Sophie Bessis, who holds a degree in history, was a journalist before devoting herself to the study of North-South relations, and more specifically sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb, as well as the status of women in the Arab world. She is the author of a dozen books, including a biography of Bourguiba, former Tunisian president and a major player in the country's independence, and Histoire de la Tunisie - De Carthage à nos jours (2022).