Secularism in French Cultural Discourse: Timeless Laïcité

This book explores the interplay between literature and law, showing how writers from Victor Hugo to Annie Ernaux have influenced and reflected changes in secularism. The book examines pivotal moments like the Dreyfus Affair, intellectuals' roles during the World Wars, and French socio-political shifts, highlighting literature's engagement with religious freedom, church-state separation, and equality. Focusing on post-1964 developments, it discusses the rise of the "specific intellectual" and integrates philosophical and sociological insights into literary analysis, offering a comprehensive view of laïcité beyond legal interpretations. This multidisciplinary approach reveals how literature and intellectual thought have shaped and defended secularism in France. Aimed at scholars and enthusiasts of law, literature, history, and politics, this book is essential for understanding the cultural, political, and legal dynamics of contemporary French secularism.