MSU Institute for the Humanities welcomes new fellows focused on historical, wide-ranging studies

STARKVILLE, Miss.—The latest cohort of ӣ�� ӣ��’s Institute for the Humanities Fellows is exploring expansive historical and cultural topics, including Central American national identity, American medical history and the role of satire in Elizabethan society.

Awarded annually to three MSU faculty members to support their research, the fellowship includes a $1,000 stipend and one course release in the spring semester to provide recipients with dedicated time for their humanities-related studies.

“Once again, I am reminded how rich and varied humanities research is within the College of Arts and Sciences,” said Julia Osman, chair of this year’s fellowship committee and immediate past director of the Institute for the Humanities. “The fellowship is entering its fourth year, and this was the hardest decision yet the committee has made in trying to select only three scholars.”

The fellowships’ design is to give selected faculty the funding and time needed to dedicate to furthering their research.

Portrait of Brian Davisson — Brian Davisson (Photo submitted)

“Unlike other disciplines which report on collections of data, humanities scholars not only have to report and interpret but also weave analysis together, which takes a tremendous amount of time,” Osman said. “This fellowship provides them with the time they need to think through their discoveries and write about them in an engaging manner that advances their fields of study.”

Morgan Robinson, current director of the Institute for the Humanities and an associate professor of history, expressed enthusiasm for the 2024-25 cohort.

“I look forward to seeing the remarkable progress these scholars make during their fellowship,” she said.

This year’s Institute for Humanities fellows are:

Portrait of Courtney Thompson — Courtney Thompson (OPA photo)

—Brian Davisson, associate professor in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures, who examines the development of national identity in 19th century Central America with his project “The Spatial Construction of Nineteenth-Century Central America.” By studying travel narratives, cartography and geographic instruction, he explores how spatial and geographic practices shaped the region’s political evolution after independence.

Portrait of Eric Vivier — Eric Vivier (Photo by Beth Wynn)

—Courtney Thompson, associate professor in the Department of History, who focuses on how physicians’ emotions and patients’ identities influenced medical practices in 19th century America with her project “A Calculus of Compassion: Medicine, Emotion, and Identity in Nineteenth-Century America.”

—Eric Vivier, associate professor in the Department of English, who investigates the complexities of Elizabethan satire, particularly John Marston’s works, with his project “The Trouble with Elizabethan Satire.” His research explores how satire often produced contradictory effects, generating both pleasure and discomfort in its audience, and its broader impact on society.

The new cohort will collaborate throughout the fellowship period, providing feedback on drafts and participating in discussions to advance their respective projects.

Part of MSU’s College of Arts and Sciences, the Institute for the Humanities promotes research and scholarship in the humanistic disciplines and raises their visibility within the university and beyond.

For more details about MSU’s College of Arts and Sciences or the Institute for the Humanities, visit or .

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