The Fayard editions are preparing to publish an essay that interrogates the origins of patriarchy through a scientific and deterministic approach.
Fayard editions will release on April 22, 2026 an essay entitled “Why Don’t Amazons Exist?”, which promises to provoke lively debates. Written by Véra Nikolski, a doctor in political science, and Nicolas Pichoff, a doctor in physics, this work offers a controversial reinterpretation of the foundations of male domination, challenging the widely held idea that it is only a recent social construction.
The authors aim to reopen the discussion on the roots of patriarchy by relying not on ideology, but on scientific models. According to them, understanding the deep determinisms that have shaped human societies is an essential step in effectively addressing contemporary issues related to gender inequalities.
The survival of the species as an analytical key
The central thesis of the work is based on a reductio ad absurdum demonstration, using tools derived from hard sciences. Nicolas Pichoff, an engineer at the Atomic Energy Center, developed algorithms to model the reproduction rate of primitive human groups over several generations. The model analyzes the impact of mortality of each sex based on the division of labor.
The results of this simulation indicate that a social organization where the most risky activities (such as hunting, warfare), and therefore the most deadly, are mainly entrusted to men, is the only one that guarantees a sufficient reproduction rate for the survival of the species. Conversely, a society where women – biologically essential for procreation – would suffer increased mortality due to these dangerous activities, would see its demographics collapse. This division of roles would therefore not be a matter of ideological choice but a constraint for survival.
Deconstructing the deconstruction
Far from advocating a return to traditional norms, Véra Nikolski and Nicolas Pichoff assert their conviction that it is necessary to identify and understand our determinisms in order to be able to combat and free ourselves from them. Their approach is in line with sociologists like Bernard Lahire, who seek to identify “fundamental laws of human societies.” The essay thus positions itself as an attempt to “deconstruct the deconstruction” by introducing biological and evolutionary factors into an analysis often confined to the social and cultural field.
Two authors with scientific backgrounds
The strength of the work lies in the complementarity of its authors. Véra Nikolski is a graduate of the ENS, with a PhD in political science (Paris 1) and has taught at the university before becoming an editor of debates in the National Assembly. She has already published with Fayard “Féminicénie,” a previous essay praised by critics, of which “Why Don’t Amazons Exist?” is an in-depth exploration. Nicolas Pichoff brings the rigor of his physics training and his expertise in modeling.
The essay, subtitled “At the Origins of Patriarchy,” will have 400 pages and will be priced at 23 euros. It presents itself as a bold scientific contribution to a major societal debate, inviting us to transcend divisions to question the foundations of our social organization.
