Luce/ACLS Early Career Fellowships in China Studies – Flexible

Flexible research fellowships will enable recent PhDs (without tenure and within eight years of the PhD) with heavy teaching and service responsibilities to carry out research and writing towards a significant scholarly product. Flexible fellowships are financially supported by the Henry Luce Foundation.

Early Career fellowships support scholarly research in all disciplines of the humanities and the interpretive social sciences. Research may be conducted on any topic related to the cultures, histories, and societies in China, and their influence and impact on communities, countries, and cultures around the world, as required by the research plan. Research on Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang is eligible. The study of non-traditional sites (e.g., sites in Africa or Latin America) is also permitted, so long as there is a clearly articulated rationale for the relationship to China or Chinese-language communities and cultures. There are no restrictions regarding time period or methodological approach.

Possible project outcomes include, but are not limited to, contributions to the development of one or more of the following: monographs, scholarly articles, conference papers, book chapters, or book on a topic in the humanities or interpretive social sciences. ACLS also encourages projects that have the potential to contribute to:

• Pedagogical tools that make meaningful connections between a scholar’s research and teaching.
• Works that bridge scholarly and creative practice.
• Community-engaged projects grounded in scholarly research but geared toward a public audience. Potential or actual community and/or student engagement with the research project is encouraged, as is the dissemination of the research to audiences across higher education.

The Luce/ACLS Program in China Studies promotes inclusion, equity, and diversity as integral components of merit that enhance the scholarly enterprise. It is a priority that every cohort of fellows and grantees is broadly inclusive of different backgrounds, cultures, and any aspects that make one unique. In China studies they seek balance in regard to national origin, educational background, and current university affiliation, as well as in disciplinary approaches, topics, and historical periods studied.

Funding Information

• Stipend: $15,000 ($5,000 per month) for the equivalent of three months’ work accomplished over a twelve-month period.
• Tenure: The fellowship period must begin between July 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026.

Eligibility Criteria

• An applicant must hold a PhD from an accredited institution in the United States or Canada, OR be a US or Canadian citizen/permanent resident with a PhD from any accredited institution.
  • An applicant must hold a PhD degree conferred no earlier than January 1, 2016.
  • If the PhD is not conferred (officially awarded) by the application deadline, the applicant must:
    • (At the time of application) have a university official (dissertation advisor or departmental chair) confirm through the OFA system that the applicant is on schedule to complete the PhD by April 15, 2025. This is an online form, not a reference letter.
    • (By April 1, 2025) submit a letter from the applicant’s graduate school confirming that the dissertation has been submitted and approved by the graduate school for conferral according to the university calendar. The applicant is responsible for submitting the dissertation on time in order to meet this requirement.
• An applicant who is not a US or Canadian citizen/permanent resident must have an affiliation, or a long-term, regular research or teaching appointment, with a university or college in the United States or Canada.
• Applicants who have obtained tenure, or who have submitted tenure materials for review by the application deadline, are not eligible.
• A working knowledge of Chinese is required, or knowledge of another language used in China studies (e.g., Tibetan, Uyghur) is also acceptable.

Evaluation Criteria

• The research design and intellectual organization of the project.
• The significance of the topic and its potential contribution to China studies.
• The ability of the applicant to accomplish the proposed research, based on academic training and success of previous research projects.
• The feasibility of the plan of work.

For more information, visit ACLS.