Melanie Bhend
Assistant Professor in French, MLC/Language Centre, Faculty of Arts
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Biography
I am an Assistant Professor in French at the School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies and the Language Centre. I hold an MA and BA in Comparative Literature and French from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and completed my PhD in French and Francophone Studies at the University of Nottingham in 2017. I also hold a PGCHE from the University of Nottingham.
I have worked at the University of Nottingham since 2013, as convenor, language and seminar tutor on French language and content (literature and linguistics) modules.
I am a member of Senate since 2022.
Expertise Summary
My expertise lies in French language and literature, with a particular focus on language attitudes, gender and language, and inclusive pedagogies.
Teaching Summary
I currently teach and convene French at the Language Centre, covering Inter Faculty French courses (levels 4-6) and second-year French language (post-beginner level) in the Modern Languages… read more
Research Summary
My current research interests revolve around language attitudes, gender-fair language in foreign-language teaching, gender, language and power, and inclusive pedagogies, with a focus on the role of… read more
Recent Publications
I currently teach and convene French at the Language Centre, covering Inter Faculty French courses (levels 4-6) and second-year French language (post-beginner level) in the Modern Languages Department.
Since the 2024-25 academic year, I have designed, convened, and taught the second-year undergraduate module "Gender and Language in French." This module examines the representation and evolution of gender in the French language, exploring how it has been problematized in literature through the works of Hélène Cixous, Monique Wittig, Anne F. Garréta, and Typhaine D. Additionally, the module addresses issues of gender in translation between French and English, including challenges related to machine translation (AI).
Current Research
My current research interests revolve around language attitudes, gender-fair language in foreign-language teaching, gender, language and power, and inclusive pedagogies, with a focus on the role of the teacher. I explore how individuals perceive, learn, and interact with languages, aiming to promote equality, diversity, inclusivity, and multilingualism in language education.
Past Research
My PhD thesis focused on the representation of madness and the voice of the mad narrator as voice of resistance against alienist discourse in French literature from 1830-1870.
I have also worked on digital technologies in teaching and learning, and have contributed to to a collaborative project on hybrid teaching with the University of Birmingham.