Professor of the Practice in Turkish Language and Culture Convener of Turkish, Hindi-Urdu and Persian
Spring 2024 Office Hours: Tu 2 to 3 W 10 to 11 in person or via zoom Th 10 -10:50
Roberta Micallef is Professor of the Practice in World Languages and Literatures in the Department of World Languages and Literatures. She teaches courses on modern Middle Eastern Literature, Modern Middle Eastern Film, Turkic Literatures, and Travel Literature. Micallef is a core faculty member in the Women’s Gender and Sexuality Program. Micallef is an active member of the Turkish language teaching community. She has served as the Executive Secretary and the President of the American Association of Teachers of Turkic Languages.
Micallef is the recipient of the Susan Jackson award (2020).
Micallef’s scholarly works reflect her interest in foreign language pedagogy as well as literary studies. She has received funding for and led national projects on Turkish proficiency guidelines, Curricular Framework for Turkish. Micallef’s literary scholarship is focused on women’s narratives and an investigation of the “female gaze.” Her research resulted in publications about Turkish women and their agency whether as political prisoners or travelers. Micallef is also engaged in literary translation.
Micallef is the co-editor of On the Wonders of Land and Sea Persianate Travel Writing (2013) and editor of Illusion and Disillusionment Travel Writing in the Modern Age (2018). Most recently she contributed to a volume titled, Worlds of Knowledge in Women’s Travel Writing.
Watch Prof. Micallef’s lecture “Representing Herself: Turkish Women’s Autobiographies and Narratives,” the Campagna-Kerven talk on Modern Turkey (2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2EeSeyqMtQ
Read Prof. Micallef’s translation of “Kesik Bıyık” by Ömer Seyfettin. https://international.ucla.edu/media/files/Mustache3192021-33-kip.pdf
Read Prof. Micallef’s translation of Ayla Kutlu’s, Ay ve Su or The Moon and Water. http://www.bu.edu/pusteblume/8/issue-2-micallef-translating-kutlu.htm