The New Editorial and Literary Landscape in Post-War France
(1944-1946)

In this talk, Dr Marie Puren (Liberation Collection Visiting Scholar 2024) will present her research on the Chadwyck-Healey Liberation Collection, held at Cambridge University Library. Marie’s talk will be accompanied by a display of items from the collection and a drinks reception.

This unique collection brings together over 3,000 works in French published during the Liberation and in the few years following the Second World War. The variety of genres covered and the diversity of authors and publishing houses provide a representative overview of French-language literature during this pivotal period, from both a cultural and political perspective.

Marie's research focuses on the role of Resistance literature in rebuilding national consciousness after WWII. Her aim is to examine how this literature, driven by the intellectual and political climate, contributed to shaping new political ideologies and cultural policies in post-war France. The originality of this work lies in the use of digital humanities techniques to uncover the ways Resistance narratives influenced public sentiment and political discourse.

During this presentation, Marie will explain the approach she has taken, by creating a digital corpus of a representative sample of the collection. She will explain the methods used and present her initial findings. Her presentation will demonstrate how the digital humanities can deepen our understanding of both the Liberation Collection and the political, cultural, and literary history of post-war France.

Please note this talk is in-person but will be recorded.

Host or Publisher Cambridge University Library Research Institute