Modern Languages Professor Sophie Maríñez Appointed to Visiting Professorship at Sorbonne University in Paris

Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) Modern Languages Professor Sophie Maríñez has been appointed to a Visiting Professorship at Sorbonne University in Paris, starting September 1.

Professor Maríñez will be teaching two graduate courses at the Institute of Latin American Studies / Center for Research and Documentation of the Americas (IHEAL-CREDA), which offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in various disciplines. She will also explore the contemporary literary and artistic scene in Paris to renew her teaching repertoire in French literature and culture.

“Since the world is so interconnected, it is crucial to be aware of current events and cultural developments in other countries,” explained Professor Maríñez. “Such awareness fosters a broader perspective, allowing students to compare how different populations address similar issues at home—whether they are social changes affecting individuals from various backgrounds or younger generations responding to established structures and ideologies.”

In addition, as part of the Visiting Professorship, Professor Maríñez will participate in colloquia and academic events across the Sorbonne, meet like-minded scholars, and explore new collaborative opportunities. She will also be conducting research on her latest project, “Exiled in France?”

“Exiled in France” will explore the influence of France in Latin America as it competed with the U.S. for influence in the region during the Cold War—a period usually perceived as a bipolar universe torn between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

“I will focus on the Caribbean, where dissidents fled political repression in the 1960s, relocated to France (among other European countries), participated in the social and cultural movements of that period, and formed bicultural families,” explained Professor Maríñez. “This fall, I will build on the preliminary research I conducted in Paris last summer with the support of a Mellon/ACLS Community College Humanities Initiative research grant.”

Professor Maríñez notes that BMCC encourages students to take part in the College’s affordable study abroad programs.

“For instance, students who major in French at BMCC can spend an entire semester or even a year in Paris through the CUNY/Paris Exchange Program,” said Professor Maríñez. “And even if students cannot travel or study abroad, they can still gain transformative exposure through language, literature, music, cinema, visual arts, and other cultural productions—all of which help generate ideas and initiatives, and even lead to exciting professional opportunities.”