September 2023 Public Humanities Newsletter
A monthly newsletter from Humanities for All, an initiative of the National Humanities Alliance.
In This Newsletter:
If you haven’t already, please consider subscribing to our Substack (for free!) so that you receive the newsletter in your email inbox and don’t miss any news in the future. We also encourage you to submit items to share. If you have any questions or would like to connect about the newsletter, please email please email Younger Oliver at yoliver@nhalliance.org.
Calls for Proposals
Request for Proposals: The History of Latino Communities in Washington, D.C.
Proposals due September 25, 2023
The D.C. Preservation League seeks proposals from qualified consultants interested in undertaking research to identify themes, establish associated property types, and create a preliminary inventory of significant historic resources associated with the Latino community in Washington, D.C. The selected consultant will: (1) produce a Historic Context Statement to thematically address the Latino community in Washington, D.C.; (2) produce two new individual landmark nominations and an amended nomination for the Mount Pleasant Historic District for submission to the D.C. Inventory of Historic Sites and the National Register of Historic Places related to the context study; and (3) present the context study findings and nominations to the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board. Learn more and submit a proposal here.
Monument Lab Re:Generation initiative
Applications due October 2, 2023
Monument Lab Re:Generation seeks applications from teams of two or more individuals working together. Each team may propose a new or expand upon an existing public art, public history, or public humanities project. This year, they are emphasizing the selection of projects with creative representation and interpretation of erased, suppressed, or threatened stories and histories. They especially encourage applications for projects that have the potential to shift local and regional narratives, particularly in contexts where interventions into the commemorative landscape could foster wider transformations. Each selected Re:Generation team will receive a total of $100,000 in unrestricted funding towards their commemorative campaign or project. Learn more and submit an application here.
NEH grant: Dangers and Opportunities of Technology Program
Applications due October 11, 2023
The Office of Digital Humanities at the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) invites applications for its newest grant program, Dangers & Opportunities of Technology: Perspectives from the Humanities. The NEH is particularly interested in projects that examine the role of technology in shaping current social and cultural issues. Learn more here.
2024 NCPH-Utah Historical Society Annual Meeting poster session
Proposals due October 18, 2023
The National Council on Public History invites submissions for the poster session at its 2024 conference, which will be held April 10–13, 2024, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The theme of this year’s conference is “Historical Urgency.” Learn more and submit a proposal here.
Upcoming Events
2023 Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities
September 26, 2023 | 7:00PM EDT | Washington, D.C. and live streamed
Ruth J. Simmons, professor, author, and president emerita of Prairie View A&M, Brown University, and Smith College, will deliver the 2023 Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities. Simmons will draw on her more than 50 years’ experience as a scholar, pioneering academic administrator, and changemaker in higher education to speak about the role of the humanities in fostering socioeconomic mobility and cultural belonging. Learn more and register for a free ticket here.
Virtual NCPH 2023: “To Be Continued”
October 4–6, 2023 | Virtual
This virtual conference is a follow-up to the in-person National Council on Public History (NCPH) conference that was held in April 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. It offers an opportunity to pick up on vital conversations from the in-person conference and include public historians who couldn’t make the in-person trip into the fold. Learn more and register by October 2, 2023 here.
2023 Oral History Association Annual Meeting
October 18–21, 2023 | Baltimore, Maryland
The theme for the 2023 Oral History Association (OHA) annual meeting is “ Oral History As/And Education: Teaching and Learning in the Classroom and Beyond.” This year’s meeting will provoke many generative discussions about the fundamental roles that oral history can play in educational processes, and the ways critical pedagogy can inform oral history practice. Learn more and register here.
2023 National Humanities Conference
October 25–29, 2023 | Indianapolis, Indiana
Registration is now open for the 2023 National Humanities Conference! In keeping with the state motto of Indiana, “The Crossroads of America,” the 2023 conference theme is “Crossroads.” This annual conference brings together representatives from colleges, universities, state humanities councils, cultural institutions, and other community-based organizations to explore approaches to deepening the public’s engagement with the humanities. Learn more and register here.
Publication and Project News
Recently on the Humanities for All website:
On the Humanities for All blog, Meredith E. Abarca wrote about El Paso Food Voices, an open-source digital archive that tells the food stories of the residents of El Paso, Texas.
“The Insular World of Academic Research” is a recent article by Karin Fischer published in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Fischer argues that community-focused research could build public trust in higher education and outlines some of the institutional and structural barriers stopping this work.
