Terrains Littéraires Contemporains

The notion of “terrain”—field or fieldwork—is premised on a powerful idea: that of knowledge anchored in place and contact. In literature, the idea animates practices ranging from investigations to “interventions,” aiming to “give near invisible things the chance to appear”. This course considers the stakes of field practices in contemporary literature (Arno Bertina, François Bon, Maryline Desbiolles, Hélène Gaudy, Philippe Vasset): How does one transcribe the voice of others, decipher a city through protocols, or investigate as a feminist? Taught in French. Prerequisite: a course at the 600- or 700-level or equivalent proficiency. Contact the instructor to verify your proficiency if you have not taken French at Brown.