It has just been announced (January 2011) that Peter Fawcett, University Fellow in French and Head of the School of Modern Languages between 1995 and 1999, has been awarded the prestigious title of ‘Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques’ by the French Government.

The award is in recognition of Peter's long-standing contribution to French studies, particularly literature and culture.

His main research interest is the life and works of André Gide. He is the co-editor of Gide's correspondence with Jean Schlumberger (1993) and of the triangular correspondence between Gide, Pierre Louÿs and Paul Valéry (2004). His published edition of the correspondence between André Gide and Paul Valéry won the Prix Sévigné in 2009.