“'Resonating with different frequencies… Thoughts on public humanities through crowdsourcing in a ChatGPT world” was a talk given by Mia Ridge at Penn State’s CAS 2023 Summer Symposium on Harry Shearer’s Le Show Archives. Read her notes and view the presentation slides here, and learn more about the symposium here.
“Discovering the Work of Humanities Publishing” is a guest post written by Jim Gillespie for Florida Bookshelf. Gillespie, a fifth year PhD student in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Florida, held the 2023 Public Humanities Internship with the University of Florida Press. In this post, he reflects on his experience and the many things he learned along the way.
Reform to Equal Rights: K-12 Disability History Curriculum is a new curriculum published in 2023 with support from the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program and Mass Humanities. This curriculum is free online and features 250 primary sources across American history. While the curriculum is designed for K–12 educators, public humanities scholars and practitioners may find the sources and content relevant to their own work.
“Relations” is the newest issue of magazén | International Journal for Digital and Public Humanities, the interdisciplinary journal of the Venice Centre for Digital and Public Humanities. The current issue focuses on the concept of “Relations” and how they are implemented, operationalized, and analyzed as interdependencies, links, and connections in the various practices of digital and public humanities scholarship.
Scholars in COVID Times is a forthcoming volume edited by Melissa Castillo Planas and Debra A. Castillo that documents the new and innovative forms of scholarship, community collaboration, and teaching brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The editors bring together a diverse range of texts, from research-based studies to self-reflective essays, to reexamine what it means to be a publicly engaged scholar in the era of COVID.
“The virtues of Ethics Bowl: Do pre-college philosophy programs prepare students for democratic citizenship?” is a new paper by Michael Vaquez and Michael Madden Prinzing, published in the Journal of Philosophy in Schools. The paper discusses the rationale for and efforts to quantify the success of philosophy outreach efforts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a focus on the National High School Ethics Bowl.
“Locating the Madras Kerchief in Global Textile Trade: Convergences Between Connecting Threads and the Dutch Textile Trade Project” is a new essay by Victoria de Lorenzo, Avalon Fotheringham, Deepthi Murali, and Meha Priyadarshini in the Journal of Historians of Netherlandish Art. The essay presents research related to Connecting Threads, an NEH-funded public humanities project directed by scholars at George Mason University and the University of Edinburgh.
Radical Reciprocity is a learning platform based out of Michigan State University (MSU) that reimagines the relationship between land-grant universities and the communities they exist within. The platform provides a space where community members can contribute to the practice of radical reciprocity by sharing their own efforts and learning about the work of others. The project was funded by the MSU Creating Inclusive Excellence Grant, which supports efforts that demonstrably benefit students and create a more inclusive campus community for all.
“Does Humanities Research Still Matter?” is a recent opinion piece in Inside Higher Education by Asheesh Kapur Siddique that argues that there should be an increased focus on the rapid collapse of available research funding for the humanities. Siddique states that traditional academic humanities research provides a basis for much public humanities research and that “without reliable funding, that stream of basic research in the humanities will dry up, impoverishing efforts to shape public discourse.”
Employment and Funding Opportunities
The American Musicological Society (AMS) seeks a Special Projects Coordinator to support the effective administration and promotion of AMS public programs, particularly the Many Musics of America event series and AMS public lectures. This role provides substantial opportunity to interact with members, volunteers, and partners and to support the public outreach and programming of the AMS. Review of applications began on September 5, 2023 and will continue until the position is filled.
The Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture at the College of Charleston seeks a project director for the Liberatory Literacies Project. This 48-month archival and community outreach project is funded by the Mellon Foundation. The project director will provide strategic leadership, supervise grant-funded staff and ensure the successful completion of the project. The project director will oversee the preservation, processing and cataloging of the Research Center’s unprocessed manuscript collections. Additionally, the project director will supervise grant-funded outreach and community engagement efforts. Apply by September 6, 2023.
The City of San Antonio’s Office of Historic Preservation seeks a Cultural Historian. This position will develop, implement, and facilitate initiatives to solicit public input for the purpose of identifying historic sites of cultural significance in a historically multicultural city. The Cultural Historian will also conduct fieldwork and research in support of the identification of culturally significant historic sites. Apply by September 17, 2023.
The Smithsonian seeks a Director of its Asian Pacific American Center (APAC). APAC is an essential means of representing and enhancing public understanding of the heritage of Asian & Pacific Island Americans and their historical and contemporary contributions to the American experience, world cultures, and humanity’s place in the natural world. Apply by September 18, 2023.
