Postcolonial Subjects

Francophone Women Writers

1996

Mary Jean Green, Karen Gould, Micheline Rice-Maximin, Jack A. Yeager, and Keith L. Walker, editors

Explores French-language writing by women outside France.

This groundbreaking volume highlights the work of contemporary women writing in French whose cultural links, ethnic identities, and historical roots lie outside France. The writings of these women emanate from the cultures of Africa and the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Quebec and other French-speaking regions of Canada.

Contributors: Eloise A. Brière, Miriam Cooke, Irène Assiba d’Almeida, Joan Dayan, John D. Erickson, Françoise Lionnet, Christiane Makward, Kitzie McKinney, Christopher L. Miller, Mary-Kay Miller, Jane Moss, Elisabeth Mudimbe-Boyi, Lori Saint-Martin, Ronnie Scharfman.

“The style is sophisticated, dense, and refined, and all quotations are translated, making the research more accessible. This collection will serve as an excellent auxiliary tool for a course on French women writers . . .” Choice

This groundbreaking volume highlights the work of contemporary women writing in French whose cultural links, ethnic identities, and historical roots lie outside France. The writings of these women emanate from the cultures of Africa and the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Quebec and other French-speaking regions of Canada.

By writing in French, the writers discussed in Postcolonial Subjects both acknowledge and write against the cultural heritage of France. In doing so, they participate in the subversion of European literary traditions and take part in various forms of cultural and linguistic blending, generating new artistic currents. Each of these essays articulates contemporary debates about the politics and cultural effects of sexism, homophobia, racism, and essentialism, as well as pointing out connections and points of resistance among such diverse strains as feminism, nationalism, and ethnicity.

Contributors: Eloise A. Brière, U of Albany; Miriam Cooke, Duke U; Irène Assiba d’Almeida, U of Arizona; Joan Dayan, U of Arizona; John D. Erickson, U of Kentucky; Françoise Lionnet, Northwestern U; Christiane Makward, Pennsylvania State U; Kitzie McKinney, Bentley College; Christopher L. Miller, Yale U; Mary-Kay Miller, Vanderbilt U; Jane Moss, Colby College; Elisabeth Mudimbe-Boyi, Stanford U; Lori Saint-Martin, U du Québec à Montréal; Ronnie Scharfman, Purchase College, SUNY.


Mary Jean Green is associate dean of the faculty for the humanities and professor of French at Dartmouth College. Karen Gould is associate dean of the graduate college and professor of French at Bowling Green State University. Micheline Rice-Maximin is assistant professor of French at Swarthmore College. Keith L. Walker is associate professor of French and chair of the Program in African and Afro-American Studies at Dartmouth College. Jack A. Yeager is associate professor of French and women’s studies, and director of the Center for International Perspectives at the University of New Hampshire.

“The style is sophisticated, dense, and refined, and all quotations are translated, making the research more accessible. This collection will serve as an excellent auxiliary tool for a course on French women writers . . .” Choice

“The first comment to make about Postcolonial Subjects: Francophone Women Writers is on the excellence of its nineteen essays. . . . compelling and positive.” World Literature

“This collaborative collection of critical essays devoted to writers from Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and francophone Canada is rich in many ways. It allows the reader intrested in a wide scope of francophone fiction to read an entire range of critical essays. It provides scholars well acquainted with a specific francophone literature to read well-crafted insightful essays in their field. And, it promotes thought and discussion concering similarities and differences among women writers using a common language and yet writing from divergent cultural and geographical spaces. Delving into this volume, the reader will be richly rewarded.” L’Esprit Createur

“Postcolonial Subjects is an extremely valuable collection that significantly enriches contemporary scholarship on Francophone feminism outside of France.” Middle East Report