| Summary: | The “waves” metaphor, which emerged in 1970s to describe the history of feminist mobilizations in the West, has been increasingly challenged in the academic field since the 1990s, when discussions of the “third wave” of feminism emerged. This article reviews the academic and activists’ uses of the metaphor, providing both a historical account and deeper understanding of its political implications. A case study of the wave metaphor in France highlights the international circulations of designations between the activist and the academic discourse. It reveals the existing tensions around what activities or initiatives are included in the various waves, which bodies are present, and when the waves arise or die.
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