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About the University Seminar on Early Modern France
The University Seminar on Early Modern France, formerly known as the "Salon," started as a graduate student-run group. It is part of the University Seminars at Columbia University. The Seminar is grateful to Pierre Force, Chair of the Department of French and Romance Philology for his continued involvement and assistance.
The Seminar has a long history in the Department of French and Romance Philology at Columbia University. It originated as an informal weekly gathering of graduate students with a common interest in literature and other issues related to the Early Modern period. Today the format is slightly modified in that each meeting centers around a guest (usually a scholar specializing in literature of the period) but the original spirit of conviviality and informal discussion remains at the heart of the group. We have had the pleasure of hosting such established scholars as Christian Biet (Paris X), Tom Conley (Harvard), Patrick Dandrey (Sorbonne), Pierre Force (Columbia), Yves Hersant (EHESS) and Thomas Kavanagh (Yale), as well as many of the emerging and newer voices in the field.
The focus of the Seminar is the cultural and intellectual history of Early Modern France (from 1500 to 1800) and the approach is interdisciplinary. The seminar includes literature scholars, historians and philosophers. The current format, which has proven very successful, consists in circulating a relatively short piece written by the invited speaker among the group members and to discuss it at the meeting. Thus, instead of a formal talk followed by a few questions, there is an in-depth, 90-minute conversation.
The Seminar is graduate student-run and meets approximately bi-weekly, although our calendar is organized around the guests' schedules. Our members consist primarily of graduate students and professors from the Department of French and Romance Philology specializing in the Early Modern period, as well as faculty and students from related Columbia departments, such as History and Philosophy.
For any questions related to the University Seminar on Early Modern France, scheduling and membership please contact Benjamin Young, the Seminar organizer. If you are not a member of the Seminar, please visit our Membership Information page.
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