Rena Stayridi - Patrikiou

Rena Stavridou-Patrikiou (1944-2009) was a historian and a professor in the Department of Political Science and History at Panteion University. She studied law at the Universities of Athens and Strasbourg (1962-1967) and pursued postgraduate studies (Diplome d' Etudes Superieures, DES) in the Department of Political Science at the Sorbonne University (Paris I) (1968-1970) and at the Modern Greek Institute of the Sorbonne (Paris IV) (1970-1973). In 1975, she returned to Greece and collaborated with the National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation. From 1978, she was a member of the teaching and scientific staff at Panteion University. As part of the "Socrates" program, she taught Modern Greek History at the Universities of Catania and Palermo (1998). She also taught Balkan and Modern Greek History as a visiting professor at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris (2003). She delivered lectures on the same subjects at the universities of Trieste, Naples, and Copenhagen. From 2000 to 2004, she served as President of the National Book Centre of Greece. Her main research focus was on demoticism, the language question, and Greek education. Her first book, "Demoticism and Social Problem" (1976), published by the New Greek Library of Hermes editions, directed by Alkis Angelou, stood out for its clarity of ideas and style, her research spirit, and the breadth of her writing. She was also a clear and combative presence, consistently engaging in the public sphere. In addition to numerous studies published in collective volumes and Greek and international scientific journals on the history of modern Hellenism, she authored books such as "Demoticism and Social Problem" (Hermes, Athens 1976, 2nd ed. Estia 2000), "G. Skliris in Egypt: Socialism, Demoticism, and Reform" (Themelio, Athens 1988), "Rhigas and Coray: Peres et Symboles de Lumieres Neohelleniques" (Hellenic Language Centre- Expolangues, 1999), "Language, Education, and Politics" (Olkos, Athens 1999, 2nd ed. 2009), "The Fears of a Century" (Metaichmio, 2008), among others. She passed away in Athens on November 13, 2009, after a long illness.