Catherine Rideau-Kikuchi

Catherine Rideau-Kikuchi is a Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), which is part of Paris-Saclay University. She works within the Institute of Cultural and International Studies (IECI) in the Department of History. Her teaching spans multiple levels including L1, L2, L3, and Master's programs, covering subjects such as Medieval History, Documentary Research, Cultural History of the Middle Ages, and Cultures of Writing.

Dr. Rideau-Kikuchi's educational background includes:

• Doctorate in Medieval History from Paris-Sorbonne University (2016), with a thesis on "Venice and the world of books (1469–1530)" supervised by Élisabeth Crouzet-Pavan
• History Aggregation (2012), ranked 8th
• Master's degrees in History from Paris-Sorbonne University
• Student at the École Normale Supérieure, Paris (2008-2012)
• Preparatory class at Lycée Henri IV, Paris (2006-2008)

Her research focuses on the economic and social history of the late Middle Ages, particularly examining the paper industry, early printing history, and urban economic and social dynamics in medieval Italy. Dr. Rideau-Kikuchi investigates the development of the paper industry and its relationship with various trades and consumers, with special attention to book trades and administration. She also studies the history of early printing in Italy and Europe, analyzing the circulation of objects, texts, and actors that shaped this new cultural industry at the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th centuries from an economic and social history perspective.

Dr. Rideau-Kikuchi's publications reveal a consistent focus on Venetian book history, particularly examining printing networks, commercial relationships, and the economic structures of the early printing industry. Her work often employs comparative approaches to understand printing contracts and cross-cultural influences in European printing. She has made significant contributions to understanding German printers in early European printing contexts and the geographical diffusion of humanist literature.

Her scientific achievements have been recognized with notable awards:

• Monseigneur Marcel Prize from the French Academy (2019) for her monograph "La Venise des livres, 1469-1530"
• Young Researcher Grant from the Fondation des Treilles (2015)

Dr. Rideau-Kikuchi actively contributes to academic dissemination through multiple channels. She serves on the editorial board of the prestigious journal Annales HSS and is a member of the team behind the Twitch channel "Ca coule de sources." Previously, she co-founded and participated in the "Actuel Moyen Âge" collective until 2018, contributing articles to The Conversation. She has organized numerous academic events including workshops on documentary concordance, Franco-German online seminars on medieval history, and conferences on trade regulations and diaspora studies.

Her professional journey includes membership at the French School of Rome (2017-2018) and temporary teaching and research positions (ATER) at both Paris-Sorbonne University and University of Versailles Saint-Quentin before securing her current lecturer position in 2018.