French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Badiou, Ph. Lacoue-Labarthe, J. Rancière, Mallarmé, Theatre, the Tribe
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

Mallarmé, Theatre, the Tribe

Alain Badiou, Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe, Jacques Rancière

Jean-Christophe Bailly (Preface)

A distinctly political concern, long obscured, runs through Mallarmé's work. His concept of theatre is its pivot and, as such, was the focus of a memorable debate that, on November 25, 1996, brought together Alain Badiou, Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe, and Jacques Rancière at the Odéon Theatre. Place, language, the tribe, the crowd, the poem, the Book—all these concepts embraced by the poet are shuffled like a dazzling deck of cards throughout the discussion among the three thinkers.
Previously unpublished, the text presented here reproduces the session in its entirety.

Stéphane Mallarmé, a towering figure of nineteenth-century French Symbolism, is often celebrated for his hermetic poetry and linguistic experimentation. However, this volume shifts the focus toward the latent political and social dimensions of his writing. By examining Mallarmé's unique conception of theatre, three of France's most influential contemporary philosophers—Alain Badiou, Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe, and Jacques Rancière—recontextualize his work. They move beyond purely aesthetic interpretations to explore how the poet envisioned the collective, the public sphere, and the modern community.

This transcript offers crucial insights into how concepts like the crowd, the tribe, the poem, and the Book intersect to redefine the relationship between art and politics. Readers interested in literary theory, continental philosophy, and performance studies will find here a rigorous interrogation of the stage as a space for collective experience. The book helps clarify how poetic language can address political questions without losing its artistic autonomy, making it an invaluable resource for understanding the philosophical reception of modern French poetry.