The Department of History is proud to congratulate Dr. Matthew Avery Sutton, Claudius O. and Mary Johnson Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of History, on being named a 2026 Andrew Carnegie Fellow, one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for scholars in the social sciences and humanities. The fellowship is awarded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York to support research that addresses critical challenges facing society.
Dr. Sutton was selected as one of just 24 fellows nationwide from more than 380 nominations. Carnegie Fellows receive funding to pursue ambitious research projects that deepen public understanding of important issues and contribute to informed public discourse.
Sutton’s fellowship project, The Devil in Modern America: How Religious Ideology Drives Political Polarization, explores how beliefs about Satan, evil, and spiritual warfare have shaped political rhetoric and intensified political polarization in the United States over the past 75 years. The project examines how religious ideas that once occupied the margins of American culture moved into mainstream political discourse and continue to influence contemporary debates.
An internationally recognized historian of American religion and politics, Sutton has authored numerous award-winning books and has previously received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the U.S. Fulbright Program, and the Guggenheim Foundation.
“This recognition is a testament not only to Matt’s outstanding scholarship, but also to the impact that historical research can have on helping us better understand the world around us,” said colleagues in the Department of History.
The Department of History extends its warmest congratulations to Dr. Sutton on this remarkable achievement.
For more information about the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program, visit the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program.