Introduction: Reconsidering ‘Little’ versus ‘Big’ Periodicals

Abstract

Launching the special issue, this introduction posits the strong contrast between ‘little’ and ‘big’ periodicals in historical context and within languages, primarily the ‘petite revue’ in French and the ‘little magazine’ in English. Referring to key texts, it looks at the historical birth of this antagonism and examines various uses of the terms that foster an enduring critical category. It stresses the implications of such terminology and addresses some queries. Asking what makes such expressions so resilient, it briefly presents recent scholarly responses to outright rivalry, and concentrates on the way this special issue tackles the topic.