Gaelle Rouvier

Gaëlle Rouvier is a researcher and analyst specializing in the role of music in international relations, cognitive development, and social dynamics. Her exceptional academic background reflects a resolutely interdisciplinary approach, at the crossroads of cognitive science, geopolitics, and philosophy of language.

She holds a Master's degree in Geopolitics from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, one of the world's leading institutions in international studies, where she explored the global impact of music-based social initiatives. Her research focused notably on El Sistema — the orchestral programme born in a Caracas shantytown that became an international benchmark for social development and cultural diplomacy. She subsequently completed a Master's degree in Philosophy of Language and Mind at the École Normale Supérieure (PSL) in Paris, deepening her expertise in cognitive sciences.

Gaëlle Rouvier is currently completing a CIFRE doctoral thesis in partnership with the LaPsyDÉ laboratory (Université Paris Cité) and the Cité de la Musique – Philharmonie de Paris, investigating the impact of music learning on the cognitive and socio-cognitive development of children from underprivileged urban neighbourhoods. Her work sits at the intersection of developmental psychology, sociology, and cultural policy, shedding a unique light on the transformative power of music.

As part of the Les Gardiennes de la Mer artistic residency at Résidences Rocabella, Gaëlle Rouvier explores the sonic and symbolic dimensions of the sea as a space of collective memory, transmission, and social connection. Drawing on her dual expertise in cultural geopolitics and cognitive science, she engages with this coastal landscape as both a research field and a creative space, questioning how communities build shared narratives through music, sound, and language.

This residency provides her with a unique opportunity to enrich her doctoral research through direct sensory and field experience, while forging bridges between academic inquiry and artistic practice. Facing the sea, Gaëlle Rouvier reflects on how natural and sonic environments shape cognitive and social dynamics, opening new perspectives on the role of sound in identity formation and intercultural exchange.