Home>Mathias Énard Named Sciences Po’s Newest Writer-in-Residence Chair
18.01.2022
Mathias Énard Named Sciences Po’s Newest Writer-in-Residence Chair
“After all, books remain–along with fire–the only means of fighting off the shadows.” - Mathias Énard, Rue des voleurs
As Sciences Po’s newest Writer-in-Residence Chair, Mathias Énard will teach students to master the art of fighting off shadows–not with fire, but with literature–in two creative writing workshops.
This award-winning French novelist will be following in the footsteps of other noteworthy francophone writers such as Kamel Daoud, Marie Darrieussecq, Patrick Chamoiseau, Maylis de Kerangal, Louis-Philippe Dalembert, and the most recent Writer in Residence, Alice Zeniter, who will pass on the title to Énard during the Inauguration Ceremony on February 1st, 2022 in the Chapsal Ampitheatre (FR) in the presence of writer Alice Zeniter and journalist Ali Baddou.
A Great Voice of Our Time
Mathias Énard’s work, characterised by a profound interest in the Middle East and stemming from his work as a translator of Farsi and Arabic into French–as well as his many travels throughout the region–has been widely recognised for its erudite style and compelling subject matter.
He was the winner of the Candide Prize (2008) and the Inter Book Prize (2009) for Zone (FR), the High Schooler’s Goncourt Prize for Parle-leur de batailles, de rois et d'éléphants (FR) (2010), and the Goncourt Prize for his novel Boussole (FR) (2015). The entirety of his literary work was recognised in 2020 with the Ulysses Prize (FR).
Shaping the Writers of Tomorrow
As Writer-in-Residence Chair at Sciences Po’s Center for Writing and Rhetoric, Mathias Énard will continue in the tradition established by his predecessors–namely, that of helping to unlock the creativity of his students by encouraging creative expression and critical thinking skills through workshops in creative writing.
The Sciences Po Editorial Team
