Modern Language Faculty
French
Thierry Rene Durand - Professor of French Studies (Co-chair)
Walker 315
503-883--2474
tdurand@linfield.edu
Education: Thierry Durand studied philosophy and obtained his masters from the University of Lyon III, in France. He also received his masters and PhD in French literature from Washington University in St Louis, MO. His work focused on Blanchot's literary criticism. Before coming to Linfield as assistant-professor, he taught at Dickinson College, PA, and was a visiting assistant-professor at Middlebury College, VT, for one year. He was also twice the assistant-director for the University of Houston summer program abroad in Bourges, France and served as president of the Oregon Association of Teachers of French for two years, from 1998 to 2000.
Academic Interests: Literature (late XIXth and XXth century French) & Philosophy
Sylvain Fremaux - Lecturer of French and Francophone African Studies
Walker 315
503-883-1--2231
sfremau@linfield.edu
Mamadou Samb - Visiting Assistant Professor
503-883-
samb0017@umn.edu@linfield.edu
Education: Master. Cheikh Anta Diop University (Dakar, Senegal); PhD. University of Minnesota Twin cities (In progress).
Academic Interests: My research lies primarily in the area of Francophone, colonial, post-colonial, diasporic and transcultural studies. My work focuses on the literature and aesthetics of Sub-Saharan and North Africa Francophone cultural production (theatre, film, literature of the Sub-Sahara Africa and the Maghreb.) In short, I explore the dynamic of Francophone cultures in relation to history, politic, and colonization in order to uncover and understand key issues of present days African societies such as immigration, identities, genocide, democracy, and political struggles.
German
Gudrun Hommel - Associate Professor of German; Coordinator of European Studies
Walker 319
503-883--2476
ghommel@linfield.edu
Education: Gudrun Hommel, Associate Professor of German, graduated from Gymnasium and received her Abitur in 1975 in Mainz, Germany. She studied International Business for several semesters, then earned her B.A. with emphasis on German literature and Education from Portland State University in 1986. She earned her M.A. in German Language and Literature from Portland State Universiy in 1989, and her Ph.D. in Germanic Languages and Literatures from the University of Oregon in 1999. She wrote her dissertation about social criticism through female figures in German crime novels.
Academic Interests: Prof. Hommel's professional interests include technology in the Foreign Language classroom; socially critical crime novels; foreign language pedagogy; popular German culture; German politics; teaching with German film; film studies, in particular East German film (DEFA) and post-war film, East and West; German Studies; teaching freshmen writing
Peter Nichols Richardson - Professor of German (Co-chair)
Walker 322
503-883-2249
prichard@linfield.edu
Education: B.A. Stanford University (1964) M.A. Ohio State University (1966) M.Phil. Yale University (1968) Ph.D. Yale University (1970)
Academic Interests: Language pedagogy, linguistics, Latin, folklore, German literature, American English
Japanese
Masayuki Itomitsu - Assistant Professor of Japanese
Walker 325
503-883--2475
mitomit@linfield.edu
Education: Education: BA, University of the Ryukyus (Okinawa, Japan); BS, Truman State University; MA and PhD, The Ohio State University
Academic Interests: Japanese Language Pedagogy, Materials Development, Teacher Training, and Testing
Christopher Keaveney - Associate Professor; Administrative Coordinator of International Studies
Walker 321
503-883-2584
ckeaven@linfield.edu
Education: BA Manhattan College (New York); MA, PhD Washington University (St. Louis)
Spanish
Juan Manuel Gomez - Associate Professor of Spanish Modern Languages, Spanish Language and Literature
Walker 317
503-883-1--2544
jgomez@linfield.edu
Education: Associate Professor of Spanish. BS Montezuma College; BA San Jose State University; MA, PhD University of Oregon
Violeta Ramsay - Associate Professor of Spanish Modern Languages, Spanish Language and Literature; Coordinator of Latin American Studies; Co-chair of Modern Languages
Walker 316
503-883-1--2544
vramsay@linfield.edu
Education: Associate Professor of Spanish. BA, MA, PhD University of Oregon
Sonia Ticas - Assistant Professor; Coordinator of Latin American Studies
Walker 324
503-883-2367
sticas@linfield.edu
Education: Associate Professor of Spanish. BA California State University, Northridge; PhD University of California, Berkeley