French Literature Reviews - 2026

A.-E. Berger, The Great Theater of Gender
Literary Theory, Linguistics and Stylistics

The Great Theater of Gender

Identities, Sexualities, and Feminism in America
Series: Non-series
Publisher: Belin
Anne-Emmanuelle Berger

"The Queer Turn of Feminism"
How and why has the "drag queen" become the iconic figure of a certain contemporary feminism? Where does the demand for "visibility" that characterizes contemporary social movements—particularly the diverse movements of sexual minorities—come from, and what does it mean? What happens to "sexual difference" when it crosses and recrosses the Atlantic? What are the debates on prostitution, which have divided the theoretical and
political field of feminism for over thirty years, a sign of? What complex relationships does Western feminism maintain with capitalist economy and ideology?

These are some of the questions that Anne-Emmanuelle Berger attempts to answer in this stimulating essay, prompted by the reception of gender theory in France. Drawing on her exceptional knowledge of the American intellectual and cultural scene, the author delivers an informed, rigorous, iconoclastic, and yet benevolent reflection on the forms and stakes of contemporary gender theory. In doing so, she sheds new light on what she terms "the queer turn of feminism."

Anne-Emmanuelle Berger taught French literature for twenty years at Cornell University (New York, USA). In 2006, she returned to France as a professor of French literature and gender studies at Paris 8 University, where she became the director of the Center for Women's and Gender Studies. She is also the director of the Institute of Gender (CNRS), founded in 2012.
An essayist and renowned literary critic, Anne-Emmanuelle Berger has written in English and French on poetry, the relationship between modern literature and philosophy, language politics, and the cultural policies of the Maghreb (among other topics). As a specialist in gender and sexuality issues, she has published numerous articles and books on the subject (Cornell UP, Éd. des Femmes).

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An article about this book can be read on the nonfiction.fr website:

Rooted in contemporary debates surrounding gender theory, identity, and feminist politics, this essay examines how American theoretical models are received and transformed in France. The author investigates the rising prominence of the drag queen as a feminist icon, the political demand for social visibility, and enduring divisions regarding sex work. By exploring these themes, the work engages with broader intellectual traditions bridging French and American feminist scholarship, offering a rigorous critique of how contemporary social movements intersect with Western capitalist ideologies.

Readers interested in gender studies, cultural theory, and transatlantic intellectual history will find this volume particularly valuable for its nuanced perspective. Anne-Emmanuelle Berger draws upon her extensive academic background in both the United States and France to untangle complex theoretical shifts without relying on partisan rhetoric. It serves as an accessible yet intellectually demanding resource for scholars, students, and general readers seeking to understand the evolving stakes of modern feminism and queer theory.

"In Praise of Diplopia in the Land of Gender Studies", by F. Bourlez.