Assoc. Prof Hélène BARTHELMEBS

Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences

Department of Humanities

Maison Sciences Humaines
11, Porte des Sciences
L-4366 Esch-sur-Alzette

MSH, E02 0225110

Hélène Barthelmebs was recruited as an Associate Professor in French Languages and Literatures at the University of Luxembourg in 2016. She also serves as Directrice d’études and Mobility Advisor.

Main research areas: Twentieth and twenty-first century literature, especially in Francophone areas; Feminine writing; Gender studies; Feminine authorship; Stylistic studies of French languages; Comparative literature; Relationship between Literature and Arts; Construction of identities in literature and in stylistics; Literary theory.

Since her Dissertation, Hélène Barthelmebs has been particularly interested in the link between French-speaking studies and gender studies, which appears to be one of the major challenges currently facing research in the Humanities. Her published and current work focuses on gendered constructions and women’s writing in French-speaking literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries. She recently wrote the monograph Regards sur la littérature francophone de 1950 à nos jours. During the last years, she co-edited several books, e.g. with Laetitia Saintes, Penser la place des femmes dans l’histoire littéraire francophone. Enjeux et perspectives [forthcoming, 2025]. She has also been responsible for the organization of many events, for which she took charge not only of the scientific aspects, but also of the fundraising and logistics.
Currently, Hélène Barthelmebs is working on a book on the trajectories and legitimisation strategies of twentieth-century Francophone women authors.

Hélène Barthelmebs teaches at the Bachelor and Master levels, offering specialized courses on French Studies (Critics, Literary History and Methodology) and interdisciplinary courses. Her courses are mainly taught in the “Filière des Études françaises” of the Bachelor en Cultures européennes and in the “Filière française” of the Master en Education secondaire.

Hélène Barthelmebs recently led the project “The Feather and the literary work: French-speaking female authors of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg as literary precursors (1900–2020)” (FNR CORE, 2021–2024), which contributed to further dissemination of Luxembourgish literature in French among international colleagues and the general public.

Before joining the University of Luxembourg, Hélène Barthelmebs taught at Université Paul-Valéry – Montpellier 3, France, as adjunct (2013-2016, ATER and Enseignante contractuelle) and Université de Haute-Alsace, France, as adjunct (2012-2013, ATER) and as Doctoral Fellow (2008-2012). She worked during one semester at the Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg, Germany, as adjunct (WS 2013, Lehrbeauftragte).