French Literature Reviews - 2026

B. Hamidi-Kim, Les Cités du théâtre politique en France depuis 1989
Theatre and Performance

Béatrice Hamidi-Kim, Les Cités du théâtre politique en France depuis 1989

Preface by Luc Boltanski

L'Entretemps

April 2013

• ISBN: 978-2-35539-163-7
• 30 euros

Publisher's overview

What could seem more self-evident today in France than describing theatre as having a "political" mission—sometimes also called "civic", "social", "critical" or "emancipatory"? Yet, as these false synonyms reveal, behind the commonplace that "all theatre is political" lies a complex and conflicting reality. This complexity stems from the diverse array of actors within the theatrical field: artists, intermediaries (public authorities, theatre directors, programmers, critics) and audiences. It is equally rooted in their differing conceptions of theatre, art, culture, and politics. To be properly understood, these various perspectives must be historicized and contextualized. When examining the diverse theoretical frameworks and practices found today, it is crucial to avoid any teleological and mono-normative approach—one based on a single ideal principle of "political theatre" used to judge all practices, or on the chronological supersession of one concept of "political theatre" by another. It is equally important that research does not replicate the hierarchies of institutional recognition and legitimacy that currently rank these different conceptions within the theatrical field. Drawing on the concept of the "polity" (cité), borrowed from the pragmatic sociology of Luc Boltanski and Laurent Thévenot, allows us to do justice to the plurality of ways in which these actors think and act. This book posits the hypothesis that four distinct polities exist—or rather coexist, in a more or less peaceful manner: the post-political theatre polity, the ecumenical political theatre polity, the polity dedicated to the refoundation of the theatrical and political community, and the militant political theatre polity.

* * *

An article discussing this book can be read on laviedesidees.fr:

"The Politics of Theatre", by E. Loyer.

"A scholarly study on French public theatre that successfully restores the discourse of public theatre practitioners as so many ways of conceiving membership in the City. It offers a particularly accomplished reflection on national cultural policy, its past experiments, its ideological shifts, and its potential future."

The institutional landscape of French theatre has long been shaped by debates concerning its civic and social responsibilities, involving artists, programmers, and public authorities alike. Rather than treating political performance as a uniform movement or applying a single normative standard, this study approaches the field through the sociology of polities developed by Luc Boltanski and Laurent Thévenot. This analytical framework accommodates the coexistence of different institutional visions and artistic practices without reproducing established hierarchies of cultural legitimacy.

The volume identifies four coexisting models shaping the theatrical field, ranging from post-political approaches to militant practices, each defining its own relation to the political community. Readers interested in contemporary French cultural policy, the sociology of the arts, and the theoretical foundations of modern dramatic practices may find this volume relevant to their inquiries into the intersection of performance and civic life.