Susan Bainbrigge – författare

Comment aborder la litterature des espaces francophones europeens en dehors de la France ? Identite et/ou alterite ? Qu'en pensent les auteur-e-s concerne-e-s vis-a-vis de leur ecriture ? Ce volume est issu du colloque qui a eu lieu a l'Universite d'Edimbourg les 14 et 15 mars 2008, dont les objectifs etaient d'explorer les notions d'identite et d'alterite dans les espaces francophones europeens, tout particulierement en Belgique et en Suisse romande, sans oublier les ecrivain-e-s qui sont en quelque sorte en exil par rapport a leur pays et/ou leur langue. Ce livre presente un eventail d'auteur-e-s et de textes, du 19e au 21e siecle, y compris Bovard, Brel, Cingria, Gevers, Michaux, Nothomb, Nouge, Plisnier ou encore Verhaeren sans oublier les ecrivaines Anne-Lise Grobety, Marie-Jose Piguet, Silvia Ricci Lempen et Elisa Brune presentes au colloque et qui ont participe a une table ronde retranscrite dans ce volume. Le domaine de la traduction est egalement represente, pour etudier la facon dont les oeuvres sont traduites, parfois par l'auteur-e meme.Les contributions viennent de nombreux pays, et les auteur-e-s sont tous/toutes reuni-e-s par la langue francaise et l'amour de la litterature francophone de tous horizons.

Few full-length studies exist in English on French-speaking authors from Belgium. What, if any, are the particular features of francophone Belgian writing? This book explores questions of cultural and literary identity, and offers an overview of currents in critical debate regarding the place of francophone Belgian writing and its relationship to its larger neighbour, but also engages with broader questions concerning the classification of ‘francophone’ literature.The study brings together well-known and less well-known modern and contemporary writers (Suzanne Lilar, Neel Doff, Dominique Rolin, Jacqueline Harpman, Françoise Mallet-Joris, Jean Muno, Nicole Malinconi, and Amélie Nothomb) whose works share a number of recurring themes and features, notably a preoccupation with questions of identity and alterity. Overall, the study highlights the diverse ways in which these questions of cultural identity and alterity emerge as a dominant theme throughout the corpus, viewed through a series of literary and cultural frameworks which bring together perspectives both local and global.

Much has been written on Simone de Beauvoir, one of France’s leading intellectual figures of the 20th century. The sheer volume of her autobiographical writings testifies to her indefatigable questioning of the nature of existence and her personal and public engagement in the world over the best part of a century. This study aims to re-evaluate her extensive autobiographical œuvre, exploring its place in relation to the French autobiographical canon, and in the light of recent theorisations of autobiography. It presents readings which engage critically with existentialism, feminist theory, and autobiography studies generally, in particular focusing on the question of ‘autothanatography’, a term developed by theorists such as Jacques Derrida and Louis Marin. A new reading of the autobiographies via the lens of thanatos is presented with questions of gender in mind, and the nature of autobiography as genre is also explored more fully with particular attention paid to narrative voice. Close readings of the autobiographical œuvre combine with contextual details, critical overviews and links to recent developments in critiques of Beauvoir’s fiction and philosophy. The study would be of particular interest to scholars in the following areas: 20th century French literature and culture; Autobiography studies; Literary theory; existentialism; Women’s studies.