The Kagan Fellowship Program
Each year, the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) offers fellowships for doctoral and post-doctoral (new!) candidates around the world conducting Holocaust research.
Through the Saul Kagan Fellowship in Advanced Shoah Studies, the Claims Conference supports Ph.D. and Post-doctoral candidates pursuing advanced study of Jews who were systematically targeted for destruction or persecution by the Nazis and their allies between 1933 and 1945 (and immediate post-war). Supported research can include: the immediate historical context in which the Holocaust took place; political, economic, legal, religious or socio-cultural aspects; ethical and moral implications; or other related, relevant topics. Read about past fellows and their research.
Kagan Fellowships are awarded to outstanding candidates around the world who exhibit strong personal commitment to Holocaust research, demonstrate excellence in academic achievement, and possess the potential to provide outstanding professional leadership that will shape the future of Holocaust scholarship. Candidates can be studying the fields of History, Sociology, Jewish Studies, Political Science, Philosophy, Theology, Women’s Studies and others. Other than attending the summer week-long conference (see below), there is no residency requirement.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Saul Kagan Fellowship In Advanced Shoah Studies, a candidate must be connected to a university or institution that supports their research of the Holocaust. Eligible disciplines are those in which serious research will make the greatest contribution to future knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust, including but not limited to work in the fields of Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Jewish Studies, History, Political Science, Philosophy, Religion, Sociology, and Women’s Studies.
Applicants must be able to focus on their research without having external commitments, such as full time employment. Those teaching a course as part of their university requirements may apply. In selecting fellows, the Fellowship Admissions Committee will evaluate both the candidate and the ability of the candidate’s chosen institution to train Holocaust scholars.
A Kagan Fellowship award is a maximum of $20,000. Once accepted into the Kagan Fellowship, there is opportunity to renew for a second consecutive year, subject to the Admissions Committee’s approval.
A candidate who has applied or is applying for any outside award funding should feel free to apply to the Kagan Fellowship. However, a candidate who is already confirmed to receive above $20,000 in outside/other funding (this excludes tuition grants) for the Kagan Fellowship funding year for which he/she is applying would not be eligible to apply. (See below for more details.) A candidate who is already confirmed to be receiving less than $20,000 in other funding for the funding year for which he/she is applying is eligible to apply. Candidates who are receiving scholarships/awards for tuition or travel are eligible to apply.
Any funding you are receiving while applying for the Kagan Fellowship does not reflect on your eligibility, so feel free to apply, regardless of current funding amount.
Please contact Ms. Chavie Brumer at chavie.brumer@claimscon.org with any questions.
Program Requirements
- To be enrolled and in good standing in a post-doctoral program that is focused on or supports the study of the Holocaust.
- To be able to focus on the research without external commitments, such as employment. Those teaching a course as part of their post-doc requirement may apply.
- Candidates should have received their Ph.D. within the last five years and be connected to a university or research institution.
- To commit to full-time employment primarily in Holocaust Studies on an academic level for a minimum of five years after completing the post-doctorate.
- To attend and present their research at an annual summer week-long conference. There is no residency requirement other than the summer conference.
- Kagan awards cannot be used toward tuition costs.
- A Kagan Fellow may receive up to $5,000 in outside funding during the Kagan Fellowship funding year without any decrease in his/her award. If a candidate receives more than $5,000 in outside funding, this may result in a decrease in his/her award. Other awards/scholarships that go towards tuition costs are NOT counted as ‘outside/other funding’ and would not result in any Kagan award decrease. Salary of part-time employment must be pre-approved and may be counted as ‘outside funding.’
- The Claims Conference reserves the right to rescind the Kagan award, should a Kagan Fellow accept outside funding (excludes tuition scholarships) in excess of $20,000.
Please note: For those candidates just finishing their PhD, you must have completed ALL your PhD requirements, including that of defending your thesis, BEFORE the application deadline. Those who cannot provide a letter or certificate of PhD completion by the application deadline are not eligible to apply.
PhD Application and Instructions
All application documents must be received no later than January 3, 2017. Email Ms. Chavie Brumer at: Chavie.Brumer@claimscon.org to indicate your plan to submit an application and include the information listed on the ‘How to Apply’ tab on this website. Late applications will not be considered.
The application package must include the following items, completed in English* (see below for exceptions).
- Application form (download link above). Must be emailed, saved as: Your Last Name_Application.
- Academic resume/CV (no more than two pages) as a PDF attachment. Must be emailed, saved as: Last Name_CV.
- A two-paragraph abstract, followed by a clear, concise summary (no more than ten pages double spaced) of your dissertation topic, including the dissertation’s title and a list of works cited within the summary. Include an explanation as to the significance of your research and how it will contribute to the overall field of Holocaust Studies. Must be emailed, saved as: Last Name_PhD Proposal.
- All academic transcripts (undergraduate and graduate, including current PhD transcripts). Official transcripts or student copies of official transcripts (the university seal must be visible) are acceptable. Can be mailed or scanned and emailed as one attachment, saved as: Last Name_Transcripts. (Please make sure mailed transcripts arrive no later than the deadline.)
- For students who studied in the USA (if applicable): GRE scores. Student photocopies are acceptable. May be mailed or scanned and emailed, saved as: Last Name_GRE.
- Three letters of recommendation with completed recommendation questionnaires (see above to download questionnaire). One letter must be from an academic advisor in Holocaust studies (or related field) who has worked closely with the applicant, and one from a supervisor who is well-acquainted with the applicant and their experience in a professional or volunteer setting. The third letter should be from an academic source who is familiar with the applicant’s work. Please inform your professors/references that all letters must be on university or other professional letterhead, dated, and have original signatures. Letters that are not on letterhead and/or that are unsigned will be rejected. Each letter must be accompanied by a recommendation questionnaire. May be mailed or scanned and emailed as pdf attachments.
