Conversation
Can We Dissociate the Work from the Author? A Conversation with Gisèle Sapiro
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Venue & accessibility info: Meridian Hall, Collegium Helveticum
This event is part of the ZĂĽrich liest literature festival.
Participation is free of charge. The event is followed by a reception.
From Wagner and Heidegger to Polanski, Matzneff, and others, the question of the relationship between an author and their work has been at the core of many debates and scandals. The prominent French sociologist Gisèle Sapiro addresses this question from a philosophical and socio-historical perspective.
Works by racist, sexist, and transphobic authors and artists have been boycotted and the canon challenged from this standpoint. Based on her book Peut-on dissocier l’oeuvre de l’auteur? (Seuil, 2020; Points, 2024), Gisèle Sapiro will first address the question of the relationship between author and work from a philosophical and socio-historical standpoint, before analyzing some cases of contemporary scandals.
This event is part of the “Literature, History, and Society Talks” series, in which Senior Fellow Louis-Philippe Dalembert brings together journalists, sociologists, and authors for engaging dialogues that delve into the complex relationship between how we write and re-write our world through literature.
Bios
Gisèle Sapiro
Gisèle Sapiro is a prominent French sociologist and scholar, known for her extensive research in the sociology of literature, intellectuals, and culture. Sapiro studied at Tel Aviv University and later completed her PhD in Paris, under the supervision of the renowned sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. She is currently a director of research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and a professor at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS). Her work primarily focuses on the sociology of literature and intellectuals, examining how social, political, and economic factors influence literary production, dissemination, and reception. She employs a sociological lens to analyze the role of writers and intellectuals in society.
Louis-Philippe Dalembert
Louis-Philippe Dalembert is a distinguished Haitian writer and poet known for his rich and evocative literary works that explore themes of identity, exile, and cultural heritage, especially through strong female characters. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 1962, Dalembert’s writing is deeply influenced by his Haitian roots as well as his experiences of living in various countries, including France, Italy, the USA, Germany, and Israel. Dalembert’s oeuvre encompasses novels, short stories, essays, and poetry, often reflecting the complexities of societies and the broader human condition. His works frequently address the intersections of history and politics, offering profound insights into the diasporic experience and the enduring impact of migration. During the autumn term 2024, Dalembert is Visiting Professor of French Literature and Culture at ETH Zurich and Senior Fellow at the Collegium Helveticum.
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