Presentation
The Literary Configurations research unit (Configurations littéraires – CL), UR 1337 brings together all research concerning French, French-language and comparative literature at the University of Strasbourg, .
Its work includes the theory and history of literature as well as the comparative study of French and foreign literature, throughout history. As part of the Doctoral School of Humanities (ED 520), it prepares students for a doctorate in French, general and comparative literature. It is comprised of 3 research centres, which work both on their own projects and in symbiosis on cross-disciplinary projects: the Centre d'étude des littératures d'Ancien Régime (Celar), the Centre d'étude sur les représentations : idées, esthétique, littérature XIXe-XXIe siècles (Ceriel) and the Centre d'étude en littérature comparée (l'Europe des lettres). The unit has an eponymous collection at the Presses universitaires de Strasbourg (PUS).
Since 2021, Configurations littéraires has also been piloting the Literature, ethics and arts (littératures, éthique et arts – LETHICA) Interdisciplinary Thematic Institute (ITI), funded by the University of Strasbourg's IdEx and the French National Research Agency (Agence nationale de la recherche – ANR).
Research topics
Literature and history
We explore the areas between literature and history, as intermediary spaces, whether they be genres claiming to be rooted in history or writers who are read as historians and literary figures. We study the representation of historical events in literary texts.
Borders and transfers
We study the exchanges between languages and artistic fields (literature and music, painting, performing arts, cinema), transfers between disciplines (literature and philosophy, anthropology, economics, medicine) or from one geographical area to another.
Ecocriticism and ethics
We study the links between literature, ethics and the environment by demonstrating the scope and centrality of ethical questions and transformations in sensibility in modern literature, particularly in terms of the shift in our relationship with the environment.
Major events and works
Recent publications
- Corinne Grenouillet (dir.), L'instant critique du contemporain, Strasbourg, Presses universitaires de Strasbourg, coll. Configurations littéraires, 2024
- Sandrine Berrégard (dir.), Lire le théâtre. Pratiques et théories de la lecture du théâtre français des XVIe et XVIIe siècles, Strasbourg, Presses universitaires de Strasbourg, coll. Configurations littéraires, 2024
- Ninon Chavoz & Anthony Mangeon (dir.), Les Chemins de la liberté. Lectures de Jean-Marie Apostolidès, Paris, Hermann, coll. Fictions pensantes, 2024
- Yves-Michel Ergal, Michèle Finck et Patrick Werly (dir.), Littérature et cinéma : aimantations réciproques, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2024
- Johann Goeken, Bertrand Marquer, Enrica Zanin (dir.), Parler en mangeant. La tradition littéraire des propos de table de l'Antiquité à nos jours, Presses Universitaires de Strasbourg, 2023
- Victoire Feuillebois & Anthony Mangeon (dir.), Fictions pansantes. Bibliothérapies d'hier, d'aujourd’hui et d'ailleurs, Paris, Hermann, coll. Fictions pensantes, 2023
- Peter Andersen, Fanny Moghaddassi, Muriel Ott (dir.), Fiat Pax : désir de paix dans la littérature médiévale, Fabula, les colloques en ligne, 2023
Colloquia
- Autumn Doctoral School, "Le grand dérangement" : enjeux éthiques et esthétiques du changement-climatique, October 2024
- International colloquium titled Ethical reading(s) in children's literature: animal representations and ecology, November 2023
- Autumn Doctoral School Representing Older People, September 2023
- Colloquium on Ethics of Ordinary Madness: Medicine, Philosophy, Literature, March 2023
- Theatre and Ethics in Europe under the Ancien Regime conference, February 2023
- Colloquium Tales on triage : work, enterprise, and ethical conflicts in 20th and 21st century literature and films, October 2022
- Autumn Doctoral School Ethical and Aesthetic Challenges of Artificial Intelligence, September 2022
- Fiat Pax - Desiring Peace in Medieval Literature international conference, June 2022
- Jean-Marie Apostolidès: living, writing, thinking about moral revolutions, from yesterday to tomorrow, conference May 2022
Awards and distinctions
- 2022-2025: Anthony Mangeon, visiting researcher at the CNRS (UMR 7172, Thalim, Sorbonne-Nouvelle), president of the Association pour l'étude des littératures africaines
- 2024: Michèle Finck, prix Vénus Khoury-Ghata
- 2019: Enrica Zanin, prix Guy-Ourisson from the University of Strasbourg
- 2019: Ninon Chavoz, 1st thesis prize from the Chancellery of the Universities of Paris
- 2018: Michèle Finck, prix Max-Jacob for her collection of poems Connaissance par les larmes
- 2018: Muriel Ott, president of the Société internationale Rencesvals pour l'étude des épopées romanes
- 2018: Philippe Clermont, officier dans l'ordre des Palmes académiques
- 2018: Anthony Mangeon, Distinguished Visiting Professor of Francophone Literatures, Cornell University (United States)
- 2017: Anthony Mangeon, Fellow of the University of Strasbourg Institutefor Advanced Study (Université de Strasbourg Institut d'Études Avancées – USIAS)
- 2017: Enrica Zanin, Les Espoirs de l'Université de Strasbourg scientific prize
- 2017: Enrica Zanin, member of the Institut universitaire de France
- 2015: Bertrand Marquer, member of the Institut universitaire de France
