Heather Macfarlane

Heather Macfarlane is an Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at Queen’s University, within the Faculty of Arts and Science. She holds a PhD and MA from the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on space, place, and sovereignty in Indigenous, diaspora, and settler texts across English and French Canada, alongside literature’s role in education, decolonization, and mental health. She is currently leading an SSHRC-funded project exploring literary land claims in Indigenous and diaspora texts.

Her work bridges comparative literature, cultural studies, and Canadian studies, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to decolonial frameworks. Key research areas include Indigenous literary expression across linguistic divides, the intersection of oral and written traditions, and the impact of storytelling in societal contexts.

Macfarlane has published widely on topics such as the literary road narrative, national identity, and Indigenous-French-English textual dialogues. Her recent work underscores literature’s vital role in contemporary societal challenges, including reconciliation and mental health advocacy.