Corporeal Practices: (Re)Figuring the Body in French Studies

Corporeal Practices brings together a collection of essays on ‘the body’ in French Studies. The thematic approach, typical of la nouvelle critique, is well-represented as are psychoanalytic, genetic, feminist and queer readings, demonstrating how the subject of ‘the body’ can fruitfully serve a number of critical perspectives. Certain papers engage in a Derridean challenge to the traditional categories of ‘literature’, ‘theory’ and ‘science’ by showing that the body, by its very nature post-modern, denies attempts at classification and control. The book falls into three sections: Dissecting the Body, Sexing the Body and Inscribing the Body, spanning three centuries and involving such varied media as the cartoon, the novel, the poem, the portrait and the reference book, thereby providing a stimulating and innovative reference point for students and lecturers alike.