Voice, Identity, Gender: Women's Writing in France (level 5)
Classes
Wednesday 14 January - Wednesday 25 March 2026, 6pm-9pm
10 sessions - Check class timetable
Overview
Giving voice to a number of French women writers from the eighteenth century onwards, the Voice, Identity, Gender: Women's Writing in France short course considers various constructs of female identity, and reflects on the notion of gendered writing. We will consider the following questions: Is it possible to talk about 'women’s writing' without essentialising women, without working from stereotypes? What do women specifically bring to the cultural space through their novels and essays?
We will explore works of literature and feminist theory, taking into account their specific cultural and historical contexts, how they have evolved through time and how they have been received. These works include:
- 'Women’s Time', Julia Kristeva (1979)
- 'The Laugh of the Medusa', Hélène Cixous (1975)
- 'Women on the Market', Luce Irigaray (1978)
- Enfance, Nathalie Sarraute (1983)
- L’Amant, Marguerite Duras (1984)
- Histoire d’Ernestine, Mme Riccoboni (1765)
- Ourika, Claire de Duras (1823)
- Indiana, George Sand (1832)
- Mémoires d’une jeune fille rangée, Simone de Beauvoir (1958)
This course is assessed via two 2500-word essays (50% each).
As a student on this course, you will study alongside Birkbeck students enrolled on one of our undergraduate or postgraduate courses, giving you the opportunity to network with a range of Birkbeck current students whilst you learn.
-
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
Most of our short courses have no formal entry requirements and are open to all students.
This short course has no prerequisites.
As part of the enrolment process, you may be required to submit a copy of a suitable form of ID.
International students who wish to come to the UK to study a short course can apply for a Visitor visa. Please note that it is not possible to obtain a Student visa to study a short course.
-
How to apply
How to apply
You register directly onto the classes you would like to take. Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis - so apply early. If you wish to take more than one short course, you can select each one separately and then register onto them together via our online application portal. There is usually no formal selection process, although some modules may have prerequisites and/or other requirements, which will be specified where relevant.