معرفی
William Marx is a Professor of Comparative Literatures at the Collège de France since 2019. Born in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon in 1966, he studied at the École normale supérieure and earned his doctoral degree from the University of Paris-Sorbonne in 2000. He has taught at universities in France, the United States, and Japan, and has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards including membership in Academia Europaea and honors from the Académie française.
His research focuses on the long-term evolution of aesthetic systems and the status of literature from Antiquity to the present day, examining how these vary across cultures. He has made significant contributions to genetic criticism and manuscript editing, particularly through his work on Paul Valéry and T.S. Eliot.
Marx's scholarly work demonstrates a consistent trajectory exploring the nature of literature, literary canons, and mental libraries. His publications span from Birth of Modern Criticism (2002) to his most recent Libraries of the Mind (2025), revealing a deep engagement with how literature functions across cultural boundaries and historical periods. His research shows particular interest in defamiliarization processes and transcultural literary systems.
His scientific recognition includes:
- Member of Academia Europaea
- Laureate of Académie française
- Laureate of Académie des sciences morales et politiques
- Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- Honorary member of Institut universitaire de France
- Laureate of International Francqui Professor chair
Marx regularly delivers lectures worldwide, engaging with institutions across Europe, Asia, and Africa on topics related to world literature and comparative approaches to textual analysis. His work bridges traditional literary scholarship with innovative approaches to understanding literature's global dimensions.
