Modern Languages Professor Sophie Maríñez has been awarded a 2026 ACLS Fellowship by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) for her new book project, “Peña Gómez and the Promise of New Humanism: An Intellectual Biography.”
BMCC Provost and Senior Vice President Liesl Jones says, “Professor Sophie Maríñez exemplifies CUNY’s commitment to academic excellence, equity-centered scholarship, and transformative teaching in French, Francophone, Caribbean, Afro-Latinx, and Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies. [. . .] “What makes this selection so amazing is that it is not her first but her second ACLS Fellowship. The first, in 2021, was a program for Community College Faculty. [. . .] Sophie is a remarkable scholar, and we are lucky to have her as part of the BMCC community.”
Professor Sophie Maríñez (Ph.D. ’10, French) has received a 2026 ACLS Fellowship, one of the most competitive and respected awards in the humanities and social sciences. The fellowship supports scholars whose work deepens understanding of human culture, history, and society, and it provides dedicated time for research and writing.
The ACLS Fellowship Program, the organization’s longest-running initiative, selected 63 scholars from a pool of more than 2,000 applicants. Fellows receive up to $60,000 to support for six to 12 months of full-time research.
Maríñez’s current research focuses on the legacy of Dominican political leader José Francisco Peña Gómez. Her work continues her longstanding commitment to examining political, cultural, and racial dynamics in the Caribbean and beyond.
“I feel deeply honored,” Maríñez said. “I am also grateful to an entire host of colleagues and interlocutors who helped shape the initial stages of my research. I really look forward to working on a project that will bring José Francisco Peña Gómez’s contributions into contemporary conversations about democracy.”
An award-winning scholar, Maríñez specializes in early modern French literature, Afro-Latinx studies, and Caribbean intellectual history. Her most recent book, Spirals in the Caribbean, explores the lasting effects of colonialism, anti-Haitian rhetoric, and cultural resistance across Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Drawing on the literary concept of Spiralism, she traces how histories of violence and solidarity continue to shape identities and cultural expression across the region.
Her research is deeply informed by her personal and intellectual journey. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, Maríñez witnessed firsthand the complexities of race, nationalism, and migration — experiences that later shaped her scholarship and advocacy.
The Graduate Center played a formative role in Maríñez’s development as a scholar. During her doctoral studies, she was mentored by leading intellectuals whose work helped her articulate her interdisciplinary approach to literature, identity, and history. She has credited her time at the Graduate Center with shaping both her scholarly voice and her commitment to mentoring students from diverse backgrounds.
Today, Maríñez continues to give back to the CUNY community through her teaching and mentorship. She holds appointments in French; Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies; Africana Studies; and Liberal Studies at the Graduate Center. At BMCC, she has received a Distinguished Teaching Award and served as a Faculty Leadership Fellow, demonstrating her dedication not only to research but also to student success.
The ACLS Fellowship adds to an impressive list of honors for Maríñez, including the 2025 Frantz Fanon Prize from the Caribbean Philosophical Association and a 2026 City University of New York Award from the Graduate Center.
For more information, see https://www.gc.cuny.edu/news/graduate-center-alumna-and-professor-wins-prestigious-acls-fellowship and https://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/news/modern-languages-professor-sophie-marinez-awarded-2026-acls-fellowship/
[Sophie Maríñez (Photo credit: Alex Irklievski)]