Catherine Nesci

Catherine Nesci is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Comparative Literature and French Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She holds courtesy appointments in the Departments of Germanic & Slavic Studies and Feminist Studies. Her research bridges gender studies and literary urban studies, with a focus on modern and contemporary French and Western literatures. She co-directs the “Culture & Conflict” book series for Walter de Gruyter Publisher.

Her scholarly interests span 19th-century French literature and cultural studies, feminist theory, post-colonial Francophone literature, Holocaust studies, disability studies, and memory studies. She has authored two monographs, co-edited three books, and published over 70 articles/chapters. Current research includes a book manuscript on memory in narratives by French-speaking women writers.

Grants & Awards:

• American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship
• Albert and Elaine Borchard Foundation Grant
• Mellon Fellowship (Department of French, NYU)

Teaching & Professional Experience:

• Previous appointments at Bryn Mawr College, New York University, and the University of Paris-7 Denis Diderot
• Expertise in literary urban genres (flânerie, detection, Noir) and gendered cityscapes

Her interdisciplinary work integrates care studies, remediation theory, and Holocaust studies, reflecting a commitment to intersectional literary analysis.