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Welcome to the Centre for French History and Culture at the University of St Andrews

The St Andrews Centre for French History and Culture was founded in 2005 to enhance and expand the university’s existing strengths in French history. The Centre provides an intellectual and social focus for staff and students working in any field and on any period related to French and Francophone history and culture.

The Centre actively organises and supports a wide range of research seminars, ‘salons‘, international workshops and conferences. Working with colleagues elsewhere in Scotland and France, we are also members of an interdisciplinary postgraduate research network. Taken together, these varied initiatives help to advance the study of the history and culture of France and the Francophone world among staff, visiting scholars and students at all levels.

Staff

The French Centre draws on the support of its members from departments across the University.

Visiting Fellows

The Centre for French History and Culture historically hosted a Visiting Fellow every two years.
From 2023, this fellowship was superseded by annual Visiting Fellowships in the School of History. Scholars of French and Francophone subjects are warmly invited to apply.

Postgraduate Studies

We offer a designated specialist pathway in French history for taught postgraduate students. Drawing on the diverse areas of expertise of our staff, PhD students can receive supervision in French and Francophone history spanning the medieval to modern periods.

Publications

The Centre publishes St Andrews Studies in French History and Culture – a unique series of midigraph-length books. The books are fully peer reviewed, and are available for free in paperback or as e-books. Recently, the series has moved to OpenBooks Publishers, an open-access academic press. Author guidelines can be found here.

PUBLISHED DECEMBER 2018: Thomas A. Donlan, The Reform of Zeal: François de Sales and Militant French Catholicism

Read Linda Lierheimer’s review on H-France

View our full list of publications.