Strong women in focus: Salomé Berlioux talks about life in the country

Strong women in focus: Salomé Berlioux talks about life in the country

In today's world, when voices from rural regions are often not heard, the author Salomé Berlioux deals with the realities of life of women from these areas in her new book "Celle qui part" (éditions de l'Aube). In six captivating stories, she brings the stories of protagonists between the ages of 14 and 50 to the stage, which are both fictional and inspired by Berlioux's own experiences. These stories paint a vivid picture of life in the countryside, which is often marked by clichés and prejudices. La Nouvelle République reported that…

Salomé Berlioux, who grew up in a small village in the Allier, knows what she is talking about. She experienced growing up in rural areas and studying in the metropolis of Paris. Her commitment goes beyond writing: she founded Rura, an organization to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. In her work, she highlights the challenges that young women in rural areas face and addresses how they can break out of structural disadvantages.

A new look at rural areas

Berlioux is also co-author of the book "Loin de Paris. Raconter les territoires", co-edited with Félix Assouly. This is about challenging stereotypes about life in rural and smaller towns. In the book, 26 authors talk about the diversity and unknown realities in rural regions of France. Marianne states that...

A central concern of the editors is to make the often invisible voices of the 40 million people who live outside major cities audible. “Rurality” is often mentioned in the same breath as agriculture, but Berlioux and her co-authors aim for a more nuanced perspective. Over 60% of French people live in rural areas, where the needs of residents are often ignored. The world of work there is strongly characterized by sectoral diversity; 94% of rural employees do not work in agriculture.

The challenges for young people

In her work, Berlioux describes the hurdles that young people in particular in rural areas have to overcome. There is often a lack of information, role models and opportunities. In addition, they often rely on cars to get around - this leads to long commute times, on average over two hours per day. The majority of young people acquire their driving license between the ages of 18 and 24. These insights emphasize the need to understand and appreciate the perspectives of people in rural areas.

The social challenges that affect many young people from rural regions have already been addressed in various studies. One example shows that economic adversity and social isolation in youth are crucial factors that can continue into adulthood. This makes it clear that the conditions in which rural young people live often receive less attention than they deserve. PMC points out that…

In summary, Salomé Berlioux's works and initiatives make a valuable contribution to realistically portraying life in rural areas and breaking down clichés. Their voices should be heard because they are an important part of our society and its future.