David Harrison Elected Executive Director of the Society for Interdisciplinary French Seventeenth-Century Studies

David Harrison, professor and department chair of French and Arabic has been elected executive director of the Society for Interdisciplinary French Seventeenth-Century Studies (SE17). He will assume the role of executive director-elect in 2025, and take the reins as executive director in 2026.

“I’m honored to be selected by my colleagues to serve as a leader during such a critical time for the humanities and for French studies,” Harrison said. “Our field has much to offer students, and it’s my job to make sure that faculty continue to feel inspired about the work that they are doing.”

The SE17 is an international organization that promotes the interdisciplinary study of early modern France. With a focus on 17th-century French culture and history, SE17 fosters scholarly exchange and collaboration across a variety of disciplines, including literature, history, music, theater, dance, and art history. 

Harrison’s research interests include the memoirs of Saint-Simon and the narrative fiction of Madame de Villedieu, as well as a recent award-winning translation of La Princesse de Clèves. In addition to his scholarly work, Harrison brings extensive leadership experience to his new role, having served as department chair and director of Grinnell’s Center for International Studies (now the Institute for Global Engagement). His vision for SE17 is to rekindle “the delight that we find in the objects of our study” and to “make SE17 the site for celebrating such pleasure and nourishing the friendships that develop out of it.”

Harrison’s appointment will strengthen Grinnell’s ties with a global network of scholars, enhance the College’s reputation as a center for excellence in French studies, and bring more opportunities for students to engage with research, attend conferences, and build connections with scholars from around the world.