Academic Manuscript on Italian Literary History Receives Prestigious Scaglione Award

The Modern Language Association of America has announced the recipient of its 28th annual Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Publication Award for a Manuscript in Italian Literary Studies. This year, the honor goes to Kate Driscoll, an assistant professor of Romance Studies at Duke University. The award recognizes her scholarly work, which explores the intersection of gender and literature in historical contexts. Her manuscript is titled "Tasso and Women Readers: Literary Hospitality in Early Modern Italy." The work examines how women engaged with the writings of the Italian poet Torquato Tasso during the early modern period. By analyzing historical reading practices, Driscoll provides new insights into the intellectual lives of women in Italy at that time. The manuscript is set to be published by Cambridge University Press, making her research accessible to a wider academic audience. The selection committee for the award included Martin Eisner from Duke University, Elena Margarita Past from Wayne State University, and Alessia Ricci. These experts evaluated numerous submissions before selecting Driscoll's work for its significant contribution to the field. The award is one of 23 honors that the Modern Language Association of America will present during its upcoming annual convention. This event is scheduled to take place on January 9, 2026, in Toronto. The convention serves as a major gathering for scholars, writers, and educators from around the world to discuss developments in language and literature. Receiving this award highlights the importance of ongoing research into Italian literary history and the role of women in shaping cultural discourse. It also underscores the value of academic publishing in preserving and interpreting historical texts for future generations. The recognition of Driscoll's work reflects the continued dedication of the literary community to supporting rigorous scholarship.