Elisabeth Joris was born in 1946 in Valais and grew up in an educated middle-class environment that was politically aware and sensitive. Although her family had limited financial means, books, discussions, and a pronounced critical attitude toward social authorities shaped her upbringing. Her mother in particular, who opposed the directives of the Catholic Church and was active in advocating for women’s rights, influenced her awareness of social inequalities from an early age.
Educational pathways for girls in Valais were highly restricted in the 1950s and 1960s. While boys had access to grammar schools and academic careers, girls were often limited to commercial schools or teacher training colleges. Elisabeth Joris also initially trained as a secretary and worked in various offices. However, she found this work unfulfilling. With a commercial diploma, she eventually opened up the possibility of pursuing higher education, however, only thanks to an exceptional permit allowing her to train as a secondary school teacher, which later enabled her formal enrollment as a regular student.
After gaining initial experience in teaching, she decided to study history. Teaching nevertheless remained her main professional activity for decades and, until her retirement, provided the financial basis for her contribution to supporting her family. In the late 1960s, the discipline of history underwent significant changes: alongside traditional political history, social and economic historical approaches gained importance. These new perspectives also shaped Elisabeth Joris’s scholarly approach. At the same time, her studies took place during a period of profound social transformation. The protest movements around 1968 and the emerging women’s movement had a lasting influence on her political thinking. In Zurich, she came into contact with feminist activists for the first time and began to engage politically herself.
In the years that followed, Elisabeth Joris increasingly connected her historical research with socio-political questions, particularly the history of women, gender relations, and social movements. Her commitment thus stands as an example for a generation of women historians who closely linked academic work with political reflection.
The interview with Elisabeth Joris provides insight into her personal educational path, the obstacles faced by women of her generation, and the social transformations that shaped her thinking and her engagement.