About
David Harrison is Professor and Department Chair of French and Arabic at Grinnell College, with prior leadership as Director of the Center for International Studies (2007-2013) and Interim Director (2014-2015).
His academic credentials include:
- B.A. in French from Swarthmore College
- M.A. and Ph.D. in French from University of Wisconsin-Madison
Specializing in 17th-18th century French literary culture, Harrison is a renowned expert on the Duke de Saint-Simon's Mémoires—one of few Americans published in Cahiers Saint-Simon. His research spans Molière, Scudéry, Boileau, and Ninon de L'Enclos, with current work on the “enjouée” (witty woman) in French novels from L'Astrée to Corinne. He co-edited the bilingual La Princesse de Clèves pedagogical edition (Lever Press, 2022), reflecting his dual focus on scholarship and innovative teaching.
At Grinnell, Harrison teaches all French levels with advanced seminars including “Power and Resistance in 17th-18th Century France” and “Molière: Text and Performance.”
