Doctoral Candidate in History Wins International Fellowship

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Matthew Parnell in Giza, Egypt.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Matthew Parnell, a doctoral candidate in the department of history in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, has been awarded a fellowship from the American Research Center in Egypt to conduct research on his dissertation tentatively titled, “Youth, Power, Egypt: The Development of Youth as a Social and Political Force in Egypt, 1805-1923.” 

“Matt’s success is indicative of the quality scholarship being done in the department of history,” said Lynda Coon, professor of history and chair of the department. “He repeatedly receives some of the most prestigious awards in the discipline.”

Parnell’s study uses Egyptian and British periodicals, travelogues, memoirs, popular culture media, educational textbooks and government archival materials to examine the roles and perceptions of Egyptian youth during periods of colonialism and modernization. Parnell is conducting the project with the guidance of Joel Gordon, professor of history and director of the King Fahd Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies.

“The high standards set by our faculty have a great impact on our students,” said Robin Roberts, dean of Fulbright College. “Matt is an outstanding student and scholar, as evidenced by not only his latest fellowship, but also through a J. William Fulbright U.S. Student Research Grant and several other fellowships for his interdisciplinary work in history and middle east studies.”

The fellowship will allow Parnell will expand his research through scholarship at the Egyptian National Library, Dar al-Kutub; the Egyptian National Archives, Dar al-Wathaiq and the archives of the Egyptian Ministry of Education, Makaba Wizara al-Tarbiyya wa al-Ta'lim.

The American Research Center in Egypt is a private, non-profit organization founded in 1948 to support research in Egypt and strengthen American-Egyptian cultural ties. The center holds the exclusive rights from the Egyptian government for facilitating research for Americans and American institutions in Egypt, granting members access to archives and libraries around the country.