College of Letters & Science
The journal MELUS, Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States, has awarded Dr. Brittney Edmonds the 2026 Katharine Newman Best Essay Award for her article, “Sutton Griggs’s Speculative Pedagogy”. The selection committee shared that in a “highly competitive field composed of dozens of quality essays published across the year’s four issues”, Dr. Edmond’s essay represents “the most …
A warm and well deserved congratulations to Dr. Jessica Lee Stovall, who has been selected by the Office of the Provost as an Exceptional Service Support Program award recipient for the 2026-2027 academic year. The selection committee recognized that Dr. Stovall’s “impressive commitment to service”, in addition to maintaining a high level of research and …
The creation of the United States in 1776 was based at least partially upon the values enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, that all people are created equal and endowed with unalienable rights including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, freedom and independence had tremendously varied meanings at this time, and for many …
The AHSA is pleased to announce two winners of the 2024-2025 Jack Rosenbalm Prize for American Humor. This prize is awarded biennially to honor the best article on American humor by a pre-tenure scholar, graduate student, adjunct professor, or independent scholar published in a peer-reviewed academic journal or book. This year’s judges were Grace Heneks, …
Texas Tech University holds the largest Vietnam War Archive. This includes a highly trafficked digital archive of records. The university has named their archival collection after historian and professor of African American studies, Dr. Sabrina Thomas. The collection will hold all of Dr. Thomas’ research papers, her notes, records of Amerasians from Vietnam, and records …
Dr. Sabrina Thomas presented her paper, “Our Most Vulnerable Orphans”, at the Black German Historical Research Association annual meeting in February 2026. Learn more about the conference here.
The Modern Language Association (MLA) highlighted Dr. Brittney Edmonds in January 2026. Each month, MLA spotlights an individual who contributes to the humanities and their profession. Read spotlights here. Congratulations, Dr. Edmonds!
Congratulations to our chair and professor, Dr. Christy Clark-Pujara, who has been awarded with the 2026 Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award! Dr. Clark-Pujara joins twelve other faculty members who have been chosen to receive this year’s honor. Commencing in 1953, the Chancellor’s Award recognizes some of UW-Madison’s finest educators. Dr. Clark-Pujara is a historian of colonial North …
Dr. Christy Clark-Pujara joins 72 writers in the University of Illinois Press’ “Lingering Inland: A Literary Tour of The Midwest” anthology with her essay, “Rachel: Fort Crawford Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin”, published in December 2025. “Lingering Inland”, a work of creative non-fiction, asks how stories on Midwestern places influence or reflect experience. Learn more here.
Thank you to the students, affiliates, faculty, and staff who attended the department’s Welcome Lunch yesterday! This lunch was a great opportunity to recap the first few weeks of the semester together, share research, and engage with folks we don’t always interact with daily. We are eager to continue these conversations as the semester proceeds.