Kathleen Gyssels

Kathleen Gyssels is a Professor of French and Francophone literatures at the University of Antwerp, specializing in Diaspora Studies, Comparative studies, and Postcolonial theory. Her academic career spans over three decades, with affiliations at institutions including Universiteit Wilrijk, UFSIA, and guest professorships at University of Leuven, Ghent, Tunis, Warsaw, and Amiens.

• Current research mandates include Haitian and Caribbean authors in English/French
• PhD director for interdisciplinary projects in Mizrahi literature (Hebrew/Arabic/French/English)
• Collaborations with CUNY, Ca' Foscara University, and Académie des sciences de l'Outre-mer

Her research focuses on postcolonial literatures, intertextuality, indentured labor in the Caribbean, and digital humanities. She explores intersections between Jewish migration, Caribbean studies, and critical race theory, particularly examining legacies of colonialism and totalitarianism.

Recent publications analyze the works of Édouard Glissant, Léon-Gontran Damas, and Maryse Condé, emphasizing transnational connections and decolonial methodologies. She guest-edited special issues on Cixous, Schwarz-Bart, and Régine Robin's contributions to postcolonial discourse.

Scientific Awards

• PRIX FONDATION AUSCHWITZ (2020-2021) for Shoah literature expertise
• Founding member of RIMELL interdisciplinary research network
• Member of Académie des Sciences de l'Outre-mer (Brussels)

Gyssels serves on PhD committees internationally and reviews for journals like Literary Research, Arcadia, and Nouvelles Etudes Francophones. Her work bridges Caribbean, African, and European literary traditions through comparative and diasporic frameworks.