Humanities and Social Sciences Postdocs 2010-11

This page is for post-doctoral positions that start in 2011

Note: Do NOT delete positions in the UK and Canada.

FORMATTING:

To keep this page consistent and easy to read, please adhere to the following guidelines (taken from last year's page):
 * 1) Please place new fellowship entries in alphabetical order. Note that "University of X" should be alphabetized by U as first sort, and X as second sort within the U listings.
 * 2) Please mark the title of the fellowship using the H2 header.
 * 3) Please include the deadline and a web link to the ad/website; PLEASE follow the format of other entries.
 * 4) For logging comments or updates, please begin your entry with a bullet point. Each entry should have a separate line.
 * 5) For substantive comments or updates about status, interaction, etc., please include the date at the beginning of your entry so that users can scan the info quickly for new entries.

For more information and answers to some questions about timing, materials requests, application numbers and fields, offers, etc. see last year's postdoc wiki at: http://academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/Humanities_and_Social_Science_Postdocs_2009-2010

A helpful blog for finding post-doc fellowship opportunities: http://lucian.uchicago.edu/blogs/studentgrantsfellowships/

UC Berkeley has a useful listing of Postdoctoral Fellowships here: http://www.spo.berkeley.edu/Fund/hpostdoc.html

ACLS African Humanities Program Fellowships

 * One year writing post-doc, with possible residential award.
 * Applicant must be a national of a sub-Saharan African country, and must reside and have an affiliation with an institution in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, or Uganda. PhD must have been received in the last five years.
 * Deadline: 1 Dec 2010 (electronic submission)

Cambridge University - Gonville & Caius

 * Junior Research Fellowship (4 years), open field
 * "graduates or research students, who have completed not more than four years of full-time research"
 * "Full submission of written work in support of the application is required at the time of application"; this means a submission of anything up to 30,000 words
 * Deadline: 5pm (BST) 30 Sep. 2010

Cambridge University - Kings College

 * Junior Research Fellowships (up to 4 years), Arts & Social Sciences
 * Candidates "will usually" have their PhD and NOT MORE THAN 2 years post-doctoral research experience at 1 oct 2011
 * Deadline: 22 Oct 2010.

Cambridge University - Newnham College

 * Junior Research Fellowship (3 years) in 'History, Architecture and History of Art, Oriental Studies, [or] Divinity' (posting states 2010/11, commencing Oct. 2011)


 * Female candidates only


 * Deadline: 5 Nov. 2010


 * Second round notification 10 Dec 2010 with submission of extra material by 20 Dec 2010


 * Decision to be made by 4 Mar. 2010.

Cambridge University - Jesus College

 * Junior Research Fellowship (3 years) in 'Arts & Social Sciences'
 * "Candidates who have undertaken more than four years of full-time research are unlikely to be considered"
 * Deadline: 1pm BST 17 September 2010, with written work requested from shortlisted candidates by 21 October.

Centre for Advanced Study, Sofia, Bulgaria

 * For the academic year 2011/2012 CAS Sofia provides in-residence fellowships of two- to five- month duration to post-doctoral non-Bulgarian researchers. Junior as well as senior scholars are invited to apply.
 * The working language is English.
 * In addition to supporting focus-group research, CAS invites scholars to pursue their individual research projects during in-residence periods of up to five months. Fellows participate in the intellectual life and the scholarly community of the Centre while working on projects of their own choice. CAS Sofia assists Fellows in all practical matters concerning travel, residence and research in Sofia.
 * Deadline:November 1, 2010.

Columbia University Society of Fellows in the Humanities

 * Several postdoctoral fellowships in the humanities for the 2011-2012 academic year. "We invite applications from qualified candidates who have received the Ph.D. between 1 January 2007 and 1 July 2011. Fellows are appointed as Lecturers in appropriate departments at Columbia University and as postdoctoral research fellows. The fellowship is renewable for a second and third year."
 * Requires a $30 US application fee. Unconscionable.
 * I am not actively on the post-doc market, but I happened to see this. Charging a fee to apply for such a position is absolutely deplorable. If I were a post-doc candidate, I would refuse to apply for this. Seriously. I know the market is bad, but such exploitation of financially disadvantaged post-grads is wrong on a fundamental level and should not be countenanced. Ditto for Michigan Society of Fellows below.
 * Deadline: Postmark October 4, 2010.

