Jean-Louis Fournel

Professor Jean-Louis Fournel is a distinguished scholar of Italian Studies and Renaissance political thought at Paris 8 University. Since 1997, he has held the position of Professor in the Department of Italian Studies. His research focuses on the history of political ideas in Renaissance Italy, rhetoric, and the evolution of vulgar language during this period. He is a co-founder and animator of the CERPPI (Centre de Recherche sur la Pensée Politique Italienne), now part of the CNRS UMR 5206 'Triangle' research unit in Lyon.

Education: École Normale Supérieure de Saint-Cloud (1979–1986), Agrégé d'Italien (1983), PhD in Italian Studies (1989), and HDR in Renaissance political thought (1994). He has held roles such as Maître de Conférences at Paris 8 (1989–1997) and taught at Lycée Descartes (1988–1989).

Research interests include the history of Italian republicanism, Machiavelli's political discourse, and the topology of literature. His recent publications explore the prehistory of the 'Renaissance' concept and the semantics of political language in early modern Europe. He has co-edited volumes on Renaissance historiography, Savonarola, and Machiavelli's legacy.

Professional activities include editorial roles in journals like Giornale Storico della Letteratura Italiana and organizational leadership in international research programs, including EU Tempus projects and ANR-funded studies on early modern political thought.