[2] Paulme initially studied law, and after a brief and unsatisfying stint as a secretary, went back to college in 1929 to finish her degree.

Ten years later, in 1945, she went to upper Guinea to observed rice farmers kissi with her husband André Schaeffner.

In 1957, with the support of Claude Lévi-Strauss[5] she was appointed director of research (and taught anthropology) at the École pratique des hautes études in Paris.

Denise Paulme describe with subtlety the kindship of the dogon people, which also implied the role of women in this society.

During her first fieldwork, Denise Paulme made a very interesting methodological work by writing letters to Deborah Lifchitz.