12^th International Women in French Conference Call for Papers

James Madison University  
Visible and Invisible Transgressions 
7-9 May 2026  

Theme: 

We are pleased to announce the call for papers for our upcoming WIF conference to be held May 7–9, 2026, on the theme “Visible and Invisible Transgressions.” This conference seeks to explore the various dimensions and implications of transgressions, both visible and invisible, across a range of disciplines and perspectives. Transgression is tied to the idea of limitation and informs the boundaries of what is considered acceptable. In his essay “A Preface to Transgression,” Michel Foucault explores the concept of transgression, its role in society, and its relationship to taboos, limits, and the sacred. In his tribute to Georges Bataille, Foucault refers to transgression as “a gesture that concerns the limit: It is there, in this thinness of the line, that the flash of its passage is manifested, but perhaps also its entire trajectory, its very origin. The line it crosses could well be its entire space” (1963). Transgression goes beyond mere violation of laws or norms to becoming a movement that exceeds and complements the limit it crosses.

The conference theme “Visible and Invisible Transgressions” explores the dynamics of transgression in various forms and contexts. It seeks to examine acts that challenge boundaries, norms, and taboos, both as “public and hidden transcripts” (James Scott, 1990). It invites discussions on the perceptions, representations, and regulations of transgression. The conference aims to delve into the different layers of transgression and its prospects in various social and political structures, which include but are not limited to any work of art involving power dynamics.

Beyond the various reasons or motives behind transgression, some questions may arise. Is transgression a type of aggression, or is it reactionary? Can transgression equate to resistance, freedom, or social transformation? What is deemed transgressive? What does it mean to transgress? Who defines the boundaries, and who crosses them, silently or defiantly? How can transgression be displayed? What are the layers of transgression? What role or purpose can transgression play in the dichotomy of the sacred and the profane? What are the implications of these transgressions for individuals and societies? What is the layer between visible and invisible transgressions? Are there limits to transgression? Can transgression be dehumanizing, just like invisibility, as discussed, for example, by Guillaume LeBlanc in L’invisibilité sociale (2009)?

This theme invites interdisciplinary dialogue on the multiple ways in which transgressions – social, cultural, political, gendered, aesthetic, linguistic, or spatial – are made visible, erased, silenced, or rendered invisible. We welcome contributions that interrogate the tension between normativity and subversion, and the forces that make certain acts or bodies more visible or vulnerable than others.

Topics may include but are not limited to:

• Censorship, resistance, and the politics of visibility
• Gender and queer transgressions
• Transgressions in postcolonial and decolonial contexts
• Language, accent, and code-switching as sites of transgression
• Bodies and borders: migration, displacement, and exclusion
• Artistic, literary, and cinematic representations of the forbidden
• Surveillance, opacity, and the right to invisibility
• Religion, taboo, and cultural normativity
• Environmental transgressions and climate justice
• Intersectionality and layered forms of transgression

We welcome abstracts from scholars, artists, and activists across disciplines including literature, film studies, gender studies, cultural studies, history, sociology, philosophy, and more.

"One Book, One WIF" Project:

In partnership with our colleagues at WIF UK, Women in French is participating in the “One Book, One WIF” project. Established in 2017 by Stephanie Schechner, this program promotes the study of little-known French or French-speaking authors. The author selected for the 2026 conference is Rajae Benchemsi for her novel Lumière d’exil (Marrakech - bio https://womeninfrench.org/current-selections). We welcome proposals for papers or panels on this writer and her work.

Special Session: “Teaching Transgression/Teaching and Transgression”

This panel invites papers that explore the concepts of Teaching Transgression and Teaching and Transgression, both in theory and in practice, across regions and fields of study beyond the scope of French/Francophone Studies.

Teaching Transgression refers to teaching as an act of boundary-breaking and liberation, designing courses that deliberately challenge conventional ideas and encourage students to think critically and radically. Key works include bell hooks’ Teaching to Transgress, where teaching is framed as an act of rebellion and freedom; Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970), where critical pedagogy becomes a tool of emancipation; and Henry Giroux’s Border Crossings: Cultural Workers and the Politics of Education (1992), which portrays education as a site for cultural resistance and political struggle. In this sense, teaching invites students to question authority, cross social, political, and cultural boundaries, and imagine new possibilities.

By contrast, Teaching and Transgression considers education and acts of transgression as two related but not necessarily merged phenomena. This approach may involve studying how educational institutions provoke, regulate, or respond to acts of transgression. Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish (1975) provides a framework for understanding how schools and institutions discipline behavior through knowledge and power structures. Elizabeth Ellsworth’s Teaching Positions: Difference, Pedagogy, and the Power of Address (1997) further examines how power, race, and identity interact with teaching practices, often revealing moments of transgression within pedagogical spaces.

This session welcomes proposals that include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• Teaching as an act of liberation or resistance
• Critical pedagogy and radical teaching practices
• The politics of knowledge, authority, and classroom dynamics
• Institutional discipline, surveillance, and transgression
• Pedagogies of discomfort, risk, and dissent
• Discomfort in classrooms
• Transgressing institutional norms
• Intersectionality and transgression in educational settings
• Postcolonial, feminist, or decolonial approaches to teaching transgression
• Comparative studies of teaching methods across disciplines or institutions

Papers may engage theoretical frameworks, offer case studies, or reflect on pedagogical experiences that illustrate or challenge the boundaries between teaching, learning, and transgression.

Submission Guidelines:

We welcome proposals for individual papers or panels.

• Submissions in both languages (French and English) are accepted.
• Length of abstract to be submitted: 250-300 words
• The length of the title of the papers: 100 characters maximum

Note for Panel Submissions:
For panel proposals, only one person, typically the panel organizer and/or moderator, should submit the proposal on behalf of the group. Please collect all required information in advance. The submission form will ask for:

• Panel title
• Panel overview describing the theme and objectives
• Name of moderator
• Contact information, paper titles, abstracts (250–300 words), and short bios (max 100 words) for each panelist (min 3, max 5 presenters)

For all submissions, please follow the link: https://jmu.questionpro.com/WIF2026

Contact Information: For any questions, feel free to contact Dr. Amina Saidou @ saidouax@jmu.edu. 
We look forward to receiving your proposals. 

Timetable:

• October 19, 2025: submission of proposals
• December 19, 2025: notification of acceptance or rejection.
• January 9, 2026: end date for early registration
• January 30, 2026: normal registration ends
• February 27, 2026: Late registration online
• February 27, 2026: Speakers selected by the Scientific Committee must be members of Women in Frenchbefore this date in order to present. Also, if you are not a current WIF member, you can get the introductory free one-year membership. Upon acceptance, please contact Anne Marcoline @ marcoline@uhcl.edu)
• April 3rd, 2026: deadline for refund in case of withdrawal

Organizers and Selection Committee:

Dr. Amina Saidou: saidouax@jmu.edu 
Dr. Verónica Dávila Ellis: davilave@jmu.edu 
Dr. Yenisei Montes de Oca: montesyx@jmu.edu