Richard Calis

Dr. Richard Calis is an Assistant Professor in Cultural History at Utrecht University. He specializes in the history of science, intellectual history, and cultural exchange in the early modern Mediterranean world. His research spans the Ottoman Empire, Early Modern Europe (France-Italy-Greece), and transnational scholarly networks.

• PhD from Princeton University
• University of Amsterdam & Università Ca' Foscari Venezia education
• Former Research Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge
• Visiting researcher at University of Tübingen, Oxford, Dumbarton Oaks

He explores cultural globalization through early modern ethnography, focusing on figures like Martin Crusius and the role of dialogue in divided societies. His 2025 Harvard University Press book The Discovery of Ottoman Greece examines Crusius' Mediterranean knowledge networks.

Scientific awards include the Honorable Mention William Nelson Prize (2019). He collaborates on projects like archives and power at the Huizinga Institute and studies Utrecht University's history and botanical gardens. His articles span topics from Protestant-Ottoman interactions to Renaissance reading practices.

• VENI grant recipient (Dutch Research Council)
• Contributor to Journal of the History of Ideas Blog, The Junto, and Marginalia