Dalhousie University Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship

 * Izaak Walton Killam Postdoctoral Fellowships are awarded annually at Dalhousie University to recently graduated scholars of superior academic research ability in any discipline. Awards are tenable for two years and include travel costs, a research grant, and a conference travel allowance.
 * Applications due by December 15, 2010

Dartmouth College - Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship

 * One postdoctoral fellowship in the humanities and humanistic social sciences for the 2011-2013 academic years. PhD must have been completed between January 9, 2009 and June 30, 2011.
 * Applications due by October 1, 2010.
 * The following fields ARE NOT eligible: Anthropology, Art History, Film/Media Studies, French, History, Italian, Music and Native American Studies.
 * This may well be a stupid question - but what counts as a 'humanistic social science'? Political science? Linguistics? Sociology?
 * On the above question: I believe that the "humanistic social sciences" are not specific fields, but rather refer to humanistic methods and orientations toward research. For example, anthropologists, sociologists, and political scientists who do interpretive, qualitative and in-depth interviews or ethnographic observations likely qualify. Scholars who use large-N datasets and don't interact with humans, or texts, in their research would probably not qualify.
 * Does Dartmouth require a writing sample? There's no mention of it in the application guidelines.

Duke University Program in Women's Studies

 * The Duke University Program in Women's Studies invites applications for two post-doctoral associates in Interdisciplinary Feminist Studies to complement their 2011-2012 theme of "The Future of the Feminist 1970's." We seek candidates with interdisciplinary experience in Women's Studies. We welcome empirical, textual, and theoretical specialization from a diverse array of academic fields, political and cultural contexts, and historical periods.
 * All applications materials (including all letters of recommendations) must be received by November 22, 2010.
 * Cross-posted at Queer/Women's/Gender Studies 2010-11

Duke University Thompson Writing Program Fellowship

 * candidates with a Ph.D. in any field and a demonstrated commitment to undergraduate teaching. Fellows are asked to draw on their disciplinary training and interests to design a seminar-style course introducing students to academic writing. Teaching load is five sections of Academic Writing per year, with each section limited to 12 students.
 * Applications received by October 15, 2010, will be guaranteed consideration.

Environmental Fellows at Harvard University

 * Purpose: The Harvard University Center for the Environment created the Environmental Fellows program to enable recent doctorate recipients to use and expand Harvard's extraordinary resources to tackle complex environmental problems. The Environmental Fellows will work for two years with Harvard faculty members in any school or department to create new knowledge while also strengthening connections across the University's academic disciplines.
 * The fellowship will provide an annual stipend of $55,000 plus health insurance, a $2,500 allowance for travel and professional expenses, and other employee benefits. The Harvard University Center for the Environment awarded four fellowships in 2010, and expects to award approximately four to five fellowships per year thereafter.
 * Candidates for 2011 Environmental Fellowships should have received their terminal degree between May 2007 and August 2011. (Fellows must have completed all requirements of their degree before starting work in September 2011.)
 * Candidates with a doctorate or equivalent in any field are eligible, and they may propose research projects in any discipline. Applicants without a Ph.D. may apply if they have studied in fields where the Ph.D. is not the typical terminal degree. All successful candidates will be able to demonstrate experience performing scholarly research.
 * Each candidate must secure a commitment from one or more Harvard faculty members to serve as a mentor and to provide office or lab space for the two-year fellowship.
 * Deadline: Applications and all letters of reference must be received by the Center for the Environment by 5 pm EDT, Friday, January 14, 2011. The Center will select a group of fellows and alternates by March 2011, and contact applicants with results at that time.

