Degenerative Realism: Novel and Nation in Twenty-First-Century France

Degenerative Realism: Novel and Nation in Twenty-First-Century France (Columbia University Press) by French professor Christy Wampole examines a new trend in best-selling French novels that use the realist genre in a new style she calls “degenerative realism.” These novels represent a range fears— from immigration and demographic change to new technologies and globalization — that often provide the backdrop for the collapse of civilization.

Paw in print

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Three people in tiger mascot costumes sit on orange stadium seats.
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March 2026

Mascots across generations; biome breakthroughs; international students make new plans.