The appointment of Fellows for Research Residencies lies at the heart of IFUSS’s activities. Through a combination of open global competitions and direct invitations, IFUSS hosts exceptional scholars from outside the U.S. for residencies lasting from two weeks to nine months. While in residence, Fellows pursue their own research with access to excellent library facilities. They also lead colloquia, participate in faculty seminars and sometimes offer a course in their specialty area. These are intended for professional scholars holding advanced degrees. While most Fellows have been at the mid to advanced career stage, those at earlier professional stages will also be considered.
Most residencies are reserved for professional scholars, but in some cases very advanced Ph.D students with funding from their home institutions or countries can be hosted to conduct dissertation research.
With applicants from more than 60 countries, the range of scholarship represented is truly diverse in terms of topic and methodology. Fellows from Nigeria, Italy, Australia, Japan, China, Russia, Israel, India, Great Britain, South Africa, Argentina, Spain, Sri Lanka, and Hungary are among those who have participated so far. Their research has focused on topics as diverse as Jewish writers of the 1930s, gay life in New York City, the urban geography of Chicago, American female missionaries in Japan, the “English-Only” movement in the U.S., and many other issues in U.S. history, literature, political science, social anthropology, media studies, and visual culture.
Fellows are expected to remain in residence for the duration of their fellowship and to devote their energies full-time to the projects they are involved in.
