Billington Fellowship Program on Russian history and Culture
The Kennan Institute seeks applications from scholars who have received their Ph.D. within the past 10 years for the newly established Billington Fellowship to conduct research on Russian history and culture. The Billington Fellowship was established in 2016 in tribute to the co-founder of the Kennan Institute, Director Emeritus of the Wilson Center, and Librarian Emeritus of Congress, James H. Billington. Dr. Billington has made enduring contributions to the field of Russian Studies, and in US nation’s ability to understand and maintain bridges of dialogue with the Russian people. He is not only the author of The Icon and the Axe (1966), Fire in the Minds of Men(1980), and Russia in Search of Itself (2004), among other seminal works; he is the visionary behind the Open World Leadership Center, which has facilitated the travel of over 24,000 individuals from Eurasia to the United States to meet with members of Congress and visit the United States.
The Billington Fellow will be based at the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute in Washington, D.C. for a nine-month term (one academic year). Fellows will receive access to the Library of Congress, National Archives, and policy research centers in Washington, D.C., as well as the opportunity to meet with key experts and officials at the State Department, USAID, Department of Defense, and Congress. While conducting research, the Billington Fellow will be expected to actively participate in discussions with the policy and academic communities. These discussions can be in the form of speaking engagements at the Wilson Center and potentially outside of Washington D.C., as well as attending meetings, conferences, and other activities organized by the Kennan Institute and the Wilson Center. Upon completion of the fellowship, the Billington Fellow will join growing list of alumni, for whom the Kennan Institute will continue to offer opportunities for collaboration and engagement.
The Billington Fellowship offers a monthly stipend of $3,500, research facilities, a research intern, and computer access. Fellows are required to be in residence at the Kennan Institute, Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. for the duration of the grant. Awardees are expected to begin their appointments within six months of accepting the fellowship.
Application
Applicants for the Billington Fellowship must hold a Ph.D. awarded within the past 10 years. Preference will be given to proposed research in the fields of Russian history and culture. There is no citizenship restriction on this grant.
The Application should include
- The individual application form
- A project proposal and title (not to exceed 1,000 words)
- A curriculum vitae, including publications (not to exceed 5 pages
- Two letters of recommendation
Please note all materials must be in English. Applications may be scanned and sent as PDF files by email (please note the individual application form is a fillable PDF file). Applications may also be submitted in hard-copy by post. Do not send sample publications.
The Project Proposal
It is essential that you make your project clear to individuals outside of your own field and explain its broader implications, including policy relevance. Please note that for the Billington Fellowship preference will be given to proposed research on Russian history or culture.
The elements requested below should be incorporated into the text:
- A detailed description of the topic and its policy relevance beyond the interests of the specific field of study
- The originality of the proposed study
- The basic ideas and hypotheses
- The methods or approaches to be used
- A brief discussion of how you or your project will foster communication between the world of ideas and the world of public affairs.
Letters of Recommendation
It is your responsibility to have two signed letters of reference sent directly to the Kennan Institute by the deadline. Scanned copies of signed letters sent to us by email are acceptable. Your referees should be familiar with you and your work. Along with a copy of your proposal, you should also send your referees a copy of the letter of instruction, included with this packet, which they can use in preparing their comments about your proposed study and your qualifications for undertaking it. They may also comment upon how you and your work would contribute to the Center’s goal of bridging the gap between the worlds of scholarship and public affairs.
For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/billington_fellow_application_0.pdf?utm_source=ARMACAD.info&utm_medium=ARMACAD.info