Graduate students Samaher Aldhamen, Sam Johnson and Bethany Henry Rosenbaum have won James J. Hudson Doctoral Fellowships in the Humanities for the 2018-19 academic year.

The Hudson Fellowship is awarded to outstanding doctoral candidates who have completed their coursework and are working on dissertations in comparative literature, English, history or philosophy. The fellowship, which comes with a cash prize of $1,500, was established in 1986 in memory of James J. Hudson, a longtime professor of history and former dean of the University of Arkansas Graduate School.

Aldhamen is a doctoral student in comparative literature and cultural studies. She is advised by Mohja Kahf. Her dissertation, titled "Women Domestic Workers in Modern Arabic Novels," focuses on the representation of domestic workers in recent Arabic novels. She hopes her dissertation and research focus will raise consciousness of gender inequities in the Middle East.

Johnson is a doctoral student in philosophy. He is advised by Richard Lee. His dissertation, "Narrative-Phenomenological Selfhood: A Theory of Right-Bearing Subjects for Marginal Cases," focuses on rights and what types of beings have rights. He aims to answer questions of whether fetuses and non-human animals have rights and plans to explain why they do or do not.

Rosenbaum is a doctoral candidate in history and is a Southern Region Education Board doctoral fellow. Advised by Daniel Sutherland and Elliott West, her dissertation, "Promise and Practice: Toward an Expansive, Integrated, Collaborative Narrative on American Indians in our National Parks," explores the federal-tribal relationship through the evolution of the National Park Service collaboration with tribes that co-manage the Trail of Tears National Historic Trial. Working closely with tribal liaisons and federal agencies to identify existing programs that best exemplify successful and effective tribal consultation, Rosenbaum hopes to add depth to the discussion surrounding improved government-to-government relations and tribal self-governance, as well as inspire fuller interpretation of American Indian stories in national parks.

It was announced earlier this month that MaryKate Messimer, a doctoral student in English, also received a Hudson award for the 2018-19 academic year.

The fellowship will help supply all the award recipients with resources needed to support the final stages of their dissertation research.