- Optional: a web link or electronic, downloaded video file, not more than 6 MB exhibiting the candidate delivering a concise description of his/her research topic. Only the first 90 seconds of the video will be viewed. Large, time-sensitive files are not accepted.
All the above items must be submitted in English. *If you have difficulty with submitting a transcript in English, please notify Ms. Chavie Brumer at Chavie.Brumer@claimscon.org.
Please do not email all of your documents in one PDF attachment.
Portions of the application that are submitted by mail should be addressed to:
Claims Conference -Office of Kagan Fellowships
Attn: Ms. Chavie Brumer
1359 Broadway, Suite 2000
New York, NY 10018 USA
All other portions should be submitted by email to: chavie.brumer@claimscon.org.
If you have questions or concerns while completing your application, please contact Chavie Brumer at chavie.brumer@claimscon.org or at 646-485-2035.
Awards are usually announced in early April.
Post-doctoral Application and Instruction
All application documents must be received no later than January 3, 2017. Email Ms. Chavie Brumer at: Chavie.Brumer@claimscon.org to indicate your plan to submit an application, and include the list of information on the ‘How to Apply’ tab on this website. Late applications will not be considered.
Application Process:
The following materials must be completed in English* and arrive by the deadline:
- Application form (download link above). Must be emailed, saved as: Your Last Name_Application.
- Summary form (download link above). Must be emailed, saved as: Last Name_Post Doc Summary.
- Academic resume/CV (no more than 3 pages). Must be emailed, saved as: Last Name_CV.
- A full outline of your Ph.D. dissertation and 1-2 chapters of your work in English, including the dissertation’s title and a list of works cited. Must be emailed as one attachment, saved as: Last Name_PhD Chapter. **Hebrew authors, please see below.
- A detailed project proposal of your post-doctoral research, including what the outcome would be, and potential sources and methodology used. It should not exceed 10 double-spaced pages. Must be emailed, saved as: Last Name_Post Doc Proposal.
- Masters and Phd academic transcripts, including confirmation of PhD completion. Official transcripts or student copies of official transcripts (university seal must be visible) are acceptable. Can be mailed or scanned and emailed as one attachment, saved as: Last Name_Transcripts. Please ensure mailed copies arrive no later than the deadline.
- Three letters of recommendation with completed recommendation questionnaires (see above to download questionnaire). One letter must be from an academic advisor who has worked closely with the applicant, and one from a supervisor who is well-acquainted with the applicant and their experience in a professional or volunteer setting. The third letter should be from a university or research institution confirming the support of their work and an agreement to host the candidate. Please inform your professors/references that all letters must be on university or other professional letterhead, dated, and have original signatures. Letters that are not on letterhead and/or that are unsigned will be rejected. Each letter must be accompanied by a recommendation questionnaire. May be mailed or scanned and emailed as pdf attachments.
- Optional: A web link or electronic, downloaded video file not more than 6 MB exhibiting the candidate delivering a concise description of his/her research topic. Only the first 90 seconds of the video will be reviewed. Large, time-sensitive files will not be acceped.
Please do not send all of the above documents in one PDF attachment.
*All application materials must be in English with the following exceptions:
1) If you are having difficulty getting transcripts in English, please notify Chavie.Brumer@claimscon.org.
**2) If your dissertation is in Hebrew, you may submit your chapters in Hebrew. However, you must also include a summary of that chapter (maximum of 2,000 words) in English.
Please note: For those candidates just finishing their PhD, you must have completed ALL your PhD requirements, including that of defending your thesis, BEFORE the application deadline. Those who cannot provide a letter or certificate of PhD completion by the application deadline are not eligible to apply.
Portions of the application that are submitted by mail should be addressed to:
Claims Conference- Office of Kagan Fellowships
Attn: Ms. Chavie Brumer
1359 Broadway, Suite 2000
New York, NY 10018 USA
All other portions should be submitted by email to: chavie.brumer@claimscon.org.
If you have questions or concerns while completing your application, please contact Ms. Chavie Brumer at chavie.brumer@claimscon.org or at 646-485-2035.
Awards are usually announced in early April.
HOW TO APPLY
The Kagan Fellowship in Advanced Shoah Studies welcomes applications from PhD and Post-doc candidates from around the world for funding for the September 2017-August 2018 academic year. All application material, including transcripts and recommendation letters, must be received no later than:
Tuesday, JANUARY 3, 2017. (Please plan ahead so that your transcripts and letters arrive via email or mail at the Claims Conference office by this deadline.) Applications arriving after this deadline will not be considered.
Before applying, please confirm your plan to submit an application and confirm your eligibility by emailing the following information to Chavie Brumer (Chavie.Brumer@claimscon.org):
- Last Name
- First Name
- Name of University
- Name of Advisor/s
- Name of Department/Field of Study (History, Sociology, etc.)
- Whether you are in a PhD or Post-doc program
- If in a Post-doc program, year you completed your Phd:
- Research Topic: 2-5 sentences, including the time period being covered (ex: 1938-1940)
- Country of Origin
- Year in which you anticipate completing your current PhD or Post-doc
Anticipated or confirmed funding or salary you will receive from September 2017-August 2018.
For more information click "Further official information" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://fellowships.claimscon.org/how-to-apply/eligibility-requirements-postdoc/