Bio
A native of France, Dr. Michèle A. Schaal received her PhD in 2012 from Indiana University, Bloomington. While ABD, she spent four years in Berlin, Germany, where she was part of the Free University’s Frankreich-Zentrum, a center devoted to French studies. Dr. Schaal joined Iowa State University in 2012 and is currently Professor of French and Women’s and Gender Studies. She is the leading specialist of Virginie Despentes’s, Claire Legendre’s, and Wendy Delorme’s work. Dr. Schaal is the author of Grrrl Writing: Virginie Despentes’s Authorial Politics (Peter Lang, 2026) and Une Troisième vague féministe et littéraire (Brill, 2017). She is also the co-editor of three journal special issues, including the 2018 Rocky Mountain Review dedicated to Despentes. She is currently working on a second monograph on Despentes and a co-edited special issue on Despentes for CFC Intersections. For the Department of World Languages and Cultures, Dr. Schaal teaches a variety of French courses, including French fairy tale princesses, multimedia literacy, and conversation.
Courses Taught (Past & Present)
- FRNCH 3010
- FRNCH 3020
- FRNCH 3050
- FRNCH/WGS 3700F
Research Areas
Virginie Despentes, Claire Legendre, Wendy Delorme, 20th and 21st French Women Writers, Contemporary French feminisms
Selected Publications & Awards
For Dr. Schaal’s publication and awards, see her CV linked above on this page.
Outside the university
Dr. Schaal enjoys baking and sometimes posts pictures of her cakes on social media.