Mellon Sawyer Graduate Fellowships
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Department of Political Science
Description:
Professors Robert Nichols and
Nancy Luxon of the Department of Political Science invite applications for three
(3) graduate fellows for the Mellon Sawyer seminar series The Politics of Land: Colony, Property, Ecology.
We seek applicants for:
1. One fellowship during the 2017
summer term (equivalent to a 25% advanced status RA position); and
2. Two fellowships during the
2017/18 academic year (each equivalent to a 50% advanced status RA position).
Graduate fellows will work on this
year-long John E. Sawyer Seminar, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
They will be hosted by the Department of Political Science, and directed by
Professors Luxon and Nichols.
The seminar seeks to develop an
integrated approach to the politics of land, framed by three themes: (1) Colony:
How has a history of colonization left its mark on key concepts of legal
and political thought, such as sovereignty, territory, jurisdiction, and land?
What comparative difference does it make to conceptualize the politics of land
through the framework of colonialism? (2) Property: How must prevailing
theories of property be rethought to consider the specific economic and political
struggles associated with land and displacement? (3) Ecology: How might
the politics of land be reconceived in a more pluralistic, cross-cultural
manner so as to include ‘alternative ecologies’ beyond the currently prevailing
frameworks? Our primary focus will be on the conceptual architecture of
these problems: how they are framed and analyzed, what analogies and
comparisons are used to discuss them, and what comparative difference it makes
to situate them in one context over another.
Qualifications:
Required Qualifications: Full-time,
registered advanced status doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota. Excellent
writing, analytical, and organizational skills.
To qualify for “advanced status,” the applicant must have:
1. Completed all course work and
thesis credits;
2. No incompletes in course work;
and
3. Held prospectus meeting.
Preferred Qualifications:
Graduate training in Political Science, Political Theory/Philosophy, American
Indian Studies, or related fields.
Applicants should demonstrate a
research agenda that connects well with the themes of the seminar.
Duties / Responsibilities:
Graduate fellows will contribute
to the organization and administration of the seminar, and will participate in
all scholarly activities associated with the Sawyer Seminar, including
workshops and lectures.
Application
Instructions:
1. Cover letter, that includes:
a. A summary of the dissertation;
b. Addresses how the candidate’s
research aligns with the seminar’s theme; and
c. Confirms the advanced status of
the applicant.
2. Curriculum vitae.
Additional
materials may be requested from candidates at a future date.
The
application deadline is March 3, 2017.
For
questions about the position, please contact Prof. Robert Nichols
(rbnichol@umn.edu).
