July 9–August 3, 2007, Washington, D.C.

Call for Applications

The National History Center, an initiative of the American Historical Association, invites applications from historians (in the United States and abroad) at the beginning of their careers who are interested in participating in the second international seminar on the history of decolonization in the 20th century. The seminar, to be held July 9–August 3, 2007, in Washington, D.C., will, like the first seminar, focus in particular on the transitions from colonies to nations in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.

The seminar, which the center is conducting in active collaboration with the Library of Congress, and with the support of a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, will be directed by Wm. Roger Louis, Kerr Professor of English History and Culture and Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. The seminar will be held in one of the Library of Congress buildings.

The 15 participants selected to participate in the four-week seminar will receive a small stipend that is intended to (a) cover daily living expenses; and (b) meet the costs of accommodation (in modestly priced but reasonably comfortable academic lodgings 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.

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.

Seminar Leaders: Professors Julia Clancy-Smith (University of Arizona), Dane Kennedy (George Washington University), Joseph Miller (University of Virginia), and Marilyn Young (New York University), and Dr. Pillarisetti Sudhir (American Historical Association) will join the seminar director, Wm. Roger Louis, to lead the discussions and to help the participants in their academic activities.

Requirements: Applicants should preferably have a recent PhD (that is, one obtained after January 1, 1999) and be at the beginning of their careers. Applications from advanced PhD students who are nearing completion of their dissertations will also be considered.

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.

Details about the application process, the seminar, and the National History Center can be obtained from the Center’s web site, www.nationalhistorycenter.org.

Application deadline is November 1, 2006.