==Friedrich-Schiller-Universitat, Jena (Germany)==
 * Two year (with possibility of extension) post-doc in the History of Science (or similar)
 * German languages skills essential!
 * Post includes some admin/teaching as well as research
 * Deadline: 11 Oct. 2010

Harvard Humanities Center

 * One-year fellowship in "all fields within the humanities and the allied social sciences."
 * Applicants must have received the Ph.D. after May 2008. Applicants without the Ph.D. must demonstrate that they will receive the Ph.D. in or before June 2011.


 * Deadline: November 15, 2010.
 * Another $35 fee

Harvard Society of Fellows

 * "Candidates are nominated for Junior Fellowships, generally by those under whom they have studied. Applications are not accepted from the candidates themselves."


 * Nomination letters accepted until September 3, 2010.
 * Invitation to apply rec'd 9/8/2010 (via email and then by USPS)
 * Confirmation of receipt of materials via USPS September 8, 2010

Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki

 * The Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies is inviting applications for 8–12 University Researcher/Postdoctoral Researcher Positions for a fixed-term appointment starting from 1 August 2011. 2–4 researcher positions may be reserved for scholars whose research interests are related to the theme of mortality.
 * The working language of the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies is English.
 * "The director of the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies will determine the length of the individual appointments (between one and three years) on the basis of the applicants’ research plans."


 * Deadline: 8 September 2010 at 15.45 local Helsinki time

Johns Hopkins Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities

 * This year's topic is "Concepts of Diaspora"
 * "Applicants should have completed the Ph.D. in one of the following fields: History, English, History of Art, Musicology, Classics, Anthropology, German and Romance Languages and Literatures, Comparative Literature, History of Science and Technology, Near Eastern Studies, no earlier than June 30, 2006 and no later than June 30, 2011"


 * Deadline: November 11, 2010.
 * Cross-posted at Queer/Women's/Gender Studies 2010-11

John David Stout Research Fellowships at Victoria University of Wellington

 * "This Fellowship provides a full time opportunity to write within an academic environment for the year of tenure. The Fellowship is based in the Stout Research Centre, a multi-disciplinary research centre in New Zealand Studies at Victoria University of Wellington. It is open to researchers in any area of study relating to New Zealand society, history and culture.
 * Deadline: September 10, 2010.

London School of Economics - Research Officer Post-doctoral Position

 * Post-doctoral Research Officer to undertake research duties on a major research project funded by the European Research Council “Useful and Reliable Knowledge in Global Histories of Material Progress in the East and the West from the Accession of the Ming Dynasty (1368) to the First Industrial revolution (1756-1846)”.
 * The successful candidate will specialise in the following region: Islamdom. Candidates should possess a PhD in Economic History and strong language skills in Arabic and-or Persian.
 * Post will end June 1, 2012


 * Deadline: August 18, 2010

Max Planck Two Year Postdoctoral Fellowship

 * "The future research fellow should hold a PhD in anthropology, history of science or related field, and must be familiar with neuroimaging research"
 * To work on the “Neurological Adolescent" project.
 * Deadline: 15 Oct. 2010

Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship

 * Stipend: $25,000, plus funds for research costs of up to $3,000 and for university fees of up to $5,000
 * Tenure: one year beginning summer 2011
 * Completed applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship Application system (http://ofa.acls.org) no later than 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, November 10, 2010.
 * Notifications will be sent in late March 2011.
 * "ACLS will award 65 Fellowships in this competition for a one-year term."
 * "This is the first stage of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation/ACLS Early Career Fellowship Program*" (NOTE: Early Career Fellowship is NOT being offered for 2010-11). *Recipients of Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship and other national fellowships will be eligible to apply (for Early Career Fellowship) in Fall 2011 if they have completed their dissertations within their fellowship tenure or by August 31, 2011, whichever comes first.

National Endowment for the Humanities - Research Fellowship

 * $4,200 per month.


