Dr. Paul Cheney

Biography

Paul Cheney is a historian specializing in Europe, focusing on the early modern period, particularly old regime France and the colonial empire. He began his PhD training at Columbia University, where he studied political economy at the New School for Social Research. His teaching experience includes Columbia University, the European College of Liberal Arts in Berlin, and Queen's University of Belfast. A central theme in Professor Cheney's work is the interest in early modern capitalism, specifically the challenges posed by modern social and political forms that emerged from traditional society. His work examines the integration of France into a globalized early modern economy using a diverse methodological approach, contributing to intellectual, economic, and social history. His book, "Revolutionary Commerce: Globalization and the French Monarchy" (2010), delves into how French philosophers, merchants, and administrators understood the adaptability of the French monarchy to modernizing forces of primitive globalization. Currently, he is working on a book titled "Cul de Sac: Patrimony, Capitalism, Slavery in French Saint-Domingue," which explores the micro-history of the plantation economy in France's richest colony. Cheney has published articles and has received accolades for his contributions to the field, including the Society of French Historical Studies' Gilbert Chinard Prize for his book "Cul de Sac." He has also received an NEH grant to conduct a summer seminar for college and university teachers.

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