Show-Me State Times

Saint Louis University (SLU) Professor Jonathan Sawday has been awarded the prestigious James Russell Lowell Prize by the Modern Language Association (MLA). This honor is given annually to a member of the association for an outstanding book in literary or linguistic study, critical edition, or biography. Sawday, who holds the Walter J. Ong, S.J. Chair in Humanities at SLU's English Department, is the 55th recipient and the first from SLU to receive this award.

The MLA described Sawday’s work as a “remarkable tour de force,” noting its novel perspective on Renaissance literature and its innovative approach applicable to other fields. The book explores links between printing practices and discourses of race and gender.

Sawday will be presented with the prize at the MLA’s annual meeting next month in New Orleans. Honorable mentions will be awarded to Sara Marcus of Notre Dame and Julie Park of Penn State.

Brian Yothers, chair of SLU's Department of English, emphasized that Sawday's recognition highlights the department's tradition of scholarly excellence established by Walter J. Ong, S.J., a significant figure in literary studies and rhetoric.

“Dr. Sawday's recognition underscores that this is a vibrant department with a rich culture of research and scholarship,” Yothers said. He praised Sawday’s book "Blanks, Print, Space, and Void in English Renaissance Literature" as embodying intellectual adventurousness.

Sawday sees his award as part of SLU's growing legacy in humanities scholarship. “What we in the humanities investigate is complexity,” he said. He highlighted how SLU’s Jesuit tradition supports exploring diverse human experiences.

In his book introduction, Sawday examines gaps and voids as spaces for exploration beyond printed texts into broader systems like Darwin’s theory of evolution or modern ideas about race shaped by print technology.

Sawday completed his education at Queen Mary College and University College London before joining SLU in 2009. His research focuses on Renaissance literature, early modern British literature, cultural history from 1500-1700, print history, reading history, and computational approaches to literary study.

His writings have appeared in numerous publications including The Times Literary Supplement and The London Review of Books. In addition to academic articles, he authored "The Body Emblazoned" (1995) on anatomy history and "Engines of the Imagination" (2007) on pre-industrial machines' impact.

Sawday has contributed regularly to BBC Radio on topics ranging from Renaissance magic to technophobia. His radio series “The King Returned” aired on BBC Radio 3 in 2010.

The MLA serves over 20,000 members worldwide by promoting language and literature studies through publications like the MLA International Bibliography and hosting its Annual Convention with hundreds of sessions each year.