From Theory to Literature

Presentation of a research project as part of the "Jeudis de la Maison Suger", a residents' research seminar.

This session will explore the work of Adina Balint-Babos, examining how certain contemporary theorists move from conceptual discourse into literary writing. Drawing on the works of Cassin, Didi-Huberman and Sibony, it highlights a form of writing that becomes a personal archive, enabling the expression of intimacy and trauma where theory reaches its limits.

The seminar will be held in french.

"In the transition from theory to creation, literary writing—whether autobiographical or fictional—emerges as a privileged space for exploring the intimate dimensions of human experience. This process, illustrated by figures such as Barbara Cassin, Georges Didi-Huberman, and Daniel Sibony, reveals a necessity: to transcend the limits of theoretical discourse in order to address subjective experiences or traumatic events that elude rationality. Writing thus becomes a living archive, a space where the past engages in dialogue with the present and where the subject can reclaim their history. In this presentation, I will discuss the role of writing as a dynamic of the “in-between”—identity-related, cultural, and linguistic (Sibony, 1991)—as well as a process for making sense of the unsaid and of trauma. The aim is to show how the act of writing can become a medium for transmission, allowing us to reflect on what eludes theoretical discourse and to give voice to what often remains buried. How can the transition from theoretical thought to literary creation become a tool for understanding and transforming human experience?"

Adina Balint-Babos is a full professor of 20th- and 21st-century literature at the University of Winnipeg (Canada). Her research focuses on self-representation, theories of everyday life, and the relationship between literature and philosophy. Her recent publications include: Les ambiances dans les littératures de langue française du XIXe siècle à aujourd’hui (Presses de l’Université Laval, 2024, co-ed. S. Buekens) and Simone Chaput: espaces, cultures et identités (David, 2024, co-ed. I. Chassaing, L. Gaboury-Diallo, and J. Thib.