Caroline Laurent

Caroline Laurent is an Assistant Professor in the French Studies and Modern Languages department at the American University of Paris (AUP), where she teaches French language and courses on Francophone cultures and literatures. She joined AUP in 2021 after teaching Postcolonial Studies at Sciences Po, African Literature at King's College London, and Romance Literatures at Harvard University. Her research focuses on 20th- and 21st-century French and Francophone literatures, with emphasis on genocide representation, memory studies, and postcolonial narratives.

Laurent holds a Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures from Harvard University (2016), an M.Phil. in European Literature and Culture from the University of Cambridge (2006), and a BA in Comparative Literature and Social Sciences from AUP (2004).

Her current research projects include analyzing literary and graphic representations of genocidal violence (e.g., Holocaust, Rwanda genocide, Khmer Rouge era) through the lens of indirect witnessing and exploring the circulation of art representing Francophone histories to dismantle monolithic national narratives. Recent work examines Francophone African literature, Cambodian sequential art, and Vietnamese diaspora narratives.

Laurent has presented at international conferences such as MLA, NeMLA, and the International Association of Genocide Scholars. She is affiliated with organizations like the Memory Studies Association and the Modern Language Association.