Léon Gérin, my “teacher” of sociology — a tribute
Newly enrolled in the Faculty of Social Sciences at Laval University as a young student in social sciences, I learned of a French-Canadian sociologist who preceded us by more than half a century, Léon Gérin. It is thanks to Jean-Charles Falardeau that I was further exposed to this sociologist. Léon Gérin’s body of work was revelatory with regard to the broad spectrum of farming families that existed in Quebec; and at the same time, it proved very suitable for acquiring a solid scientific methodology for conducting qualitative research. Overall, reading the works of Léon Gérin was a determining factor in my lifelong dedication to the discipline of sociology.