David Bell

David Bell is a Professor at Princeton University, holding the Lapidus Chair in the History of Revolutions since 2010. A specialist in the Enlightenment and Atlantic Revolutions, he has previously taught at Yale and Johns Hopkins Universities, serving as Dean at the latter. His scholarly work includes seven books, two translated into French, and he contributes regularly to The New York Review of Books and Le Grand Continent. A Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Corresponding Member of the British Academy, Bell directed Princeton's Shelby Cullom Davis Center for Historical Studies from 2020 to 2024.

In spring 2025, Bell is delivering a series of guest lectures titled Towards a new history of the Enlightenment at the Collège de France, focusing on themes like Enlightenment historiography, societal autonomy, individual reinvention, and absolutist governance. His research bridges intellectual history with broader societal transformations, including the interplay of commercial capitalism and reader engagement during the Enlightenment.

• Scientific Awards: Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Corresponding Member of the British Academy