Professor Kamal Salhi is a distinguished academic at the University of Leeds, holding a Chair in Francophone and North African Studies within the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies. His interdisciplinary expertise spans postcolonial cultures, cultural anthropology, Islam and the performing arts, language policies, and representations of women. He has played a transformative role in developing Francophone Postcolonial Studies at Leeds, expanding the traditional French department into a broader, interdisciplinary field. Education: PhD with Distinction, University of Exeter (interdisciplinary: literature, drama, language, political history) MPhil, University of Exeter Law and Politics, University of Aix-en-Provence Certificate and Diploma in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, University of Leeds Training in cinema and theatre His research focuses on the cultural, political, and aesthetic dimensions of Francophone, North African, and Middle Eastern societies in colonial and postcolonial contexts. He employs cultural anthropology, postcolonial and decolonial theories, and discourse analysis to examine cultural production, language policies, and identity. A key area of innovation is the intersection of Islam and the performing arts, which he has pioneered through his founding of the journal Performing Islam . His recent publications reflect a sustained engagement with themes of identity, memory, resistance, and cultural transformation across North Africa and its diasporas. The articles span literary studies, cinema, theatre, music, and language policy, revealing a cohesive intellectual trajectory centered on decolonizing knowledge and amplifying marginalized voices. His work bridges the humanities and social sciences, with strong implications for policy and public understanding. Scientific Awards and Distinctions: 2019: University of Leeds Faculty Partnership Award for Supervisor 2017: University of Leeds Partnership Award for Supervisor 2016, 2015, 2014: Nominated for Inspirational Teaching and Innovation 2013: AHRC/ESRC Distinction for Project Leadership and Research Impact Visiting Professorships: University of Algiers and Tizi-Ouzou (2014–) Visiting Fellowships: Claremont McKenna College, State University of Oregon, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign British Council Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships Golden Egg Prize for Best Film (1985), Jury Prize at Mons Film Festival (1984) Kamal Salhi has supervised over a dozen PhD students, many focusing on postcolonial identity, gender, language policy, and cultural representation in North Africa and the Arab world. He has secured major research grants, including from AHRC and ESRC, and founded the Centre for Francophone Studies at Leeds. His leadership in academic publishing, through editing key journals and book series, has significantly shaped the field. He is actively involved in interdisciplinary research groups such as the Theatre, Music and Performance Politics group and the Centre for World Literatures, fostering collaboration across cultural and linguistic boundaries.








