WiSER-DUKE Writing Fellowship

Friday, 1 November, 2013 - 11:30

WiSER is an interdisciplinary humanities research institute at Wits with a strong international profile. It was created twelve years ago to do cutting-edge research, and promote local and international debate, on the complexities of change in Southern Africa, understood from comparative and global perspectives. Central to this project is a commitment to fostering exchange and engagement with intellectuals and research communities across South African society and beyond. This, in turn, underpins an interest in modes of writing and critical commentary that reach beyond the academy. 

For 2014 we are offering a joint WiSER-Duke University Writing Fellowship. The Franklin Humanities Institute at Duke University has generously agreed to co-fund and co-host the recipient of the Fellowship. The Fellowship is intended for someone who usually works outside of a university environment (e.g. as a non-fiction writer, journalist, independent researcher) and who would value the opportunity to write and reflect in a more academic environment. Generally the award has been made for book projects, but other print media and new media/ internet projects will also be considered, as will forms of writing such as musical composition. The Fellow will be accommodated at WiSER and will be expected to play an active role in its intellectual life. He/she will also spend some time in residence at Duke University during the course of the 6-month Fellowship. 

WiSER has several specific areas of intellectual interest and the Writing Fellow will be expected to locate his/her writing projects within one or more of these programmes. For more information, see www.wits.ac.za/wiser
 

The Fellowship will be awarded for a period of 6 months. The award comprises a modest monthly stipend of up to R15,000, as well as a research grant. The Fellow will have access to an office, a phone, the internet, and university library privileges. The Fellow will be expected to take leave from his/her full-time job for the duration of the fellowship. Applications will be evaluated according to the intellectual interest of the writing proposal and the Fellow’s potential contribution to WiSER’s project.

Previous Fellows include:

To apply, please submit the following:

1. A detailed motivation, setting out your interest in the Writing Fellowship and a proposal for a writing project while based at WiSER, demonstrating its links to one or more of the WiSER research programmes and the ways in which it advances WiSER’s objectives.

2. A full and updated CV.

3. Two recent pieces of written work.

4. Names and email contact details of three referees.

Email applications to: Najibha.Deshmukh@wits.ac.za

For more information: Contact WiSER’s Director, Professor Sarah Nuttall: Sarah.Nuttall@wits.ac.za


Starting date for the fellowship is negotiable.

CLOSING DATE for applications: 31 October 2013