Global Fellowship Application

2025-2026 Theme: Unsettling

We invite applications for our inaugural Global Fellowship Program focused on the theme of unsettling. The concept of unsettling can be both literal and metaphorical. In a literal sense, unsettling involves land-back movements and decolonial practices that confront settler colonialism. In a metaphorical sense, unsettling catalyzes purposeful transformation through reimagining bodies, knowledge, methods, and systems. Above all, unsettling is a creative and resistant act that opens up possibilities for social change. We welcome proposals for Humanities research projects that engage the theme of unsettling, broadly conceived.

The Fellowship program provides a focused period for Northeastern Humanities Fellows to pursue dedicated research, collaborate around a common theme, and share their work with the global Northeastern community. Fellowship awards include a lowered teaching or administrative load (depending on the Fellow’s home campus), and participation in the kickoff event and ongoing meetings. We welcome applications from tenured, tenure-track, research, and teaching faculty from Northeastern University’s Boston, London, and Oakland campuses (previous Fellows may reapply after six years).

The application deadline is Monday, March 17, 2025. The fellowship period will be September 2025 through May 2026. The Humanities Center will provide notification of awards by April 1st, 2025. Apply now!

Fellowship Support:

• One course release to enable research and participation (Boston and Oakland) / 0.1 time allocation in London Workload Allocation Model (London)

• Release from most departmental service for pre-tenure faculty during the fellowship period (Boston and Oakland only)

• Access to Humanities Center resources, including staff support

• Travel and accommodation for non-Boston faculty to attend a Kickoff Symposium

London Faculty:

The Humanities Center will support 2 Faculty from London to participate in the 2025-26 Global Faculty Fellowship Program. Successful applicants will be allocated 0.1 of their time in the Workload Allocation Model to support participation. Applications are welcome from those on both permanent T&R and T&S contracts and applicants should confirm approval and support from relevant Line Manager and Faculty Director.

Boston Graduate Students:

This call is open to Ph.D. candidates in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities who are funding eligible and have completed all requirements for the Ph.D. except the dissertation by July 31, 2025.

London Postgraduates: 

The Humanities Center will support 2 PhD students from London to participate in the 2025-26 Global Faculty Fellowship Program. Students must have completed their 10 month probationary review and have approval from their primary supervisor and the Head of the Doctoral School. Students research projects should speak to the theme of ‘unsettling’ but also relate to their overarching PhD dissertation, e.g. a chapter, contribution to a literature review, journal article stemming from dissertation research

Fellowship Requirements:

• Attend Global Fellowship Program Kickoff Symposium, to be held in Boston, September 25th-26th, 2025. Fellows from Oakland and London will be funded to travel to Boston to attend.
• Deliver a Works-In-Progress presentation on the Fellowship project.
• Participate in online meetings
  • Introductory meeting in early September with all Global Fellows
  • Full Cohort Meetings (3-4 over the academic year) with all Global Fellows
  • Faculty Fellows Discussions: Participation in monthly conversations with a research cluster.
  • Graduate Student/Postgraduate Fellows Meetings: Participation in monthly conversations with Humanities Center Leadership team mentors.

For any questions about the process, please email K.J. Rawson, Humanities Center Director, at k.rawson@northeastern.edu.