Deadline: October 14, 2016
The Franklin Humanities Institute’s Faculty Book Manuscript Workshops program provides support for the development and completion of scholarly monographs. Regular-rank Assistant Professors in the humanities, arts, and interpretive social sciences are eligible to apply. The Book MS Workshop award includes ONE course release in addition to the funding and logistical support for the manuscript workshop.
The Faculty Book Manuscript Workshop program provides a structure for generating constructive, informed criticism on near-final book manuscripts, at a moment in the writing process when authors can most effectively utilize the feedback. The aim of the program is to transform already excellent scholarly projects into superior published works.
Each workshop will involve convening two major experts external to Duke and the Research Triangle whose work is relevant to the subject of the book in question. The FHI will provide these external reviewers with honoraria, and will cover all travel and lodging expenses. In addition to the external participants, the workshops will also include an acquisitions editor from a major scholarly press with experience in the field, and a small but select group of scholars from Duke and area universities. Groups will be limited to 15 participants in total, and will be closed sessions. The faculty member whose project is the focus of the workshop will select each participant, and all participants will be provided in advance by the FHI with up-to-date copies of the manuscript under review.
The half-day workshop will consist of a series of presentations and commentary from the group. Invited guests will be asked to make a formal presentation of their thoughts on the book, to be followed by a response from the author and discussion with the group, and the discussion will continue over a working lunch.
Each award recipient will be provided with ONE course release, contingent on approval by his/her Department Chair. The release may be taken in the semester prior, in the same semester as, or in the semester following the workshop, depending on what is most advantageous for the completion of the book manuscript. The award recipient’s home department will receive the standard $7,500 per course replacement fund plus fringe benefits.
Eligibility, Selection Process, and Criteria
The Faculty Book Manuscript Workshop program is open to regular rank Assistant Professors in the humanities, arts, and interpretive social sciences. Proposals must be focused on scholarly manuscripts being produced with the aim to secure a publishing contract.
Authors and their projects will be selected based on the potential significance of the finished work to the field in question, and the potential impact of the work on the author’s career. Academic accomplishments will also be taken into account. Workshop proposals must include the following components:
1. A one-page summary of the project in development, including a schedule for completion. In this summary, applicants should also include a statement indicating whether the work is under contract with a publisher, a list of publishers who have expressed interest, or a list of publishers the applicant feels would be ideal for the project but who have not yet been approached.
2. A one-page narrative explaining why and how this opportunity will be important to the process of completing the work. If appropriate, applicants should include a brief statement specifying their tenure and/or promotion timelines in this narrative. Please also note the semester in which you plan to take a course release.
3. A list of prospective invitees to the workshop, to include: (1) two scholars external to Duke; (2) one acquisitions editor at a major scholarly press; and (3) a list of general invitees to the workshops from Duke and Research Triangle campuses. The list may include no more than 15 people, and should be divided into areas of relevance, with each prospective participant in each area ranked according to preference. Please note that this list is intended to give the review committee a sense of the workshop to be proposed and will not be considered final. Applicants should not make any advance commitments to anyone on their list beyond confirming the general interest of the prospective participant, if this are deemed necessary. Applicants should be sure to include more than one scholar in each category.
4. A current curriculum vitae.
5. A letter from the applicant’s Department Chair agreeing to one course release, as well as the timing of the release, if the applicant receives a Book MS Workshop award.
Proposals must be submitted by 5:00 PM on Friday, October 14, 2016 via email attachment (PDF preferred) to fhi@duke.edu. Please include the phrase “Book MS Workshop Proposal” in the subject line.
Questions? Email fhi@duke.edu
