We regularly spotlight members who are making waves in their departments, institutions, communities, or within AAR. If you would like to submit a member to be interviewed, please email communications@aarweb.org with the member’s name and a brief message on why they are a good candidate. Read more of our Member Spotlight interviews.
About Sarah
Sarah C. Luginbill (she/her) is a visiting assistant professor of history and the humanities at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Her research centers on portable devotion in warfare, with her current book project focusing on U.S. Catholic chaplains and their Mass kits in World War I. This research has been supported by the Trinity University Humanities Collective, the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism, and the AAR. Sarah has published essays in Genealogies of Modernity and is a part of the Collecting Religion working group. Sarah joined AAR in 2023 and is a 2024 Individual Research Grant recipient.
What is your area of expertise or field of study?
I am a historian of religious material culture, specializing in Christian devotional objects. In particular, I am interested in how portability changes conceptualization and use of Catholic liturgical items. Although trained as a medieval Europeanist, my post-doctoral research investigates the production and usage of portable Mass kits by United States military chaplains in the World Wars.
Why did you get involved with AAR and how is your work aligned?
I joined the AAR in 2023 and presented at the annual conference in San Antonio that year. Prior to joining, I had heard positive things about the AAR and its various programs. Since my current project focuses on World War I Catholic chaplains and their portable Mass kits, I wanted to meet and connect with other scholars of American Catholicism and religious material culture. Community is a vital part of being an academic, and I am glad to have found support, advice, and enthusiasm in the AAR.
What is your favorite AAR member benefit, and how has it helped your career?
The research grant from the AAR enabled me to visit eleven archives and museums across the United States this last summer, and I recently completed an article based on what I encountered in these archives. Without the grant, the research itself would have been impossible. I am especially grateful that the AAR provides such opportunities to contingent faculty.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to a first-time Annual Meeting attendee?
Plan to take a break! Most academics are extroverted introverts, so we need time and space to recharge from the intense social activity of the conference. You don’t have to attend every session on every day. Carve out a session slot or two to find a quiet spot and rest.
What book is on your nightstand that you’re reading or intend to read in the future?
My current “book for fun” is The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. I intentionally read only fiction, fantasy, or sci-fi in the evening to give my brain a respite from academic research and student papers.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
When not teaching, researching, or writing, I am usually gardening, exploring San Antonio’s museums, or hanging out with my two very fluffy cats.