In Memoriam: Louisa Shea (1974-2023)
The Department of Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures mourns the death on December 12, 2023, of Professor Louisa Shea, a distinguished member of its French Studies program from 2003 to 2007.
During Louisa's time at Rice, French Studies was a stand-alone department offering a Ph.D. as well as an undergraduate major. According to Bernard Aresu, who was serving as French Studies chair, Shea's hiring by the department occurred during a year when the shortlist of applicants included an impressive number of outstanding young scholars from top institutions. Louisa’s candidacy readily made the consensus, however, not only for her inspiringly transdisciplinary understanding of Enlightenment studies, but for the quiet passion and mature enthusiasm of her intellectual engagement altogether.
At Rice, she developed two transdisciplinary doctoral seminars: “The French Enlightenment” and “Between Paris and Persia.” Other popular courses she taught to undergraduates included "French Cinema: Paris-Hollywood" and "No Happy Endings" cross-listed with Classics.
Shea impacted Rice in multiple ways during her time on campus: she hosted prominent film director Olivier Assayas, organized outings with graduate students, toured undergraduate campuses in the northeast for graduate student recruitment, and developed the Honors Program in French Studies.
Nelly Ossia, instructor of French at Rice, had earned her Ph.D. in French Studies in the department. She remembered, "As a student in the doctoral program, I had the privilege of having Dr. Shea as my professor for one semester, and I will never forget her vivacious personality and engaging teaching style. Her eyes sparkled with excitement whenever she discussed the role of women in the Enlightenment, captivating everyone in the room. Her multidisciplinary approach to reading German philosophers such as Adorno and Horkheimer helped students grapple with strenuous socio-philosophical concepts. Louisa was compassionate, and her office door was always open for her students."
Julie Fette's first years on the French Studies faculty overlapped with Louisa Shea's time at Rice. As assistant professors, they helped each other navigate their new campus waters. Fette shared, "My career would not have been the same without Louisa's generous collegiality. Her kindness and friendship brought humanity and compassion to our workplace. I was very sad when she left Rice." Aresu remarked, "Louisa Shea’s smiling personality and seemingly innate sense of collegiality and kindness, above all, will remain difficult to forget."
Louisa Shea left Rice in 2007 for a second tenure-track position at the Ohio State University. Her book, The Cynic Enlightenment / Diogenes in the Salon was published by Johns Hopkins in 2010. French Studies faculty member Philip Wood: "Louisa was a breath of fresh air: an amiable colleague who was also successful with students, she launched several new initiatives. When she left us for OSU, she was missed." Shea later moved to Geneva.
Louisa died of cancer at age 49 after a little over a year of battling the disease. She is survived by her husband, Bruce Fudge, son Henri, and beloved family members.