Jacky Simonin's passing at 78

Jacky Simonin passed away on October 9 of last year at the age of 78. A pioneer in the field of information and communication sciences on La Réunion, his death leaves a legacy in the local academic and journalistic landscape.

Early life and academic journey

He settled in La Réunion in the mid-1980s after completing his university studies at the University of Paris Nord in Villetaneuse. As a student, he began analyzing "linguistic interactions," fascinated by the study and understanding of the language used by the populations. He continued this process in a small village in Champagne, at the heart of rural areas.

Research and academic contributions

Jacky Simonin conducted research on the island that was as precise as it was focused on the transformations of Indian Ocean societies and communication phenomena in La Réunion. He was not only a curious researcher interested in understanding how people spoke around him but also an engaged teacher. By the end of the 1980s, the demand for training in information and communication sciences was increasing, both from institutions and students. The University of La Réunion therefore entrusted Mr. Simonin with the creation of a DEUST Communication, a program he would expand until it reached the doctoral level. The teams also multiplied; initially accompanied by Michel Watin and Éliane Wolff, the laboratory now has seven members.

Sociolinguistic studies and school inequalities

Jacky Simonin played a leading role in sociolinguistic studies covering La Réunion. He first studied the particularities of the school system in La Réunion, notably through several scientific articles such as "School and Family in La Réunion: A Problematic Link" with Éliane Wolff and dating from 1992, "Schooling and Qualification Space in La Réunion: Problematic and Issues" a year later or again in 1997 with "Schooling and Urban Dynamics on the Island of La Réunion." He observed that school inequalities were due to living conditions, pointing out the role of families.

Role of local media in public space

He was the first in La Réunion to highlight the role of local media in the construction of a public space in La Réunion. His studies on the subject can be found in "Public Space and Mediated Communications in La Réunion" with Watin in 1993, "Mediated Communications and Insular Territory: The Case of the Island of La Réunion" written in 1994 or six years later "Local Media and Citizenship: The Public Space of La Réunion Between Community and Society."

Linguistic reflections and cultural integration

The Creole language, French, and the link between the two languages were also major subjects of reflection for the teacher-researcher who was one of the first to bring a scientific perspective to them. For him, Creole is an object of preservation but also of development and transformation. He discusses the creation of a public space in La Réunion nourished by intercommunity exchanges, a significant colonial history, or the important role of media in these social constructions.

Personal qualities and legacy

Jacky Simonin is also described as a particularly humble man. Those who worked with him daily note that he was a modest, affable man, always attentive to his interlocutor. In three decades, he never raised his voice. In a university world where social relationships are sometimes very harsh, Jacky Simonin had a rare capacity for empathy appreciated by all.

Life in Saint-Benoît and lasting impact

Jacky Simonin spent a large part of his life in La Réunion, fully integrating into the island's culture. He spent his entire Réunion life in the East, in Saint-Benoît, where he built his Réunion habits within his in-laws' family. His intense attachment to the island is reflected in many of his works focused on Réunion society, from his theories to the analysis of observed realities.

Continuing influence in Réunion's academic field

Jacky Simonin would have turned 79 on October 22 of last year and sixteen years after his retirement, his work is still at the heart of the Information and Communication field in La Réunion. A field that he contributed to creating and which contributed to the birth of a Réunion journalism. His research, analysis, and understanding of Réunion society bear his imprint. From our way of speaking to the importance of the media, passing through a questioning of school inequalities, the impact that Jacky Simonin had can be observed every day.