Synopses & Reviews
What's new in French feminism at the beginning of the 21st century? How did France, within a decade, change from one of the most backward European societies in terms of women's representation in the political sphere, into one of the most progressive in this area? What are French and Francophone women up to in the arts and literature? The essays in this volume, written by the most prominent personalities in the field, examine some of the new issues that have arisen in French society in the past twenty years. In general, these essays reflect the shift from the literary and psychoanalytic approaches that characterized French feminism twenty years ago, to the more social and political questions of today. Some of the topics include the "parity" and "PACS" debates, the France-USA exchanges, the issue of "multiculturalism," the new historical approaches, and the most recent trends in literature and film by women, among others.
Review
"...drawing upon politics, society, and the arts, this book skillfully traces the progress made by women in France and points the way to further advances in the 21st century. An indispensable reference work for Women's Studies programs, this informative volume also addresses the interested non-specialists." --Michèle Sarde, Georgetown University
Synopsis
This volume, a collection of essays by a number of high-profile personalities working in philosophy, literature, sociology, cinema, theatre, journalism, and politics, covers a number a of recent and crucial developments in the field of French Feminisms that have made a reassessment necessary. Beyond French Feminisms proposes to answer the question: what is new in French Feminism at the beginning of the twenty-first century? The essays reflect the shift from the theoretical and philosophical approaches that characterized feminism twenty years ago, to the more social and political questions of today. Topics include: the 'parite' and PACS debates, the France-USA dialogue, the 'multicultural' issues, and the new trends in literature and film by women.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. [289]-311).
Synopsis
What's new in French feminism at the beginning of the 21st century? How did France, within a decade, change from one of the most backward European societies in terms of women's representation in the political sphere, into one of the most progressive in this area? What are French and Francophone women up to in the arts and literature? The essays in this volume, written by the most prominent personalities in the field, examine some of the new issues that have arisen in French society in the past twenty years. In general, these essays reflect the shift from the literary and psychoanalytic approaches that characterized French feminism twenty years ago, to the more social and political questions of today. Some of the topics include the "parity" and "PACS" debates, the France-USA exchanges, the issue of "multiculturalism," the new historical approaches, and the most recent trends in literature and film by women, among others.
About the Author
Roger Célestin is Associate Professor of French and Comparative Literature, University of Connecticut and Co-editor of Sites: The Journal of 20-th century /Contemporary French Studies. Eliane DalMolin is Associate Professor of French and Co-Chair, French Studies, University of Connecticut. She is also Co-Editor of Sites: The Journal of 20th-Century/Contemporary French Studies. Isabelle de Courtivron is Professor of French Studies and Head of the Foreign Languages and Literatures department at MIT.
Table of Contents
Introduction--Roger Célestin, Eliane DalMolin, and Isabelle de Courtivron
I. Politics and Society
1. Sylviane Agacinski. The Turning Point of Feminism: Against the Effacement of Women
2. Pierre Bourdieu. Symbolic Violence
3. Eric Fassin. The Politics of PaCS in a Transatlantic Mirror: Same-Sex Unions and Sexual Difference in France Today
4. Christine Fauré. Women's History after the Law on Parity
5. Geneviève Fraisse. Exclusive Democracy: A French Paradigm
6. Françoise Gaspard and Farhad Khosrokhavar. The Headscarf and the Republic
7. Benoîte Groult. The Feminization of Professional Names: An Outrage against Masculinity
8. Jeanine Mossuz-Lavau. The Politics of Reproduction
9. Véronique Nahoum-Grappe. Sexualities on Parade
10. Chiennes de garde of the World, Unite! The Bitch Manifesto, March 8, 1999
11. Mireille Rosello. New Gendered Mosaics: Their Mothers, the Gauls
12. Mariette Sineau. Parité in Politics: From a Radical Idea to Consensual Reform
II. Arts and Literature
13. Odile Cazenave. Francophone Women Writers in France in the Nineties
14. Whitney Chadwick. Body as