Francophonie! conversation with Thomas Sandoz

Meet Swiss author Thomas Sandoz as we divulge into cultural psychological question of francophone literature’s creation and promotion in the small country of Swizerland and French's competition with the other three national languages.

Plus, each participant is eligible to win a signed copy of of "Croix de bois, croix de fer," during our free raffle giveaway! Must be present to win.

Light bites by Chez Nous and cash bar.

Event will be presented in French with an English translation by Karla Ewing. 

Swiss writer, epistemologist and doctor of psychology, Thomas Sandoz has published novels (La balade des perdus, Croix de bois, croix de fer, Malenfance, Les temps ébréchés, Même en terre, La Fanée, Gerb, 99 minimes), essays (Histoires parallèles de la médecine, La vraie nature de l'homéopathie, En somme) and monographs. He has also made a name for himself with popular science and cultural criticism articles, as well as several works for the stage. Alongside his personal projects, he runs writing workshops and works on commission as a cultural mediator. He has received several awards, including the 2011 Schiller Prize. La balade des perdus was included in the Spring Selection of the Prix Renaudot 2018.

In partnership with the Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta.

QU’EST-CE QUE CELA SIGNIFIE D’ÊTRE UN AUTEUR FRANCOPHONE SUISSE EN 2024 ?

Comment se présente aujourd’hui le monde du livre en Suisse, petit pays aux quatre langues officielles ? De quels moyens disposent les structures favorisant la création littéraire et sa valorisation (éditions, librairies, bibliothèques, manifestations, prix) ? Qu’en est-il dans la partie francophone du territoire ? La reconnaissance de la « littérature romande » (mais celle-ci n’a-telle jamais existé ?) passe-t-elle toujours par Paris ? Observe-t-on à cet égard un changement de posture chez les autrices et auteurs actifs ? Que disent-ils, par exemple, de la filiation historique, des genres, des formes, des dialectes ? Plus généralement, la littérature (produite en Suisse romande ou ailleurs) a-t-elle encore une place dans le marché culturel global ? Bref, qu’est-ce qu’être un auteur à l’ère du streaming et de ChatGPT ? Thomas Sandoz puisera dans ses expériences personnelles et dans la psychologie culturelle quelques éléments de réponse à ces questions et à celles qui naîtront de l’échange avec le public.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A SWISS FRANCOPHONE AUTHOR IN 2024?

What is the book world like in Switzerland, a small country with four official languages ? What resources are available for structures (publishing houses, bookshops, libraries, events, prizes) that encourage literary creation and its promotion ? What is the situation in the French speaking part of the country ? Does recognition of "French-speaking literature" (but has it ever existed ?) always come from Paris ? Is there a change in attitude among active authors ? What do they have to say, for example, about historical filiation, genres, forms and dialects ? More generally, does literature (whether produced in French-speaking Switzerland or elsewhere) still have a place in the global cultural marketplace ? In short, what does it mean to be an author in the age of streaming and ChatGPT ? Thomas Sandoz will draw on his personal experience and in cultural psychology to answer these questions, and others that will emerge from the discussion with the audience.

Thomas Sandoz (1967), écrivain et docteur en psychologie, se consacre à l'écriture sous diverses formes. Il a notamment publié en Suisse et en France – Grasset, Le Seuil, PUF – des romans, des essais et des monographies. Il est l’auteur de contributions variées, y compris pour la scène. Parallèlement à ses projets personnels, il travaille sur mandat comme médiateur culturel et conduit des ateliers d'écriture, en particulier dans les écoles. Il a reçu plusieurs distinctions littéraires.

Thomas Sandoz was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, in 1967. In many of his novels, Sandoz immerses himself in the emotional world of his characters and was awarded the Swiss Schiller Foundation Prize in 2011.