معرفی
Cheryl Toman is Professor of French and Department Chair of the Department of Modern Languages & Classics at the University of Alabama, specializing in Francophone African and Middle Eastern women's literature through rigorous academic leadership and scholarship.
Education:
- PhD in Interdisciplinary French Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- MA in Linguistics, University of Chicago
- MA in French, University of Illinois at Chicago
- Université de Paris--Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris III)
- Université de Paris–Sorbonne (Paris IV)
- BA in Teaching of French and Russian, University of Illinois at Chicago
Research Interests: Dr. Toman pioneers critical analysis of African women's writing with concentrated focus on Gabon, Cameroon, and Mali, while extending her expertise to Arab women's literature in the Middle East. Her scholarship interrogates gender dynamics, cultural identity, and postcolonial discourse through frameworks of feminist theory and linguistic diversity, notably demonstrated in her award-winning work on bilinguism.
Publication Trends: Recent publications reveal consistent thematic emphasis on marginalized voices, examining literary responses to political conflict, linguistic oppression, and cultural erasure across Francophone Africa and the Arab world. Her work demonstrates methodological rigor in connecting women's narratives to broader sociopolitical movements and cultural preservation efforts.
Scientific Awards:
- 2024: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Short-Term Fellowship
- 2022-2023: U.S.–ASEAN University Connections Initiative Fellowship
- 2021: Chaire Genre from Institut du Genre / CNRS
- 2020: Officier in France’s Ordre des Palmes Académiques
- 2019: Fulbright International Education Administrator Award to Germany
- 2016: President of Biennale de la Langue Française (first American and woman)
- 2011: Brown Foundation Fellowship at Dora Maar House
- 2007: Fulbright to Lebanon
Advising and Grants: As Department Chair, Dr. Toman mentors graduate students in French doctoral programs while securing major research funding through competitive international fellowships. Her grant portfolio reflects exceptional recognition from institutions including the New York Public Library, French government honors, and binational educational initiatives across three continents.
