Call for Proposals: Mellon DH Course Development Fellowships – Deadline 2/2/24

BACKGROUND

Since 2016, the John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute (FHI) at Duke University has partnered with North Carolina Central University faculty and administrators to promote digital humanities at NCCU. 23 NCCU faculty members across the humanities and allied departments (Art, History, Language and Literature, Mass Communications, Music) have participated in the NCCU-Duke DH Fellows program. The accomplishments of the Fellows have been impressive and remarkably diverse: in addition to new digital modules and student projects in the classroom, Fellows have produced individual and collaborative publications, opened a DH Lab on campus, hosted the annual conference of the Digital Humanities Collaborative of North Carolina and assumed leadership roles in the organization, collaborated with universities in Pakistan on a highly successful DH faculty exchange, received individual fellowships and spearheaded NEA, NEH, and Mellon grant initiatives.


PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

In 2023, the NCCU-Duke DH program began a new 2-year project to support course development in NCCU’s new Digital Humanities Minor. Funding for this new phase of the program is provided by Duke’s Mellon Humanities Unbounded Initiative. NCCU faculty applicants may propose new courses OR significant re-design of existing courses for the DH minor. The Fellowship has two key components:

  1. Summer Course Development with Duke Graduate Assistant(s): Each NCCU Faculty Fellow will be paired with a Duke PhD student to assist with the design and preparation of course modules, assignments, and other relevant materials. Alternatively, the students could work with both Fellows, dividing tasks according to different expertise. This work should take place over the summer, with the expectation that courses will be taught the following year, contingent on any necessary approval at the University or Departmental level. Fellows must commit to teaching their new courses once approved and should consult with the DH Minor Director, their Department Chairs, and the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities on the optimal semester to offer these courses.Each Fellow will also receive $2,000 in course development funds for relevant purchases and subscriptions.

    The Duke GAs are NOT expected to serve as teaching assistants for the courses themselves – but may be invited back to give a guest lecture, lead a workshop, or participate in other limited ways based on mutual agreement.

  2. Course Releases: Each Fellow will receive two course releases from their normal teaching load, to be taken no later than Spring 2025. Duke will provide funding to NCCU from the Mellon grant for the hiring of replacement instructors. Fellows should determine the timing of the course releases in consultation with their Department Chairs and CASSH.

PROJECTED FELLOWSHIP TIMELINE

Jan 2024 – Info session on current Call for Proposals – date TBD

Feb – NCCU Faculty Fellows selected; Duke Graduate Assistant application process opens

Mar – Duke GAs to be selected by end of month

May – Organizational meetings & Training Sessions (as needed) for Fellows and GAs

Jun, Jul, Aug – Fellows and GAs work together on course development

Fall 2024 – Spring 2025 – New courses to be offered; faculty course replacements


ELIGIBILITY

Full-time NCCU faculty members in the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities are eligible to apply. Experience with digital humanities in the classroom is expected.


HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please submit the following:

  • A 1 to 2-page description of your proposed DH minor course. If relevant, discuss how this course builds upon your previous or ongoing work integrating digital methods in the classroom.
  • A current CV
  • A letter of support from your Department Chair, indicating approval of the 2 course releases included in the Fellowship terms

Please send all materials as a single PDF to fhi@duke.edu by Friday, February 2, 2024.


QUESTIONS?

Please contact Christina Chia (Associate Director, Franklin Humanities Institute, christina.chia@duke.edu)

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