Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships

Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships 2023-25

The Society for the Humanities will sponsor two postdoctoral teaching-research fellowships in the humanities, each awarded for the two-year period beginning August 2023. Each fellowship offers a stipend of $56,000/year.

While in residence at Cornell, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellows hold department affiliations and joint appointments with the Society for the Humanities, have limited teaching duties, and the opportunity for scholarly work. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellows are invited to attend all of the Society’s events, and are expected to participate in the Society’s weekly Wednesday Fellows Seminar and luncheon. 

Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships are available in two areas of specialization this year, in the departments of Philosophy and Africana Studies. 

Africana Studies

With the sponsorship of the Society for the Humanities, the department of Africana Studies & Research Center invites applications for a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship position beginning August 1, 2023. The fellowship offers a stipend of $56,000/year. 

Applicants should be working in the field of contemporary, Afro-Diasporic (outside of the United States) culture (music and religion, especially), and African American religion and music.  Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate a solid grasp of their methodology for both research and teaching.   

The successful candidate should be prepared to teach the following two courses: (1) a 2000-level, introductory course that would describe, define, and interrogate the Black Atlantic from the perspective of Afro-Diasporic history and culture so as to propose and evaluate the phenomena of the global African world or a Survey of African American Music or Religion; and (2) a 4000-level course that focuses on the methods and theories that the postdoctoral fellow employed in his or her dissertation; in addition to the examination of the key theoretical concepts or theoreticians that enabled the dissertation, the course should also provide case studies or illustrations of methodology for student discussion and analysis.

The department is particularly interested in a Fellow who will provide significant opportunities for research, scholarly dialogue, and teaching in conjunction with faculty and students in programs, such as Latin American Studies, American Studies, and departments such as Music, Anthropology, Philosophy, Romance Studies, and Performing and Media Arts. As a research center and beyond the question of coverage, Africana is interested in welcoming a Fellow whose work transcends positivist descriptions and taxonomies and who can provide the Cornell community with theoretically engaging and sophisticated critiques of their fields of expertise and their methodologies. The ideal candidate should be able to provide a promising concept or argument from the dissertation that can be tested, elaborated, and strengthened during their time at Cornell.     

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants eligible for the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years include those who have received the Ph.D. degree after September 1, 2017 and no later than June 30, 2023.  Applicants who do not have the Ph.D. in hand at the time of application must include a letter from the committee chair or department stating that the Ph.D. degree will be conferred before the term of the fellowship begins. International applicants are welcome to apply, contingent upon visa eligibility.

Application Procedures

The following application materials must be submitted via Academic Jobs Online #22997 by November 9, 2022.

  1. Cover page (will be generated via your AJO account):
    • Full name and home institution
    • Date (or expected date) of Ph.D.
    • Research interest(s)
    • Referees’ names and emails
  2. Curriculum vitae
  3. Detailed statement of research interests (1,000 – 2,000 words)
  4. Course proposal with sample syllabus for introductory, 2000-level course
  5. Course proposal with sample syllabus for upper, 4000-level course
  6. One writing sample [30-page limit]
  7. Letter of degree conferral (only for applicants who do not have the Ph.D. in hand by  November 9, 2022)
  8. Three letters of recommendation.  Please ask referees to upload their letters directly through the link provided by Academic Jobs Online. Letters must be received on or before November 9, 2022.

Questions can be directed to humctr@cornell.edu.

Philosophy

With the sponsorship of the Society for the Humanities, the Sage School of Philosophy at Cornell University invites applications for a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship position beginning August 1, 2023. The fellowship offers a stipend of $56,000/year. 

Applicants should hold a PhD in Philosophy before the start date.  AOS is open, but we are especially interested in the areas of (1) Philosophy of Science, (2) Social and Political Philosophy including Philosophy of Race, and (3) Asian Philosophy.  The fellow will teach one lower-level and one upper-level course each year in their AOS.  Upper-level courses will be seminars open to graduate as well as upper-level undergraduates and may reflect the fellow’s research.  

Review of applications will begin November 15 2022.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants eligible for the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years include those who have received the Ph.D. degree after September 1, 2017 and no later than June 30, 2023.  Applicants who do not have the Ph.D. in hand at the time of application must include a letter from the committee chair or department stating that the Ph.D. degree will be conferred before the term of the fellowship begins. International applicants are welcome to apply, contingent upon visa eligibility.

Application Procedures

The following application materials must be submitted via Academic Jobs Online position #22093 by November 15, 2022.

  1. Cover page (will be generated via your AJO account):
    • Full name and home institution
    • Date (or expected date) of Ph.D.
    • Research interest(s)
    • Referees’ names and emails
  2. Curriculum vitae
  3. Detailed statement of research interests (1,000 – 2,000 words)
  4. Course proposal with sample syllabus for introductory, 2000-level course
  5. Course proposal with sample syllabus for upper, 4000-level course
  6. One writing sample [30-page limit]
  7. Letter of degree conferral (only for applicants who do not have the Ph.D. in hand by  November 15, 2022)
  8. Three letters of recommendation.  Please ask referees to upload their letters directly through the link provided by Academic Jobs Online. Letters must be received on or before November 15, 2022.

Questions can be directed to humctr@cornell.edu.

Apply for a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship

Philosophy Application Portal Africana Studies Application Portal
Top