Philippe Desan, Howard L. Willett Professor in Romance Languages and Literatures, History of Culture, and the College, has been honored by the Académie Française with its Grand Prix du Rayonnement de la langue et de la littérature françaises.

The Grand Prix honors an entire career of scholarship, rewarding two to four scholars worldwide in the humanities and social sciences each year for their work spreading French language, culture, literature, and arts.

The Grand Prix recognizes Desan’s work on the French philosopher Montaigne. The author of the biography, Montaigne. Une biographie politique, Desan has also written a Montaigne dictionary, Dictionnaire de Michel de Montaigne, and served as editor of the journal Montaigne Studies.  

“I am happy to be recognized as one of the most important scholars on Montaigne,” said Desan. “I am proud that, although I have had a career in the USA for most of my life, France still considers my scholarship as influential and important enough to be given one of the most important prizes for scholarship in France.”

Desan will receive the award at a ceremony later this year on October 29.