De part et d’autre de la frontière franco-italienne

Les regards croisés de Tina Merlin et François Cavanna sur la grande migration

Abstract

 This article analyses literary narratives concerning Italian migrant workers on both sides of the border between France and Italy through two works by François Cavanna and Tina Merlin. By comparing the personal perspectives and socio-historical contexts presented in their accounts, the study highlights the similarities and divergences between these narratives. Cavanna and Merlin both use language, objects, bodies, and traditions to give voice to otherwise hidden from view migrant workers. This analysis compares two accounts of the same phenomenon of unskilled labor migration, placing particular emphasis on the influence that the border perspective exerts on these narratives. Ultimately, the article aims to showcase the political and sociological significance of both literary works.