DISSERTATION WORKING GROUPS

Application Deadline for 2009-10 Cycle: Monday, May 4, 2009

The John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute at Duke invites applications for its 2009-10 Dissertation Working Groups (DWG). The DWG program seeks to spur timely completion of dissertations and to foster students’ intellectual and professional development by providing research funding and membership in a year-long workshop comprised of advanced graduate students across the humanities and interpretive social sciences. Now entering its fifth year, the program offers a dynamic and supportive interdisciplinary setting where students can learn from peers in other fields through conversations about their work and writing.

Program Description

For participation in the program, we seek students who wish to benefit from a collaborative environment and engage varied audiences with their work, and who possess the willingness and ability to offer and receive critical feedback and support. In an increasingly interdisciplinary scholarly environment, we believe that a higher level of familiarity with the questions and imperatives of other disciplines will serve future humanists well in their current and future research endeavors, in their teaching, and as contributors to their communities (both academic and civic). Up to twelve students will be selected for the 2009-10 program year.

Each DWG member will be provided with a research allowance of $2,000. These funds are intended to provide support for conference or research travel, the purchase of research materials or tools, or for other purposes directly related to dissertation work. Some restrictions apply, but a wide range of expenses are allowable under the program.

From September through April, DWG students will meet at least once monthly at the John Hope Franklin Center to discuss and critique members’ work. Each member of the group will be asked to submit written work to the group at least once during the academic year. As appropriate, we will encourage some of these presentations to be open to a larger campus audience. DWG members will also be divided into smaller subgroups organized around specific thematic, theoretical, or methodological issues.

The DWG will also have a program budget at its disposal. These funds may be used for purchasing books on the writing process, inviting senior scholars to speak on topics of shared intellectual and professional interest to group members, or for other related purposes. Decisions about the expenditure of those additional funds will be made collectively by the group in consultation with Franklin Humanities Institute.

The DWG will offer summer residencies to members of the DWG who plan to remain in Durham during the summer (June 1 – July 31, 2010). The Franklin Humanities Institute will provide (shared) office space and programming funds for an interdisciplinary “brown bag” series, to be designed and coordinated by the DWG residents themselves. Summer participation is not required for all group members – but those who elect to participate will be expected to commit to DWG activities and, more generally, contribute to intellectual life at the FHI.

Christina Chia, Assistant Director of the Franklin Humanities Institute (Ph.D., English, Duke, 2004), will direct the program. As needed, she will provide advice on relevant readings, internet resources, and other aids to dissertation writing. She will also monitor and assess the group’s cohesion and progress and connect members to campus and other resources that may be relevant to their work.

At the end of each academic year, each DWG member will be asked to submit a brief report describing the progress made on their dissertations during the year, the role of the Working Group in their writing and research processes, and their use of their $2000 travel/research fund.

Eligibility

The program is open to Duke University graduate students in the humanities and interpretive social sciences who have passed their preliminary exams and are actively engaged in writing their dissertations. The group is open to students at all dissertation stages.

Students who have already participated in the DWG are not eligible to apply. Current and past Graduate Fellows in the FHI Annual Seminar are also ineligible.

To Apply

Applications must include the following components:

1) The application cover sheet - available here.

2) A 2-3 page letter that includes the following:

a) Description of the dissertation and its current state of completion (please include date of proposal or chapter exam, if completed, as well as projected date of completion);

b) Discussion of the ways in which the DWG program, with its interdisciplinary and collaborative structure, will benefit your dissertation writing process;

c) A proposal for the use of the $2000 research allowance. The proposal is not binding, but it should demonstrate that the support will make a difference to your project. Allowable costs include: conference fees and travel expenses; research-related travel expenses; purchases of research materials, services, or tools (such as software) and other direct expenses. Funds cannot be used for normal living expenses, meals, or for purchasing major equipment such as computers or video cameras (unless specifically and compellingly justified by the project).

3) A curriculum vitae.

Application materials must be received by 5:00 PM on Monday, May 4, 2009 (additional materials may be requested during the selection process). Appointments will be announced by July 1. Please send all proposals via email in 2 PDF documents saved with your last name as part of the file name: (1) the application cover sheet (This is a writable PDF so you should be able to enter your information and save it using Acrobat reader.); (2) the rest of the application.

Please direct questions to FHI Assistant Director Christina Chia (christina.chia@duke.edu; 919-668-1902).