Micheline Renée Lessard

Micheline Renée Lessard is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Ottawa, where she has been affiliated since July 1999. Her work focuses on the history of Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, with expertise in colonial and postcolonial studies, women's history, and human trafficking.

• Education
  • Ph.D. in History, Cornell University (1995)
  • M.A. in History, Cornell University (1989)
  • M.A. in History, Concordia University (1987)
  • B.A. in History and Journalism, Concordia University (1985)
• Current Teaching
  • HIS 2175 - Civilisations of Southeast Asia before 1800
  • HIS 1100 - History Lab: Ideologies of the Twentieth Century

Her research explores the intersection of gender, colonialism, and migration in French Indochina. Key themes include women's roles in anti-colonial movements, Sino-Vietnamese relations under colonial rule, and the institutionalization of human trafficking during the French colonial period. She advocates for historical methodologies that transcend teleological narratives and expand conceptual boundaries in Southeast Asian studies.

Lessard's recent publications, such as Human Trafficking in Colonial Vietnam (2015) and More than Half the Sky (2013), reflect her focus on marginalized voices in historical discourse, particularly women's experiences in trafficking networks and nationalist activism. Her work bridges labor history, feminist theory, and postcolonial analysis.

She is a member of the Association for Asian Studies and maintains active academic engagement through research collaborations and conference participation. Office hours are held in the Desmarais Building (DMS 9160) on Thursdays (4:00 PM - 5:30 PM) and Fridays (10:00 AM - 11:30 AM).