 * application deadline, May 4, 2010


 * Notification early December 2010

Penn Humanities Forum - Mellon Postdoc

 * "Five (5) one-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships are available for the 2011-2012 academic year for untenured scholars in the humanities who received or will receive their Ph.D. between December 2002 and December 2010."
 * The theme is "Adaptations."
 * Applications due October 15, 2010.

Princeton Society of Fellows

 * 5 3-year postdoctoral fellowships. Must have received degree between January 1, 2009 and October 1, 2010. Can be ABD untill June 15, 2011 but will require 'letter of progress'.
 * Applications accepted between August 16 and October 1, 2010.
 * 1 open; 2 in "Humanistic Studies"; 1 in LGBT Studies; 1 in Race and/or Ethnicity Studies.
 * Apparently a candidate can only apply once in their career: "If you have already applied to the Society of Fellows, you may not apply a second time. We therefore recommend that candidates wait until they have completed a substantial portion of the dissertation (approximately half) before applying."
 * Note that they are serious about this (new) rule of only applying once and it applies across types of SOF fellowships (for example, if you have ever applied to an "open" fellowship and now want to apply to a more specialized one, you can't. This was confirmed through contacting the director of SOF.)
 * I'm confused. Can you explain what you mean by this rule applying across types of SoF fellowships? For example, if you've applied ("been nominated') for a Harvard SoF, which is an open fellowship, does this mean you're now ineligible to apply to the Princeton SoF?
 * No. Princeton SoF has "open" and "targeted" fellowships. So if you applied, for example, to the LGBT fellowship and were rejected, then you can't apply to the "open" one. But it's all Princeton... thank goodness, they don't have jurisdiction over other schools yet!
 * Okay. That's fine.
 * Screw that. No grandfathering?

Rutgers Center for Cultural Analysis

 * Two external fellowships with awards of $45,000
 * Topic: Public Knowledge: Institutions, Networks, Collectives


 * Download application form.


 * Deadline: emailed or postmarked by January 7, 2011.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

 * The SSHRC 2010-2011 postdoc now has its own wiki page here

Stanford University Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship of Scholars in the Humanities

 * Up to 6 2-year postdoctoral fellowships. Must have received the PhD between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2011.
 * Eligible fields: Classics, History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies.
 * Applications due November 15, 2010.

University of Alberta Postdoctoral Fellowships

 * The University of Alberta offers two postdoctoral fellowships: the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowships and the Grant Notley Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship
 * Deadline:November 29, 2010 is the deadline for prospective postdocs to submit all documents to departments.


 * Be aware that this program does not normally reimburse relocation costs, and that the cost of living in Edmonton, Alberta is high. Grocery prices are at least a third higher than in any comparable U.S. city.

University of British Columbia Killam Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

 * The UBC Killam Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are provided annually from the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Fund for Advanced Studies and are available for most fields of research. The fellowships are awarded for a maximum of two years. The number of awards varies between four and six per year.
 * Deadline:Mid-October to early November - check with the UBC department or unit of interest regarding internal deadline

University of Calgary Killam Postdoctoral Awards

 * Selected by a special multi-disciplinary committee of the University Graduate Scholarship Committee, the recipient of this fellowship is an exceptional new scholar who has obtained a PhD degree within the two years preceding the competition. The fellowship enables the Fellow to work at the University of Calgary, consolidate his/her research training and develop and initiate original research in his/her discipline as well as participate in and contribute to the activities of his/her host department or unit.
 * Currently, the fellowship is valued at $45,000 for twelve months, plus a research allowance of $6,000.
 * Deadline:

University of Chicago Society of Fellows

 * Four-year postdoctoral teaching appointments as Harper and Schmidt Fellows who hold the rank of Collegiate Assistant Professor.
 * Fellowships are open to scholars in all disciplines and areas of specialization who will have completed all requirements for their Ph.D. degree no later than August 31, 2011.
 * Online applications must be completed by November 1, 2010.

