Alison Calhoun

Alison Calhoun is an Associate Professor of French and Italian and Adjunct Associate Professor of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance at Indiana University Bloomington. She serves as Director of Graduate Studies for French/Francophone Studies. Her research focuses on Early Modern French Literature and Drama, with expertise in Montaigne Studies, Theatre History, Opera/Dance History, and the History of Emotions. She holds a Ph.D. (2009) and B.A. (2002) in French and Voice from Johns Hopkins University.

Her scholarship explores intersections between literature, performance, and material culture. Key works include Montaigne and the Lives of the Philosophers (2015) and a forthcoming book on Technologies of the Passions on the French Baroque Stage, examining how stage machinery influenced emotional expression in early modern drama. Awards include the Trustees Teaching Award (2015-16) and fellowships from ACLS and the Wenner-Gren Foundation.

Dr. Calhoun teaches courses on French literature, drama, and interdisciplinary studies, including Early Modern French Drama and the Arts and French Literature and Music. Her research highlights how early modern scientific and technological innovations shaped artistic and emotional expression.