Lynn Hunt

Lynn Hunt is a Distinguished Research Professor at UCLA's Department of History within the College of Social Sciences. She specializes in the French Revolution, cultural history, and human rights with extensive publications translated into 14 languages. Her research examines revolutionary politics, gender dynamics, and the origins of human rights.

Hunt earned her B.A. from Carleton College (1967) and M.A./Ph.D. from Stanford University (1968/1973). Her career includes positions at University of Pennsylvania and UC Berkeley before joining UCLA.

Her current research explores French revolutionary graphic arts and financial systems. Hunt's scholarship bridges political history with cultural analysis, examining how revolutions transform social structures and concepts of human rights.

Notable publications analyze the paradoxical origins of human rights, the cultural construction of political power, and the global impact of revolutionary ideas. Her work employs interdisciplinary approaches connecting historiography with psychology and political theory.

Awards include:

• Prix Albert Babeau (1980)
• Distinguished Teaching Awards (Berkeley 1977, UCLA 2013)
• Nancy Lyman Roelker Graduate Mentorship Award (2010)
• Guggenheim Fellowship (1982-83)
• Election to American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1991)

Hunt has directed 26 doctoral dissertations and served as President of the American Historical Association (2002-2003). Her international recognition includes honorary degrees and fellowships at institutions including École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales and Institute for Advanced Study.