How a high school summer exchange program shaped a career in teaching and opened the doors to publishing
When Assistant Professor of Spanish Dr. Parker Lawson was 17 years old, he found himself in Seville, Spain as part of a summer exchange program coinciding with the nation’s 2010 FIFA World Cup victory. His time abroad led to lifelong bonds and a fascination with Spanish culture — ultimately guiding him to his role at Belmont and a distinguished editorial role with one of the most prestigious international publications in Iberian studies.
After joining Belmont’s faculty in January, Lawson was soon appointed as co-editor of the International Journal of Iberian Studies (IJIS), the journal of record for the Association of Contemporary Iberian Studies.
“I’m really excited to facilitate and curate important conversations that are happening in the field, and then champion other colleagues’ work,” said Lawson.”
Established in 1988, the IJIS is among the most respected academic publications covering 20th and 21st century Iberian studies, particularly Spain and Portugal. The journal publishes three issues annually.
Early Interest in Iberian Culture
Lawson’s interest in Iberian culture began the year before his summer exchange trip to Spain when a few students from Seville attended his high school in Louisville, Kentucky. Lawson befriended the students and fell in love with the language, prompting him to participate in the reciprocative exchange trip the following year.
In Seville, he stayed with a host family with whom Lawson formed a tight bond. "That host family is still very much in my life,” he said. “My host brother was a groomsman in my wedding. My host mother read a poem in Spanish at our wedding."
The experience led Lawson to double major in Spanish and international studies at Centre College in Kentucky, made complete with further international experiences including an additional exchange program in Catalonia and a Fulbright teaching position in Madrid. He would then go on to earn his master’s and doctorate degree from The University of Cambridge.
A Distinct Perspective
His extensive international experience and age provide the IJIS with a new perspective that a publication of its caliber covets.
“I think one of the reasons the journal was interested in me is because, even though I’m now on the tenure track at Belmont, I finished my doctorate in 2021,” said Lawson. “I’ve got a different set of contacts and a different type of energy that I can bring.”
As co-editor, Lawson works alongside two other editors to oversee the publication of around 50,000 words per issue. The position is unpaid — a service Lawson undertakes to advance the field of Iberian studies.
“Maintaining excellent teaching while also contributing to an excellent international journal is a bit of a balancing act,” he said. “That’s precisely why having three co-editors is so helpful. We’re at different stages in our careers and work on different time zones.”
Lawson’s initial appointment is for three years with the possibility for an extension for three more.
What It All Means
Beyond the prestige of his appointment for Belmont and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Lawson sees practical benefits for his students in the classroom.
“The work that I’m going to be doing can help influence my teaching,” he said. “Finding new ideas, topics and themes I can bring into the classroom, and maybe even guest speakers who we’ve worked with in the journal into the class through Zoom, would be great.”
Despite the challenges currently facing the humanities and social sciences in higher education today, Lawson remains confident in the role the IJIS will play outside of just academics.
“I think our journal and journals like it are great examples of the ways in which academic scholarship is actually important and can be used as a reference point — not just in higher education, but in the policy and cultural worlds to find creative solutions to difficult problems.”
Learn More
Learn more about Spanish at Belmont.