Franoise Gaspard, professor of sociology at the famed Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (School of Higher Education in Social Sciences) in Paris, will give two free and open lectures Oct. 21-22 at Cornell University on women in politics in France.

Gaspard will lecture on "Parity Men/Women in Public Life: A New Feminist Movement?" in English on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 4:30 p.m. in Kaufmann Auditorium of Goldwin Smith Hall.

She will speak in French on women in the French electoral process Thursday, Oct. 22, at 4:30 p.m. in 264 Goldwin Smith Hall.

The author of 11 books and the representative of France to the United Nations Committee on the Status of Women, Gaspard is an expert member of the European Council on questions regarding immigration and women's issues. She is the former mayor of the city of Dreux and one of the founders of "parity," a movement in France to boost women's involvement in the political arena.

"Gaspard is an influential figure on the French intellectual and political scenes," says Nelly Furman, professor of Romance studies at Cornell and Gaspard's Cornell host.

This will be Gaspard's first visit to Cornell.

The lecture is co-sponsored by the Cornell Committee on University Lectures, Department of Romance Studies and the Women's Studies Program.