The project focuses on two of the most prevalent practices: child early forced marriage and female genital mutilation, which pose significant challenges related to health, social justice, and respect for individual autonomy. The data collected can inform the development of an innovative intervention aimed at reducing the prevalence of these harmful gender practices by disseminating normative beliefs on personal norms among displaced individuals. The workshop will serve as a critical platform for exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and building connections with experts in sociology, economics, and political science who specialize in this domain in Africa.