URI_Research_Magazine_Momentum_Fall_2019_Melissa-McCarthy

literature and participated in a study abroad program in Angers, France. It was a pivotal experience. “Doors had opened,” she says, “and I had a cultural immersion. When I got back, I wanted to find a way to bridge both of my majors, and I did this through a year- long senior thesis.” Her project focused on the immigration policies of Nicolas Sarkozy, who at the time was France’s Interior Minister and later served as president. Graduate school at the Winthrop-King Institute for French and Francophone Studies at Florida State University exposed her further to immigration issues in France, particularly those pertaining to the North African population. “During my first semester, I read a book for class about the son of Algerian migrants in France, within a post- colonial context,” she says. “It made me very interested in researching this part of France’s history.” In addition to her research, she has taught courses in French and film and has organized film festivals on campus, bringing French-language film to the URI community.

France’s population is about 9 percent Muslim — the largest in Western Europe — and France continues to grapple with questions relating to integration and inclusion. By considering Muslim women’s perspectives through the lens of French cinema, Kealhofer-Kemp’s research contributes to a much-needed discussion about how cultural productions can bring often-silenced voices and perspectives to the fore, as well as shape perceptions. Kealhofer-Kemp’s distinctive research interests stem from a passion for French language and culture. She discovered her affinity for the French language through an introductory course in junior high school. Later, in high school, she was impacted by an inspiring French teacher who kept the study of French alive in their small town in Iowa. Kealhofer-Kemp traveled to France alongside her teacher, sister, and classmates. “Once I started using the language and meeting people in France, I immediately wanted to go back,” she says. “My world got a lot bigger when I started studying a language.” Fueled by these passions, Kealhofer-Kemp majored in French and political science at the University of Notre Dame. There, she took classes in French and Francophone

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