Barra Postdoctoral Fellowship in Early American Studies

The deadline for the Barra Postdoctoral Fellowships is November 3, 2023.

The McNeil Center for Early American Studies expects to appoint two postdoctoral fellows for terms beginning in 2024. Each fellow will enjoy private office space in the Center’s building at the northeastern gateway to the University of Pennsylvania campus; library, computer, and other privileges at the university; and access to the Philadelphia area’s magnificent manuscript, rare book, and museum collections. Within the parameters described below, applications are welcome from scholars whose work focuses on any aspect of the histories and cultures of North America in the Atlantic world before 1850. Proposals reliant on research in Philadelphia-area archives, libraries, and museums are especially welcome.

The McNeil Center is strongly committed to the University of Pennsylvania’s Action Plan for Faculty Excellence and Diversity and to creating a more inclusive campus community, where all feel welcomed, supported, and have equal access to networks for mentoring and research. 

Barra Postdoctoral Fellowship 
(24 months, 2024–2026) 

Applications/Letters of Recommendation for Barra Postdoctoral fellowship must be submitted online by November 3, 2023.

This award is for a two-year term beginning 1 July 2024. Applicants must have earned the PhD no earlier than 2020 in American History, American Literature, American Studies, or a closely allied field and must have completed all requirements for the degree when the appointment commences. If an applicant has extenuating circumstances that mean they earned their PhD earlier than 2020, but are still working on their first book project, they are welcome to apply with an explanation of these circumstances in their application materials. During the term of appointment, the fellow will teach two courses in an appropriate department at the University of Pennsylvania. The remainder of the fellow’s time will be devoted to research and writing. While this fellowship is particularly appropriate for projects designed to turn a doctoral dissertation into a publishable monograph, any proposal falling within the Center’s area of interest will be considered. Candidates who have received McNeil Center funding for a related project at the pre-doctoral stage are not eligible. The Barra Postdoctoral Fellow will receive a starting stipend of $65,000, health insurance, and modest funds for travel and research.