People always ask me why I decided to study German, and being a South-Asian woman, there is a misconception that we tend to study science or business-related subjects. However, I want to demonstrate how this language can interest anyone, regardless of their background.
Why did you choose to study German and Linguistics at Queen Mary?
I chose Queen Mary, mainly because of the modules and courses. Many universities did not offer modules that would interest me, and their courses had a huge focus on WW2 related topics. However, Queen Mary offered many interesting and diverse modules.
I want to combine my passion and knowledge for German studies with my own culture and discover some unexplored topics. When explaining my essay topics to people, such as the representation of witches in German and Bollywood films, they often do not understand the link between these two cultures, however, there is so much to German culture which allows you to explore different subjects such as history, drama, literature, film studies, business studies, and psychology.
What are you doing now and what are your plans for the future?
I finished my MA at UCL in September and did my dissertation in German studies. My research focused on how migrant women - especially women of colour - and violence, were presented in German migration films (between 2009-2021). Although I discovered my passion for film studies at UCL, I decided to pursue a PhD in German theater studies. Dr Gillett at Queen Mary made me fall in love with Brecht and partaking in theater performances made my decision easier. I am excited to start my PhD at King’s College this October, and what I am most excited about is being able to bring a different outlook to German studies. My career goal is to work in academia; I want to become an expert in German-South Asian studies, because this intercultural relationship is often neglected.
In your opinion, why should more people study languages at university?
Studying languages can open so many doors, and it allows people to explore various subjects and topics. You do not have to stick with one thing throughout your whole degree. Studying a language does not mean you just learn the grammar and how to speak the language, but you learn about its culture, the people, and the importance of it too. Additionally, studying languages challenges you intellectually whilst keeping studying in general interesting. Furthermore, having a language and combining it with another course, like business, linguistics, or law, also highlights diverse skills and knowledge to employers. Whether you want to stay in the UK or move to a different country, your language knowledge provides you with more options.
This profile was conducted by Alumni Engagement Coordinator, Nathalie Grey. If you would like to get in touch with Melissa or engage her in your work, please contact Nathalie at n.grey@qmul.ac.uk.