The Thrill of Rail

The Thrill of Rail Forum Vies Mobiles Wed, 05/22/2013 - 15:47

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Transports collectifs

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Sous-titre

Literary evening held on 14 November 2012

Visuel

Chapô

Literature is, among other things, a source of knowledge, so we looked to two French-language writers for whom the train is an essential part of their storytelling, and staged readings from their novels. Also taking part in the evening were a writer and critic, academics and SNCF professionals. All these points of view helped to broaden our understanding of railroad mobility.

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Ajouter le trianglesi ce contenu est affiché dans la quinzaine

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Thématique

Alternative mobilities

Introduction

Introduction Forum Vies Mobiles Thu, 08/22/2013 - 15:48

Présentation longue

On 14 November 2012 the Forum tried a new experiment: to look at railroad mobility and its challenges within a literary workshop, by discussing various literary works in French from the 20^th and 21^st centuries.

The aim was to encourage debate between social science academics and SNCF professionals, all of whom being involved in mobility issues. They were gathered around the Master of Ceremony for the evening, the writer and critic Jean-Pierre Martin.

Do writers feel what academics conceptualise? Do academics deconstruct what writers describe? Are academics lagging behind writers? Are writers biased? Or is it the other way round?

These were some of the questions underpinned by readings and commentaries around the selected texts, each of which, in its own way, presented “the social and emotional makeup of the train traveller”.

General introduction to the evening – Jean-Pierre Martin