Research Themes – Scientific Axis of ILLE
In the pursuit of an interdisciplinary dialectic, the two fields of specialization (literature, culture, and language sciences and linguistics) are organized around shared concepts such as European identity, cultural and literary transfers within Europe, their modes of expression and transmission, as well as aesthetic and poetic issues.
The points of contact between the two fields enable researchers to collaborate across both areas.
ILLE’s research is organized into two programs :
European Identities and Exchanges
Multilingualism in Europe and Language Sciences
Plurials identities
self-writing
Writing and Experiencing Art
Linguistics and Language Sciences
Translation and translation studies
Digital Philology and Digital Humanities
Laboratory research – Axis 1: European Identities and Exchanges
The laboratory’s first research axis is based on a literary and cultural approach to Europe, grounded in the study of the concept of identity in European literatures. This foundation has structured the development of literary research at the ILLE.
The work focuses in particular on:
- self-writing and autofiction
- feminines writing
- the writings of memory
- the dynamics of multiculturalism and intra-European and international relations
This research also examines European, national and regional heritage, as well as cultural transfers, from a resolutely interdisciplinary perspective.
Interdisciplinarity at the heart of the laboratory’s research
Literature
Civilization
cultural studies
music
Movie theater
Visual, graphic and plastic arts
Sciences
The complementarity of researchers allows the development of hybrid work between several disciplines; this openness has notably led to the creation of the “Writing and Living Art” hub, which embodies the dialogue between the arts, cultural institutions, and civil society.
The research hubs of axis 1
plurials identities
The Plural Identities cluster brings together research devoted to major figures in European literature, including:
- Gide studies
- research on Marcel Proust
It constitutes an important historical and scientific foundation for the ILLE laboratory.
This center also conducts research on:
- Europeans identities
- cross-border dynamics
- multiculturalism in Europe
University collaborations such as EUCOR, EPICUR, and Anglophone projects reinforce this transnational dimension. The Swiss Conference Series, organized for over 15 years, contributes to research and the study of Swiss literatures, which are still relatively unexplored in France.
Works on female and comparative identity are also linked to this area, in connection with that of self-writing.
Writing about oneself
The “Writing about oneself” research unit has gradually developed around the study of autobiographical forms and identity constructions in literature.
It includes research on :
- writers’ correspondence
- identity studies of authors and artists
- ancient literatures, from the Middle Ages to the 19th century
This section explores how authors tell their stories, construct their image, and participate in the formation of European cultural identities.
Writing and living art
More recently, the Writing and Living Art hub has developed over the past ten years and now constitutes a cross-disciplinary research space between the arts and literature.
It brings together works relating to :
- graphic and visual arts
- music
- cinema
- the interactions between visual and written arts
This hub also fosters collaborations with cultural actors outside the academic world, such as:
- Museums
- Bookstores
- Various cultural institutions
It illustrates the laboratory’s openness to civil society and contemporary artistic practices.
Laboratory research – Axis 2: Multilingualism in Europe and language sciences
Axis 2 focuses on research areas in linguistics and language sciences, complemented over time by studies in translation studies and the rapidly developing field of digital philology.
The research hubs of axis 2
Linguistics and language sciences
At the historical heart of axis 2 lies linguistics and language sciences; research is developing around several points:
- representations of languages, particularly those of neighboring languages
- dialectal language areas
- languages in contact in cross-border areas
- Discourse analysis in the fields of press, media and political discourse in Europe
Translation and translation studies
Developed over more than 10 years, the “translation and translation studies” hub has since offered its “thinking about translation” conference series and cross-cutting events on this vast field.
Digital Philology and Digital Humanities
The Digital Philology unit has been structured around the development of digital humanities within the laboratory.
Digital humanities, of which the EVEILLE project is the central point, allows for cross-disciplinary work in digital philology with all literatures/civilizations and language sciences.
This cross-cutting and unifying research area promotes:
- cooperation between the different departments of the laboratory
- the integration of digital technologies into research methods
- the digital revolution that is underway in research in the humanities and social sciences and to take root in the field of Humanum
