William Nelson specializes in European history from the eighteenth century to the present day, with a special focus on the intellectual history of France in the eighteenth century.

He is also interested in the relationship between France and its colonies, particularly those in the Atlantic world. He received a B.A. in History with Honors from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, an interdisciplinary Masters degree in the Social Sciences from the University of Chicago, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Modern European History from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Before coming to the University of Toronto, Professor Nelson was a Research Fellow at The Institute for Historical Studies at The University of Texas at Austin, a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Miami, and a Mellon Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Associate Director of Studies at the Centre for History and Economics at The University of Cambridge (where he is presently a Research Associate).

Credentials

B.A. (Wisconsin, Madison)
MA (Chicago)
M.A. and Ph.D. (California, Los Angeles)

Areas of Research

• Europe
• France
• Intellectual History
• Race
• Colonialism