Building Bridges through Writing: An Interview with Rohini Bannerjee

Abstract

Rohini Bannerjee, the daughter of immigrant Settlers from Himachal Pradesh, India, was born and raised in unceded Mi’kmaki territory, on the Dartmouth side of the great harbour of Kjipuktuk. A scholar, translator and creative writer, Bannerjee’s primary research focuses on the literatures and cultures of the Francophone Indian Ocean. Her short stories and poetry—written in both French and English—explore themes of belonging, identity and body image. This interview took place on March 14, 2023, at the University of Salamanca, when Rohini Bannerjee led the seminar “W/Righting Trajectories of Diaspora,” organized by Dr. Jorge Diego Sánchez. It was finished in an on-line chatroom on November 14, 2023. In this interview, Rohini Bannerjee offers her perspective on issues such as identity, social rejection and body shaming. She also reflects on how her personal experiences have shaped her writing and underlines the crucial role of writers and educators in contemporary society.