James Austin

James Austin is an Associate Professor of French and Chair of the Department of French at Connecticut College, where he has taught since 2003. He also serves as an associate faculty member in the Film Studies program.

His educational background includes:

• B.A. from Pomona College
• Studies at École Normale Supérieure as Ancien Pensionnaire Étranger
• M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. from Yale University

A specialist in Marcel Proust and French cinema, Austin's research examines intersections of literature and film with focus on urban/suburban spaces, national identity construction, and postmodern aesthetics. His work analyzes how French cultural production negotiates spatial politics and historical narratives through cinematic and literary forms.

His publications reveal consistent engagement with French cultural evolution—from 2001 digital heritage films to banlieue cinema—demonstrating how film reconfigures national identity and spatial representation. Current research extends this trajectory through a monograph on Chris Marker's avant-garde filmmaking.

Professor Austin teaches interdisciplinary courses including 'Cities on the Screen,' 'New Wave Film,' and 'Historicizing France,' bridging French language, literature, and film studies. As department chair, he leads academic programming while maintaining research ties to Parisian archives.