Schor Is Appointed To Full Professorship

Naomi Schor, a 19th-century French literature expert, will join the Romance Languages and Literature Department next semester as a senior professor.

Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures Mary M. Gaylord, chair of the department, said yesterday she is very pleased with the appointment.

"[Schor] is really widely recognized as one of the most outstanding nineteenth-century scholars, teachers and writers," Gaylord said.

When Schor was a visiting professor at Harvard last year, "she really won the respect and admiration of our students...They are absolutely delighted," Gaylord added.

Her appointment marks the second tenure within a month for the Romance Languages and Literature department. A third appointment is probably forthcoming within the next few weeks, according to Gaylord.

Schor, who currently teaches at Duke University, said she hopes to teach new courses on melancholy, travel and exile at Harvard while continuing to explore other interests.

"I have an avid interest in gender theory and currently, the future (s) of feminism (s)," Schor said in an interview yesterday.

Schor said she is looking forward to being able to access "a world class library, the stimulation of the Harvard intellectual community, the excitement of teaching the legendary Harvard undergraduates and being on CamillePaglia's hate list."

Schor brings unusual qualities to her teaching,according to Gaylord.

"She has an ability to be at the same timeextremely subtle and profound and absolutelyclear," Gaylord said.

Schor said she was especially happy with herbook, Reading in Detail, which waspublished in 1987.

"For me, in Reading in Detail,everything came together," she said. "I think Ihad a strong argument on a topic of broadinterdisciplinary interest."

Schor said she decided to come to Harvardbecause the opportunity--and the geography--weretoo good to turn down.

"I'm a New Yorker by birth and a New Englanderby adoption and I realized that I wanted to comehome to be closer to my dearest friends andfamily," Schor said. "I realized I could neverwalk away from Harvard without regret."

Schor was turned down by Radcliffe as anundergraduate, and instead spent her college yearsas a Yalie. Despite that, she still maintainsshe'll fit in fine at Harvard.

"It was so long ago, I don't think it will beany problem at all," she joked.

Sarah J. Schaffer contributed to thereporting of this story.

Schor brings unusual qualities to her teaching,according to Gaylord.

"She has an ability to be at the same timeextremely subtle and profound and absolutelyclear," Gaylord said.

Schor said she was especially happy with herbook, Reading in Detail, which waspublished in 1987.

"For me, in Reading in Detail,everything came together," she said. "I think Ihad a strong argument on a topic of broadinterdisciplinary interest."

Schor said she decided to come to Harvardbecause the opportunity--and the geography--weretoo good to turn down.

"I'm a New Yorker by birth and a New Englanderby adoption and I realized that I wanted to comehome to be closer to my dearest friends andfamily," Schor said. "I realized I could neverwalk away from Harvard without regret."

Schor was turned down by Radcliffe as anundergraduate, and instead spent her college yearsas a Yalie. Despite that, she still maintainsshe'll fit in fine at Harvard.

"It was so long ago, I don't think it will beany problem at all," she joked.

Sarah J. Schaffer contributed to thereporting of this story.