University of Manchester (UK)

 * Three-year postdoctoral research associate position assisting a Professor's project on early modern British/Scottish History
 * To work on "the Scottish contribution to the formation of Britain between 1603 and c.1760, including Scottish migration to England" and archive work with Scottish Parliamentary papers; paleography skills essential.
 * Deadline: 22 Sept. 2010 note short deadline

University of Michigan Society of Fellows

 * Postdoctoral fellowship in the humanities, must have "received the Ph.D. or comparable professional or artistic degree between June 1, 2008 and September 1, 2011."
 * Application fee of $30. Ridiculous.
 * The fee is deplorable. I would refuse to apply. Disgusting.
 * Such fees are quite common.
 * Only recently have these fees started to appear. (8/25)
 * Applications due by 1pm Eastern Time October 18, 2010.

University of Oxford All Souls College

 * Five year, non renewable post-doctoral research fellowship
 * For "Humanities, Social Sciences, and Theoretical Sciences (including Mathematics)
 * For candidates who started post-graduate education after 1 August 2003 (negotiable for career breaks etc)
 * Deadline: 24 September 2010
 * Decisions made 19 Feb 2011, appointments start 1 Oct 2011
 * Is this correct? Link not working. [yes! link redirected, as obviously they were too cheap to renew their jobs.ac.uk advert ;)]
 * Ewww. They make their "early career" decision based on when you STARTED?

University of Pittsburgh Early Career Fellowship

 * "The Humanities Center at the University of Pittsburgh invites applications for an early-career residential fellow for the academic year 2011-12. We seek a colleague of outstanding promise, at work on a major project in any area of the humanities or allied areas of inquiry. Applicants must have PhD in hand at time of application."
 * Stipend will be $40,000, plus benefits, with a fund of $5,000 available for research and relocation expenses. The fellow will be provided with an office and assisted in finding housing in Pittsburgh. The fellow will be required to reside in Pittsburgh while holding the fellowship, to present a lecture and colloquium, and to participate regularly in the activities of the center. If there is a course the fellow wishes to develop and teach, this is welcome, but it is not required.
 * Applications due: November 16, 2010 for the academic year 2011-12.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Solmsen Post-Doctoral Fellowships

 * Up to four external, academic-year Solmsen Post-Doctoral Fellowships each year to scholars outside UW-Madison working on literary and historical studies of the European Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance periods up to about 1700.
 * Applicants must be in possession of the doctorate at the time of application. The award provides a stipend of $40,000, office space, support services, and access to all university facilities.
 * Applications are due on October 15th.

Valparaiso University Lilly Fellows Program

 * Three two-year residential postdoctoral teaching fellowships in the areas of Humanities and the Arts for 2011-2013 for scholars seriously considering academic vocations in church related institutions.
 * Fellows will teach seven courses over a two year period; engage in scholarship or creative work; participate in a two year colloquium; work with a VU faculty mentor; and interact with representatives from a national network of church related institutions.

Washington University in St. Louis Mellon Post-Doc ('Modeling Interdisciplinary Inquiry')

 * The Fellows will receive a two year appointment with a stipend beginning at $44,450 per year.


 * Postdoctoral Fellows plan and pursue their own continuing research in association with a senior faculty member at Washington University, and, over the course of their year appointment teach three undergraduate courses in the home discipline and collaborate in an interdisciplinary theory and methods workshop.
 * Application deadline is December 1, 2010.

Application Fees
What do you say that we all agree to never hire a scholar who has won a postdoc at a program with an application fee? (re Michigan, Harvard or Columbia)

No one likes a fee, but there's nothing unusual about them. Although it is not their sole purpose, fees help to keep out the weaker applications. If you're really a fit for the post-doc and you really want it, then you'll apply and pay the fee. If you're just applying for the sake of applying, then maybe the fee will stop you from submitting the application and wasting everyone's time. In the whole scheme of things, and I'm sure that the person who is so upset with the fee will disgree with me on this, $30 is chump change.

