HÉLÈNE CIXOUS

Hélène Cixous, the Algeria-born French intellectual, novelist, playwright, memoirist, prose poet, and feminist, is a phenomenon and literary star with an international following. With approximately 87 books and countless essays to her name, she is widely regarded as a major postmodern author and a pivotal figure in contemporary discourse. Her “life writing” comprises poetic fiction and autobiography, literary and feminist theory, art criticism, and theatrical works. In 1974 she created the first doctoral program in women’s studies in Europe at the University of Paris VIII. In the United States, she is best known for works that analyze and take issue with traditional Western notions about masculine and feminine gender. In honor of her 80th birthday in 2017, NYU hosted a three-day symposium: “Cixousversaire, A Celebration of Hélène Cixous.”