Edward W. Said Research Study Award
Edward Said was one of the most influential intellectuals of his time. By both temperament and conviction a thorough cosmopolitan, Said was instrumental in expanding the intellectual landscape of the twentieth century, often crossing and sometimes redefining disciplinary borders. His restless, probing examination of the relationship between culture and politics is the hallmark of his work.
Application
Named in his honor, Edward W. Said Research Study Awards of $5,000 are intended to offset the financial costs of consulting the Edward W. Said Papers in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Columbia University. Researchers early in their careers whose scholarship speaks across disciplinary boundaries, promotes humanistic inquiry in the service of intercultural communication and understanding, and addresses pressing global issues in the public sphere are especially encouraged to apply. For Said, cultural criticism was an ethical imperative. He believed it was the responsibility of humanists in the academy not only to reveal the links between culture and power but also to develop alternative modes of analysis to resist injustice.
Applicants are requested to specify the period and duration of their intended residency in New York City in their cover letter. We ask that ideally each residency (whatever its length: usually ranging between one month and one semester) overlap whenever possible with the Spring or Fall term at Columbia (that is, January through May or September through December.) In cases where the residency cannot overlap with the academic semesters, awardees are permitted to visit during the summer months (May through August). Applicants are encouraged to apply for additional sources of funding to supplement the Said research award.
Recipients must submit a report on the work undertaken within three months of the completion of their research visit.
Note: non-US Citizens may be subject to withholding tax
Applicants must have been awarded their PhD within the previous 10 years of the award period.
Applicants are required to submit the following:
Cover Letter
(200 words), giving a brief description of the project and its engagement with the legacy of Edward W. Said, as well as a specific timeline for the research visit
Research Proposal
1500 words and 1 page bibliography
Curriculum Vitae
Letters of Recommendation
Two letters are required
Applications must be submitted as a single PDF document, containing all materials noted above, excluding letters of recommendation. Please label the file thus: Last Name, First Name—EWS Fellows 2023-2024 (e.g., “Hamilton, Alexander—EWS Fellowship 2023-24”). Send the application file as an attachment in an email to: [email protected]
Recommendations must also be attached as a PDF document, labeled as above (e.g., “Recommendation for Hamilton, Alexander—EWS Fellows 2023-2024”), and sent directly by recommenders to: [email protected]