The Maine Humanities Council seeks a Program Coordinator to lead the organization’s statewide outreach work and develop and coordinate a new community history program. Apply by September 22, 2023.
The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) invites research proposals from scholars in all disciplines of the humanities and interpretive social sciences for their fellowship program. ACLS will award up to 60 fellowships with a maximum award of $60,000. This year, the fellowship is open to untenured scholars, working on or off the tenure track, who have earned a PhD in the humanities or humanistic social sciences on or after September 29, 2015. Apply by September 28, 2023.
The department of African American & African Studies at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position in Black feminist literary and cultural studies to begin Fall 2024. The preferred candidate would be broadly trained in the fields of African American literature, cultural studies, public humanities, and/or other forms of creative expression. They are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate a commitment to charting broadly-based humanistic inquiries in Black feminism. Apply by October 1, 2023.
The department of history at Rutgers University-New Brunswick seeks a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor in Public History to begin in fall 2024. The successful candidate will teach a range of public history courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in addition to courses in their own area of specialization and will contribute to the department’s undergraduate certificate program in public history and the graduate certificate program in the public humanities. This position will also help support the School’s Public Humanities Initiative. Apply by October 1, 2023.
The Missouri University of Science and Technology invites applications for the Maxwell C. Weiner Distinguished Professorship in the Humanities. They seek candidates with exceptional scholarly credentials in any humanistic field with a demonstrated commitment to public humanities. The Weiner Professor will be tenured in one of the three humanities departments at Missouri S&T: Arts, Languages, and Philosophy; English & Technical Communication; or History & Political Science. They seek a candidate with expertise in cross-disciplinary fields that support one or more strategic campus growth areas, including but not limited to: digital humanities, medical humanities, theatre/performance technology, film studies, cultural studies, graphic design, and public humanities. Apply by October 1, 2023.
The history department at Trinity University invites applications for a tenure-track position in African-American history with an anticipated start date of August 2024. They welcome applicants whose research or teaching interests cover the 19th century, as well as candidates with a passion for undergraduate education and a commitment to inclusive pedagogy. Review of applications will begin on October 9, 2023 and continue until the position is filled.
The department of religious studies at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of assistant professor in the area of Social Theory and Digital Studies of Religion, beginning August 2024. While a variety of digital specialties are potentially relevant, the department is especially looking for a scholar with demonstrated expertise in digital humanities research methods, digital public humanities, or research methods for the study of religion in digital technology, media, and culture. Review of applications begins October 15, 2023.
The history department at Drake University invites applications for an Assistant Professor of African-American History. This is a 9-month appointment beginning in August 2024; among other possible courses, this position could teach African American History as Public History. For full consideration, apply by October 15, 2023.
The history department at Villanova University invites applications for a tenure track position in African American history starting in the fall semester 2024. They value interdisciplinarity and seek candidates who will contribute to the University’s Africana Studies Program and who will build upon some of the department’s interests in public history, urban history, and cultural history. Apply by October 15, 2023.
The Engaged Humanities Network and the Humanities Center at Syracuse University invite applications for two Engaged Humanities Post-Doctoral Fellowships. These 2-year appointments (July 1, 2024–June 30, 2026) combine publicly-engaged research, programming, curriculum development, and teaching. Apply by October 23, 2023 for priority consideration.
The University of Miami invites applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures with a specialization in Latin American Cultural and Literary Studies. Preference will be given to candidates who focus on film studies and/or visual culture; candidates with experience in public humanities are especially encouraged to apply. Apply by November 1, 2023.
The newly launched Program in Public Scholarship in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis seeks applications for two positions:
An editorial specialist to work with faculty and graduate students on projects intended for general audiences and to develop a network of editors and contacts at popular venues that are interested in public scholarly work.
A media specialist to work with the public scholarship team as well as faculty and staff across Arts & Sciences to forward the new program by brainstorming ideas, planning and facilitating workshops, bringing specific projects to completion, and tracking public impact.
The Digital Humanities Core (DHC) facility at the University of Houston invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow. Among other duties, this position coordinates and supports the implementation, scaling, and evolution of the DHC’s Micro-credentialing in the Digital Humanities program. This position reports to the Public Humanities Data Librarian.
The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin seeks an Associate Director for Exhibitions and Public Programs to provide strategic vision for the Ransom Center’s community engagement initiatives. The Associate Director oversees an active program of external loans and collaborates with the Director, the Center’s senior leadership team, in-house and guest curators, communications and marketing, contract service providers, and community partners on the development of exhibitions and public programs that promote greater understanding of, and engagement with, the Center’s world-renowned collections.
