Wooster Faculty Recognized for Research

Jennifer Hayward, Charles Hurst, and David McConnell honored for noteworthy scholarship

WOOSTER, Ohio — Three College of Wooster faculty members have been recognized for noteworthy research achievements, including Jennifer Hayward, professor of English at Wooster, who co-edited Maria Graham's 1824 Journal of a Voyage to Brazil with M. Soledad Caballero of Allegheny College. The two have incorporated Graham’s own unpublished corrections to her first edition, an editors’ introduction, contemporary reviews of her narrative, early nineteenth century maps of Brazil, and Graham’s unpublished biographical and historical sketch, “Life of Don Pedro.” Voyage provides a rare and invaluable female perspective on early 19th century Brazil. Besides offering unique insight into Brazilian social life and politics — with particular emphasis on Brazilian slavery at a time when abolitionist movements were growing worldwide — Graham charts the transformation of a Portuguese colony into an independent nation.

In addition, Charles Hurst, professor of sociology emeritus, and David McConnell, professor of sociology and anthropology, have been selected by the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College to receive the Dale W. Brown Book Award for An Amish Paradox: Diversity and Change in the World's Largest Amish Community, which was published in 2010. The award honors a book by authors who have made significant contributions to Anabaptist scholarship. Judged by independent scholars, the book is chosen on the basis of originality and creativity, quality of scholarship, organization and clarity of writing, significance and importance of the topic, and enduring contribution to Anabaptist and Pietist studies. The two authors will receive their award in October when they present a lecture at Elizabethtown’s Young Center.