Élizabeth Teissier

French astrologer, who came to international attention when her 900-page thesis on astrology was accepted by the Sorbonne's doctoral program in sociology.

Mme. Teissier was President Mitterand’s astrologer, and she subsequently wrote a book about her client.

In 2000 word got out that her thesis centered on astrology, and the witch-hunt began in earnest. The New York Times wrote: "By mid-2000, most of the major French newspapers have published opinion pieces and more than 400 sociologists have signed a petition asking the president of the Sorbonne to make an independent evaluation of the case. The French Association of Scientific Information has assigned a group of scientists and social scientists to review the thesis. On the advice of her academic advisers, Ms. Teissier decided not to speak to reporters, at least until she received her diploma later in the summer. But her supporters contended that her thesis, whatever its faults, is the casualty of a larger conflict within the discipline over methodology. The real debate, they say, is between the followers of Durkheim and followers of Weber. Or, to put it another way, between positivists who rely on quantitative techniques and objective measures when assessing social life and phenomenologists who attach greater importance to subjective experience and emotion.

According to her critics, Ms. Teissier's thesis was simply not social science. . . . "but the testimony of somebody who is a well-known astrologer and writes about her experiences. She cited letters from ordinary people as well as testimony from Mitterrand. There is no sociology.… There is no trace of empirical fact or research method" wrote sociologist Bernard Lahire.

In early April 2001, the Sorbonne recognized Teissier’s work by awarding her with a doctorate in sociology.