Steven Dashiell, an adjunct professor in GWST and doctoral candidate in LLC (Dr. Carole McCann, chair), won the Best Student Paper Award in American Culture at the Popular Culture of the South conference in New Orleans, LA.  Steven's paper "Penis in a Combat Boot: Erotic Images, Deployment Behavior, and Masculinity", combined components of masculinity theory to provide rationale as to why men are more likely to engage in some sexualized behavior under the constraints of military deployment.  The paper was part of a panel titled "Erotics, Semiotics, and Manhood" and discussed how forms of erotica throughout history affect how we come to understand and interrogate masculinity.

The Popular Culture Association of the South has existed for over 40 years and is an academic organization examining popular and American culture. The conference recognizes the best Student Paper Award in American Culture and in Popular Culture each year, based on submissions.