An Alternative History of Paris with Justinien Tribillon and Aaron Peck @AmericanLibraryParis

Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

Urbanist Justinien Tribillon discusses his book "The Zone".

Filmed on 12/2/2025 with a live audience both in person and on Zoom.

In "The Zone: An Alternative History of Paris", Justinien Tribillon explores the Parisian hinterland that has shaped the city’s identity for over two centuries. From its origins as defensive walls to its reinvention as the Boulevard Périphérique, "The Zone" offers a compelling perspective on the intricate social and spatial dynamics that define modern Paris.

This conversation was moderated by author and critic Aaron Peck.

About the speakers:

Justinien Tribillon is a curator, writer, editor and educator with a transdisciplinary practice including social sciences, photography, architecture, history and design. He recently published "The Zone: An Alternative History of Paris" (Verso, 2024), "Ruderal: Liquid Identities" (Deux-cent-cinq, 2024), and "Visible upon Breakdown" (Spector Books, 2024). Justinien is a lecturer in History, theory and criticism at the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs in Paris. He received his PhD in Urban Studies from The Bartlett, University College London.

Aaron Peck is the author of "Jeff Wall: North & West, Letters to the Pacific", and "The Bewilderments of Bernard Willis". A literary and art critic, he writes regularly for the Times Literary Supplement and Aperture magazine.

Evenings with an Author is generously sponsored by GRoW @ Annenberg.

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