Michèle Bacholle - Professor of French, World Languages and Cultures

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Michèle Bacholle came to Eastern in 1999: “My first full-time teaching position was at Colby College in Maine. My heart was in southern New England and I was hoping a position would open in French Studies at Eastern. I liked its size, the closeness to students, and the possibility to teach what I was passionate about all the while conducting my research.”

Professor Michèle Bacholle is a world-renowned scholar in contemporary French and Francophone women’s literature, on which she has published many books and numerous articles. She regularly writes reviews for the Creative Works section of The French Review and presents at international and national conferences. Her research interests also include the Algerian war of independence and immigrant literature. As the only full-time French professor at Eastern, she teaches language, culture, cinema and literature courses. She also regularly teaches in the First Year Program. She has been a CSU Professor since 2019. In 2018 she received Eastern’s Distinguished Professor award.

Favorite courses to teach?

“There are two: ‘Introductory French’ because I just love teaching languages courses and pointing out linguistic and cultural differences, and ‘Global Perspectives on Women’s Issues’ because students discover what women’s plight is in non-Western countries, they reflect on the situation in the United States, and they help Haitian students through a fundraiser.

What are your research interests?

“My primary research is on French and Francophone women writers and directors, but I’ve also published books and articles on the Algerian war of independence. My latest book was on suicide loss survivors (we organized the ‘Ribbons of Remembrance’ event for our students and the community). I am currently working on a book project on the various forms of violence experienced by women in French works of autofiction and subsequent rebellion.”