French Studies
Newcastle has long been an important centre for French Studies. Currently we have strong research in Cultural Studies, Film Studies, Literature, Linguistics and Politics, History and Society. At the last national research assessment (RAE), we came in sixth position within the Russell Group of leading research universities. We provide a dynamic research environment, comprising staff of international prominence alongside a commitment to supporting younger researchers. Newcastle PhD graduates hold academic posts all across the country.
French is one of five subject groups within the School of Modern Languages (SML) which operates as a single administrative and academic unit.
Professor Guy Austin
Professor Maire Cross
Dr Hugh Dauncey
Dr Myriem El Maizi
Dr Sarah Leahy
Dr Franck Michel
Dr Jim Morrissey
Dr JC Penet
Dr Kathryn Robson
Dr Sandra Salin
Dr Marie-Claude Tremblay
Dr Richard Waltereit
Research Interests and Expertise
Areas of specific French research interest are:
- contemporary women's writing (Robson, El-Maïzi);
- French cinema (Austin, Leahy);
- history, politics and gender (Cross);
- language change (Waltereit);
- popular culture (media, sport, music) and public policy (Dauncey);
- postcolonial cultures (Austin, El-Maïzi);
- second-language acquisition (Tremblay);
- trauma and culture (Austin, Robson).
Each research-active scholar specialises in one or more fields and engages in the theoretical and methodological debates of the corresponding academic communities across the School and the Faculty.
There is a strong commitment to interdisciplinary research activity at School, Faculty, regional, national and international levels, which has been fostered through the establishment of centres for national and international research excellence in which French staff play a leading role; the Centre for Research in Linguistics and Language Sciences (CRiLLS), directed by Dr Richard Waltereit, and the Research Centre for Film and Digital Media (RCFDM), directed by Professor Guy Austin.Cross School Research
All staff are active in one or more of the School's fields of study:
Cultural Studies
Film, Media and Visual Arts
History, Politics and Society
Linguistics
Literary Studies
Translation and Interpreting Studies
Research Groups
- Association for French Language Studies (Waltereit)
- Association for the Study of Modern and Contemporary France (Cross (President); Dauncey)
- French Media Research Group (Dauncey (Co-Organiser))
- Society for French Studies (Dauncey; El-Maïzi; Robson)
- Society for Studies in French Cinema (Austin (General Editor); Leahy (General Editor))
- Society of French History (Cross)
- Web Journal of French Media Studies (Dauncey (Co-Editor); Waltereit (Editorial Board)
Scholarly Activity in Learning and Teaching
As well as its strong commitment to research, the section is also actively engaged with scholarly activity in language learning and teaching. The Section's language teaching team is currently working on the following projects:- E-Portfolio for Year Abroad Students (Michel);
- E-Tandem between English and French UG students to improve fluency (Penet);
- Practicing French Language Teaching in Higher Education for Erasmus Exchange Students (Penet, Salin);
- Translating in Professional Contexts (Salin).
External Engagement/Impact
Alliance Française Newcastle: Public Lectures (Cross, Michel, Penet)"Home" Filmmaking Project (Austin)
Side Cinema: Algerian and French film seasons (Austin)
Tyneside Cinema: Film season (Leahy)
Postgraduates
Caroline Cordier
Cecilia Gil
Jo Lumley
Mani Sharpe
Research Seminars
Externally funded Research Projects
Reflexive Marking in the History of French (R Waltereit, AHRC Fellowship)