As you have predicted, I do disagree. These fellowships (Columbia, Harvard and Michigan) aren't themed fellowships so I'm not really sure how one would know whether they fit or not (besides the fact that they can pay the extra $$.) As for whether or not you really want it, doesn't the sheer bulk of required materials for the application take care of that aspect? Really, who applies only for the sake of applying? Lastly, and most importantly, do you really think that these schools have seen fewer applications because of the fees? or is it more likely that they are profiting greatly from the fact that so many people do not have proper employment?

I totally disagree with the person who said that there is "nothing unusual about [these application fees]" and agree with other person on here. These fees are in fact very unusual. I have never seen them before and most applications don't require them. It is NOT chump change. Applicants looking for a post-doc or entry-level academic position are already in a very difficult financial situation and have to apply to many positions because the odds are very bad to begin with and the criteria to weed out applicants are so arbitrary. These schools are extremely wealthy and shouldn't be milking prospective applicants in this way.

And yet you think the appropriate channel for your bitterness about this is to penalise the candidates who fork out?


 * IMHO it's not channeled bitterness but organised resistance against an unfair labor practice. Next they will charge for all employment applications.
 * IMHO organising resistance against the candidates who pay the fees get the positions is hardly a very well-thought-through political strategy. If you want people to think you're being something other than bitter, you (whoever made the comment about 'not hiring a candidate who had paid an application fee') might want to take it out on the institutions rather than your colleagues who, due to the same pressures you are suffering, are forced to pay the fees. There are plenty of people who don't think it's fair and who can't afford it, but will fork out nonetheless. What do you think you would achieve by punishing them for making that decision?

Is there a scholarship for those who can't afford fellowship application fees? $30 is more than I can afford. (That's a week's groceries or a month's gas bill.) I'm not being facetious; if someone knows about a scholarship fund that helps cover application fees, please advise. Otherwise, I guess I'll apply for the second-class fellowships. Agreed that this is unfair labor practice. Brings back fond memories of applying to colleges; I could only apply to a limited number because of fees then too. Some of us cannot participate in a world where $30 is 'chump change'. Personally, I'd like to see us collectively refuse to pay such fees. In the meantime, please suggest scholarships that might help cover fees.

Out of curiosity I came to see what's up in this year's postdoc wiki. I agree with the above posters who have argued against the fees. It's just so wrong considering the fact that those institutions are filthy rich. Last year I avoided all the postdocs that asked for money and only applied for ones that were free. And guess what? I won a highly respected one (definitely not 2nd class!). Don't let those big names suck you in and suck you dry. And for those who are willing to dish out the $30 or whatever, you do know, I hope, that the reason why the fee is set at $30 and not at $100 is to be low enough so that some fools will pay for it.

So now everyone who pays the application fee is a "fool"? Even the people who WIN the fellowships? -- Dear Cave-Dweller: I'm sorry to inform you that the 5 or 6 who win each year already know the faculty extremely well. For them, the $30 is kissing ass and is a symbolic gesture of giving one's soul to enter a club. For the rest, it's the 'idiot tax', as the poster below aptly stated. The overwhelming majority of the 1200+ applicants each year have fantasies of rubbing themselves against a brand name. Sincerely yours, Enlightened One.

As the saying goes, "A fool and his money are soon parted," or would you prefer we call it an "idiot tax?"

JRF's
Is it just me, or are there considerably fewer JRFs this year? I know it's early days yet, but still...

If memory serves, Oxford announce most of theirs towards Oct-Nov. I'm surprised Christ's Cambridge hasn't come up yet, though.

Killam fellowships
Does anyone know anything about these? Can you only apply to one? Is it mostly Canadians who actually end up getting them?

I am not Canadian and have recently won one. My impression is that you can apply to any school that might sponsor you; department support is necessary to become a finalist, I believe.

University of Minnesota?
Has anyone heard of this fellowship: http://www.grad.umn.edu/postdocfellowship/

It has NO details listed and I e-mailed the address for more info and it bounced. Some kind of cruel Minnesota joke?