Postdoctoral Fellowships on U.S. Presidential History

As part of its mission to support promising new research in American history, the CPH hosts postdoctoral fellows in-residence. The CPH interprets its mission in “presidential history” in the broadest terms possible and thus welcomes postdoctoral fellows from all fields, topics, and time periods in U.S. History, particularly those pertaining to politics, government, the nation, or the presidency. To get a sense of the breadth of the postdoctoral research the CPH has supported. view the profiles of current and past postdoctoral fellows here.

This two-year fellowship program supports the individual academic goals of each fellow while integrating all fellows into the three primary aims of the CPH: Research, Public Engagement, and the Collective Memory Project. The CPH supports each fellow by providing time and resources to research, write, and complete their book manuscript. Along the way, the program provides fellows with opportunities to enhance their overall scholarly profile through participation in the CPH's research and work, including public events, oral history, teacher engagement, and podcasting. The fellowship is officially, offered as one-year position, with full expectation of renewal for a second year.

Each fellow also has opportunity to contribute to the CPH's work, including various forms of public engagement, podcasting, teaching, and the Collective Memory Project, a filmed oral history of the George W. Bush presidency and beyond. Depending on the fellow's level of interest in developing their own skills in oral history, each has opportunity to:

• Lead a project within the overall Collective Memory Project, on a subject within the Fellow's expertise. This may include everything from conceptualizing the topic to leading a series of interviews. This typically provides opportunity for travel for in-person interviews and research.
• Participate in interviews led by other CPH staff, either as a secondary interviewer, or as a/v support.
• Post-interview production, including editing transcriptions, film, or websites.
• Developing skills within the burgeoning field of Digital Humanities, including working with the CPH website, exploring tools for textual analysis, and the opportunity to participate in classes offered by SMU Libraries and the Digital Humanities Summer Institute based out of the University of Victoria.