Call for Applications: 2010 Decolonization Seminar

The National History Center is now accepting applications for the fifth international summer seminar on decolonization in the 20th century, which will be held for four weeks, from Sunday, July 11, through Saturday, August 7, 2010, in Washington, D.C.

The deadline is November 2, 2009.

The international seminar, organized by the National History Center in collaboration with the American Historical Association and the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress, is funded by a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. In the fifth seminar in the series, fifteen participating historians will engage in the common pursuit of knowledge about various dimensions of decolonization, primarily 20th-century transitions from colonies to nations in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Aims: The seminar will be an opportunity for the participants (a) to pursue research at the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and other repositories of historical research materials in Washington, D.C., on projects within the overarching theme of decolonization; (b) to exchange ideas among themselves and with the seminar leaders; (c) to produce a draft article or chapter of a book with the guidance of the faculty leaders, who, together with the participants themselves, will offer comments and critiques on the evolving draft papers.

When preparing their applications, applicants may find it helpful to consult the following guides to research resources in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere:

• Archives and research resources in Washington, D.C.
• American Historical Association's Archives Wiki

Seminar Leaders: Wm. Roger Louis, Kerr Professor of English History and Culture and Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas at Austin (and the executive director of the National History Center), will direct the seminar. Other seminar leaders will include Dane Kennedy (George Washington Univ.), Philippa Levine (Univ. of Southern California/Univ. of Texas at Austin), Jason Parker (Texas A & M Univ.), Pillarisetti Sudhir (AHA), and Marilyn Young (NYU).

Applications and all supporting materials should reach the Assistant Director of the National History Center by November 2, 2009. They may be e-mailed to a href="mailto:decol2010apply@nationalhistorycenter.org" target="blanK" >decol2010apply@nationalhistorycenter.org or to Miriam Hauss Cunningham.

If e-mailing is not possible, the applications may be mailed to:

The National History Center
ATTN: Decolonization Seminar
400 A Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003-3889

General Seminar Information: The 15 participants selected to participate in the four-week seminar will receive a small stipend that is intended to cover daily living expenses (food, local travel, and so on). The Center will meet the costs of accommodation that the Center will arrange. The Center will also reimburse (subject to limits) travel costs incurred by the selected participants for traveling between their workplace or place of normal residence and Washington, D.C., and back.

Requirements: Applicants should either have a recent Ph.D. (no more than 5 years out) and be at the beginning of their careers or advanced Ph.D. students who are nearing completion of their dissertations are also encouraged.

Applicants should note that all the academic activities (including discussions and written work) will be in English. Applicants must, therefore, be fluent in English.

Those selected will have to undertake that they will actively participate in the seminar for its entire duration.

Selected foreign participants must make their own arrangements to obtain the necessary U.S. visas; the National History Center will provide any documentation that may be required.

Visit the National History Center's website for more information.