The Taft Research Center at the University of Cincinnati seeks a Digital Marketing Specialist. The Taft Research Center offers an array of university and public humanities programs designed to bring people together across the 15 Taft-member departments in the humanities and social sciences, and beyond. The Digital Marketing Specialist will provide support for digital marketing and communication initiatives, including content and measurement, as well as be responsible for developing and managing digital marketing strategies and campaigns and the Center website and award database. Candidates with public humanities knowledge are encouraged to apply.
The Howard County Government in Maryland seeks an African American History Manager and Museum Educator. This position within the Cultural and Historic Resources Section directs, participates, and creates new, innovative educational programming relevant to Howard County-owned historic sites. The position is also responsible for conducting research and creating programming focusing on the African American achievements, experience, and story related to these sites. The position also assists with the creation of relevant exhibits, online content and publications and coordinates special events related to the Historic and Cultural Resources Section.
The Peabody Essex Museum is seeking a Director of Learning and Civic Engagement. This position will be a spokesperson for the value of educational programming at the museum, collaborating cross-departmentally to define and implement a programmatic vision aimed at reaching and cultivating new audiences with learning and civic engagement at the forefront.
Virginia Humanities seeks a Deputy Director to lead its programs and operations. The Deputy Director works closely with the Executive Director to support the organization's mission by ensuring the successful implementation of programs and initiatives as they engage the many diverse communities of Virginia.
The Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles seeks a Director of Research and Programs. The Bunche Center supports research that (1) expands the knowledge of the history, lifestyles, and sociocultural systems of people of African descent and (2) investigates problems that have bearing on the psychological, social, and economic well-being of persons of African descent. Research sponsored and conducted by the Bunche Center is multidisciplinary in scope and spans the humanities, social sciences, fine arts, and several professional schools. This position will be responsible for overseeing the day to day research activities for the Bunche Center.
The department of Hebrew and Judaic studies at New York University seeks a Visiting Assistant Professor of American Jewish History. They seek applicants with a PhD in American Jewish history with focus on youth movements of the 20th century and established projects in public humanities.
The Call My Name project at Clemson University seeks a Program Coordinator II. Call My Name is a multi-faceted public humanities project that shares stories about Black people in Clemson University history from freedom in Africa to activism in the 21st century. This position will serve as an advocate and supporter of the project's initiatives; support and assist undergraduate and graduate research assistants; organize and manage projects and contracts; provide administrative and community support; and coordinate programs and events.
The Berman Institute of Bioethics at Johns Hopkins University seeks an Oral Historian to fill a one-year position in the Institute’s Dracopoulos-Bloomberg iDeas Lab. This position will lead the next phase of the Moral Histories project.
The Boston Public Library seeks a Community History Supervisor. This position oversees the library’s community history projects, including the development of community-driven research projects using archival and other historical materials, identifying and delivering historic records and data sets into proper workflows for deposit into the Massachusetts Digital Commonwealth’s statewide repository system, and providing educational pathways for the public to use the library’s digitized local history collections for learning and research. The position will also oversee the work of neighborhood programming and outreach services related to local history in Boston Public Library (BPL) locations and in designated neighborhood locations.
The Chapman Museum seeks a Program and Community Outreach Coordinator to develop, plan, and implement a variety of programs and co-curricular opportunities that enrich and expand the educational offerings of the institution. The position plays a key role at the museum and conducts creative engagement with our community through innovative programming and outreach.
Northwestern University seeks a Global Black Studies Librarian. This position works within the Research Services department providing instructional and research support services to students and faculty who study Black history and related disciplines. Outreach and instruction are a vital part of this role. The Global Black Studies Librarian participates in the external library community, including Evanston and Chicago, and liaises with the Chicago Collections Consortium and the Black Metropolis Research Consortium.
The Utah State University Libraries seeks a Community & Oral History Archivist. This position will be responsible for coordination of the Libraries’ Special Collections & Archives (SCA) community outreach and engagement activities, including programs and events. They will actively cultivate new relationships and promote ongoing relationships with community partners across the region. In conjunction with this role, the Archivist will serve as SCA’s oral history specialist, ensuring that the unit’s efforts in planning and executing oral history projects follow professional standards and best practices.
As always, check out the latest postings on the job boards for the National Council on Public History and the American Association for State and Local History, which provide lists of opportunities that might be of interest to those trained in the public humanities.
Interested in careers in scholarly publishing? Check out the Association of University Presses and the Society of Scholarly Publishing job boards.
Interested in careers in museums? Check out the American Alliance of Museums job board.