François Dumont

Recognized as one of the most respected researchers of his generation in the field of Québec studies, François Dumont’s career is a credit to Université Laval. Owing to his highly precise judgment, he has a knack for delving into works with a clear, original, and insightful perspective. He stands out for his intellectual rigour and a keen sense of responsibility and collegiality.

Committed to the next generation

After teaching philosophy at the college level and literature at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, François Dumont began his career at Université Laval in 1995 as an associate professor of Québec and French literature and literary theory. Appointed full professor in 2002, he retired in 2022. During his years of teaching, he trained a great number of students, many of whom went on to become CEGEP teachers and university professors. 

He showed unfailing support for students, who are quick to praise him for his influence on their careers. François Dumont helped several generations discover the wealth of Québec literature. 

He served as head of the Department of Literature, Theatre and Film from 2002 to 2004, and again from 2015 to 2019. In 2003, he founded the Hector-De Saint-Denys-Garneau Centre, dedicated to the study of Québec poetry. Dr. Dumont, who was a member for many years of the Centre for Research on Québec Literature (CRELIQ), then the Centre for Interuniversity Research on Québec Literature and Culture (CRILCQ), was keen to create dynamic research teams involving graduate students. In addition to his work on Québec literature, he conducted research on the essay, collection and notebook literary forms. At the same time, he also wrote poetry and songs.

He was involved in numerous committees at Université Laval, fostering optimal learning conditions for the next generation. He demonstrated his commitment to providing challenging and innovative training.

Invested in the profession

During his 27-year career at Université Laval, he published in top literary journals and was at the heart of research on Québec poetry and essay poetics. He enriched culture by publishing two collections of poetry, four essays, an anthology, and a collection of interviews, as well as writing columns for the Le Devoir newspaper and Voix et images magazine.

He wrote Usages de la poésie in 1993, which earned him the Prix de littérature Gérald-Godin Award, and Histoire de la littérature québécoise (co-authored with Michel Biron and Élisabeth Nardout-Lafarge), which won the Jean-Éthier-Blais Award and the Gabrielle-Roy Award. 

François Dumont was the scholarly editor of many noteworthy texts, including the works of Jacques Brault, the diary of Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau, the poems of François-Xavier Garneau, and the works of Fernand Dumont. His commitment helped keep seminal texts in the public eye and the history of Québec poetry alive. He is an attentive and meticulous reader with strong deductive skills, combining analysis and creativity.

During his career, he served on numerous evaluation committees for granting agencies and on juries for prestigious awards, including the Prix Émile-Nelligan award. François Dumont also initiated and maintained collaborations with leading researchers at home and abroad. As a result, he helped his field evolve, both nationally and internationally.