Literatures in the French language have become difficult to delimit in a time when their reconstruction and expansion are in full bloom. Until recently, the term “francophone” has been defined as French literature originating from outside of the Hexagon, as post-colonial literature and as minor literature, while today it signifies a cosmopolite literature. How is this tendency perceived outside of France and what place is given to French literature rooted in France in this new configuration?

In order to answer these questions, this study focuses on the journalistic reception of literatures in the French language in Sweden between 2005 and 2014. Situated in a semi-peripheral zone, Sweden is nevertheless an agency for global literary legitimation with a pronounced interest in African francophone literature. The findings localize this increased interest to 2006, where the critics particularly attempt to underscore an image of marginality, as well as of hybrid identity when commenting on this type of francophone literature. Sweden perceives this literature in an intercultural context, where France in most cases merges with the world, as if there was a need to recognize a different and new francomonde [franco-world] literature