Faculty Theme Fellowship
2026-27 Faculty Theme Fellows
Reconciliation
The THEME
In the current climate of crisis—political, environmental, cultural, religious, and so on—is reconciliation possible? How can we move past anger, fear, and distrust to find common ground? In the context of the RPW Faculty Fellowship for 2026-27, reconciliation assumes that people, individually or in larger formations up to and including nation states, have been estranged, antagonistic, or separated. What strategies, tactics, histories, policies, cultural formulations, and activisms could facilitate crucial reconciliations and move toward a reparative future?
The Program
Fellows will convene on a regular basis to discuss works-in-progress. The schedule and nature of the meetings will be established collectively by the Fellows, in consultation with the Center Director. At the end of the appointment, Fellows will be expected to have completed a significant research project (such as an article, book chapter, or, for more advanced projects, a book manuscript), a creative/artistic project, a scholarly public engagement project, or a high-impact teaching initiative.
ELIGIBILITY
Tenured and tenure-track faculty from Arts & Science, Blair, Peabody, and Divinity are invited to apply. Tenured and tenure-track faculty in A&S are eligible for one course release; faculty from other schools are encouraged to consult with their dean. This is a residential fellowship; all fellows, including those on leave, are expected to participate fully, in person, in the collaborative work and scheduled meetings of the group.
To Apply
Applications will include a CV, 500-word project description, and statement of interest in collaboration. All materials will be reviewed by the RPW Director and the center’s Faculty Advisory Committee and will be forwarded to the relevant dean of the applicant’s school (A&S, Blair, Peabody, and Divinity). Applicants must secure permission from their department chair. Fellowships may be held only once every four years.
Questions
For all questions, please contact Katie Crawford, Director, Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities.