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Jay Rubenstein: Wins MacArthur "genius" grant

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has named the 24 recipients of its 2007 MacArthur Fellowships.

The fellowships, commonly referred to as the ‘‘genius awards,” recognize individuals from wide-ranging disciplines who show creativity, originality, and a commitment to continued innovative work.

Thirteen men and 11 women won this year’s awards; they range in age from 33 to 67. Each fellow receives $500,000 over five years, with no strings attached, so that they can continue their work unfettered by progress reports, timetables, or other commitments....

[The list includes:]

Jay Rubenstein, 40, associate professor, department of history, University of Tennessee at Knoxville. His work examines 12th-century texts that deal with the First Crusade (1095-1099) and the effects of that violent conflict on Europe’s subsequent literary, political, and religious culture.

[HNN Editor: Ralph Luker reports over at the HNN blog, Cliopatria, that "17 American historians, 9 art historians, 11 historians of science, 26 other historians, and 5 classicists, including Cliopatria's contributing editor, Thomas G. Palaima, ... have won the award."]
Read entire article at Chronicle of Philanthropy