Caroline Patsias was born in Marseille, France. Caroline is a professor of political science specializing in urban and local governance at UQAM (Université du Québec à Montréal). She holds a double doctorate from Sciences po Aix (France) and Laval University (Canada).

Caroline's research compares citizen participation in citizens' committees and community groups in France and Quebec. Her analyses show how citizens' everyday interactions, relations with the state, and approaches to conflict shape different trajectories of politicization.

Her work also examines the politicization of citizens within local institutions, specifically Montreal's borough councils.  The investigation’s results reveal that the divergences observed illustrate a different construction of the intersection between social class, cultural or ethnic identity, and global and local boundaries. These different ways of conceiving the intersection shape specific democratic practices and relations to politics. Caroline’s analyses look at the notions of justice that citizens express within institutions, including environmental justice, distributive justice and recognition justice.

Caroline intends to continue her research within the CPD. By observing city councils in Los Angeles, she seeks to know how processes of politicization increase or decrease the polarisation of citizens, and the role of institutions in this regard.

She recently published on the politicization and radicalism of citizens in Local Government Journal and Journal of Civil Society.

Caroline likes to do sport to relax, she has run amateur marathons in the past and is now improving her swimming.