The Department of English at UC Riverside announced that Donald Zarate, a Ph.D. student in Political Science, has been awarded the 2025 Lindon Barrett Award for his outstanding essay, “Here and Now: Black Perspectives on Antiutopianism.”  The award is named in honor of Lindon Barrett, a beloved professor and pioneering scholar whose work centered Black critical theory, literature, and historiography. 

Zarate’s work explores the limitations of conventional utopian theory in capturing the radical possibilities found in Black literary traditions. The award committee praised the essay’s “depth and breadth of research into Utopianism and utopian theories,” noting its “ability to balance the wider implications and applications of utopian thought with the longstanding and enduring visions of utopia found and, importantly, rooted in Black folks traditions.” These traditions, the judges emphasized, often predate mainstream academic understandings of Utopianism, offering a rich and under-acknowledged foundation for reimagining the field.

Zarate’s recognition is a testament to the intellectual vibrancy of UCR’s graduate community and to the continued importance of Black thought in shaping contemporary literary and political theory.

Congratulations, Donald!