Jean-Louis Roch

Jean-Louis Roch is a Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Rouen, having previously served as an Associate Professor of History since 1973. His career includes teaching in middle and high schools before joining academia in 1993. He holds a 3rd-cycle thesis (1986) titled Words are also part of history. Vocabulary of poverty and marginalization of the poor, 1450-1550, supervised by Michel Mollat.

His research focuses on medieval work history, urban elites, and Normandy’s drapery industry. He co-founded the notary database project in Rouen with Élisabeth Lalou and others, analyzing medieval legal systems. Key publications include studies on medieval trades, Rouen’s drapery crisis, and urban elite structures.

Roch’s work bridges historical analysis with linguistic and archaeological approaches, as seen in his contributions to Tabellionages and Gracious Jurisdiction in Northern France and studies on medieval processions and social hierarchies. His research emphasizes labor practices, poverty dynamics, and the interplay between economic and cultural systems in medieval Europe.

He has contributed to academic committees for prestigious volumes such as Castles and Springs and The medieval city inside and beyond its walls. His reviews span economic history and medieval literature, showcasing expertise in both primary sources and interdisciplinary methodologies.