Staff research
Research in the Department of French at King’s College London was rated outstanding in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. Judging by the proportion of our research placed in the top two categories we were equal first among UK French departments; and we were second nationally (just behind Oxford) for work placed in the top category – research judged to be ‘world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour.’
This excellent record is driven predominantly by the research of individual scholars, but also by our involvement in collective projects, either within the Department, within the School of Arts & Humanities, within the wider field of French Studies, or in interdisciplinary connections both within and outside the academic context. While our research collectively is distinguished by a commitment to the full chronological range of French literary studies, and shows a consistent emphasis on some of the traditional research activities of the discipline (such as textual editing and archival research), the Department also has significant research strengths in some of the more recently developed areas of French Studies, such as French politics and history, postcolonial/ francophone studies, French cinema and visual culture, modern French thought and contemporary French philosophy. Research in the Department is also distinguished by the energetic fostering of dialogue and discussion between individual members of staff, which takes place in part through a regular research seminar, and in reading groups, but also in a vibrant context of overlapping interests.
You can find out more information about current research projects using the link on the left.