Yasmine Slimani is a PhD candidate in Postcolonial Literature at the University of Bern, where she investigates themes of migration, trauma, and memory in Indian and Maghrebin Jewish literatures. Trilingual in English, French, and Arabic, she brings a cross-cultural lens to her work, grounded in academic experiences across Algeria, the UK, and Switzerland. Her interests lie at the intersection of Jewish studies, comparative literature, and diaspora narratives. In addition to her research, she is an experienced educator specializing in multilingual and inclusive approaches to English language teaching.
Title of research project
Cultural Hybridity and Jewish Memory: A Comparative Analysis of Indian and Maghrebin Jewish Literatures
Description of project
My research project explores how Jewish identities have been shaped by colonialism, diaspora, and cultural hybridity beyond traditional Eurocentric narratives. By focusing on Indian and Maghrebin Jewish literary texts, the research project challenges the Ashkenazi- and Holocaustcentered frameworks that dominate Jewish studies. Through a comparative literary analysis of works in English and French, it investigates how these communities express belonging, displacement, and postcolonial trauma in diverse imperial and national contexts. The study emphasizes three interwoven themes: the construction of hybrid cultural identities; divergent representations of migration and trauma; and the impact of colonial and postcolonial discourses on Jewish memory. Drawing on postcolonial theory, trauma studies, and intersectionality, the research project demonstrates how Indian and Maghrebin Jewish writers use literature to negotiate complex histories and identities often in the languages of former colonial powers. By highlighting lesser-represented voices and geographies within the Jewish diasporic literature, the research project contributes to a more inclusive and global understanding of Jewish memory and identity. It opens new pathways for transnational Jewish studies and offers critical insights into the enduring legacy of empire in shaping literary expression, cultural survival, and collective remembrance.
Research interests
Postcolonial Literature, Comparative Literature, Jewish Studies, Feminist Studies, Diaspora and Identity Studies, Migration Studies, Cultural Memory
