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Education

• Ph.D. The Pennsylvania State University (2014)

• M.A. The Pennsylvania State University (2009)

• M.A La Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris III, France (2005)

Expertise

As a scholar, my work focuses on 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century Francophone studies, with an emphasis on postcolonial history, visual culture, gender and trauma studies, and literary theory. More specifically, my research examines how France’s colonial and imperial pasts are memorialized, negotiated, and contested in contemporary public space through the analysis of monuments, memorials, and visual interventions in French and Francophone cityscapes.

Anchored in public art, art history, and theories of collective memory, my work explores how nations and communities narrate traumatic histories, debating not only what is remembered, but also how, where, and why. I argue that these public commemorative practices often mediate, or even subvert, official, state-sanctioned narratives, allowing “proscribed” or marginalized memories to emerge alongside, or in tension with, “prescribed” forms of remembrance.

Publications

Khadraoui-Fortune, Sophia. “Her Body, Their Freedom: The Black Woman and the Performance of National Virtue in France’s Abolition Landscape.” Suite Française, vol. 8, 2025, pp. 217-247.

Khadraoui-Fortune, Sophia. “General Alexandre Dumas: A Century-Long Tale of Memorials.” Contemporary French Civilization, vol. 50.4, 2025, pp. 389-409.

Khadraoui-Fortune, Sophia. “Solitude, Monument Prothétique.” Contemporary French and Francophone Studies, vol. 27. 3, 2023, pp. 417-425.

Khadraoui-Fortune, Sophia. “The Abolition of Slavery.” in Postcolonial Realms of Memory, book edited by Étienne Achille, Charles Forsdick, and Lydie Moudileno, University of Liverpool Press, 2020, pp. 195-203.

Grant Funding

ALLICE Grant | 2023-2026

Title: Advancing Language Learning and Internationalization through Curriculum Enhancement (ALLICE)
Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Education (UISFL Program)
Amount Awarded: $278,709
Co-Directors: Dr. Sophia Khadraoui-Fortune, Dr. Rafaela Fiore-Urízar (PI), and Dr. Ryan Medders.

Achievements

Expanded Student Access to

1.  Faculty-Led Programs Abroad
   • Expanded travel course offerings in the French Caribbean (Martinique and Guadeloupe) and Puerto Rico
   • Awarded student scholarships to ensure equitable participation in international experiences
   • Funded faculty development and training through a new faculty-led program workshop in Costa Rica
2. Professional Development
   • Supported the development of global and career-oriented courses including French for the Professions
   • Provided free AVANT language proficiency testing and certification for French and Spanish majors and students in the Bilingual Authorization program
   • Funded equipment to ensure equitable access to testing
3. International Studies and Language Learning
   • Funded and organized outreach events with high schools and community colleges to strengthen recruitment pipelines
   • Enhanced community engagement through Spanish-language media initiatives and collaborative campus projects, including El Eco
   • Supported experiential learning opportunities in French and Spanish through cultural field experiences, including visits to museums, restaurants, and culinary programs