This text traces the theoretical reception of feminist literary theory in Sweden from the late seventies to the present day. Focus is on how the for feminist theory important but problematic dichotomy essentialism– constructivism came to play a decisive part in the change from Anglo– American theory to French feminist theory and then back to an interest in Anglo–American, though French-inspired, theory again. This development started with Toril Moi’s book Sexual/textual politics (1985). Moi took a very polemical stand against Anglo-American feminist literary theory, which, she argued, was too humanistic and created a concept of woman that was essentialistic. Moi saw French feminist theory as an alternative, and especially Julia Kristeva....