Applications are invited for a one-year, non-teaching postdoctoral fellowship at Georgetown University beginning Fall 2014.  The postdoctoral fellow will play an active role in the year-long John E. Sawyer Seminar titled “Critical ‘Silk Road’ Studies,”  funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and organized by Georgetown faculty members James Millward (Department of History, School of Foreign Service) and Michelle C. Wang (Department of Art and Art History).  Applicants whose scholarly work addresses any of the geographical regions covered by the Silk Road, from ancient to contemporary, and represents any discipline in the humanities or social sciences are encouraged to apply.  The fellow will be expected to attend all sessions of the Sawyer Seminar and to be an active participant in the Sawyer Seminar and University community.  Additionally, the fellow is expected to pursue an active research agenda by making use of the resources of Georgetown University and the greater Washington, DC area.

The goals of the seminar are to provide an interdisciplinary and interregional platform in order to investigate the invention and development of the concept of the Silk Road as well as its on-going impact, its potential and limitations for framing fields of academic inquiry, and even its role in policy-making.  By inviting the participation of scholars representing research specializations ranging from ancient and modern history, art history, religious studies, literature, musicology, anthropology, archaeology, as well as foreign policy academics and practitioners in an interrogation and exploration of the notion of the Silk Road, the seminar will furthermore address the challenges of seeing beyond the chronological, regional, linguistic, and disciplinary compartmentalization of specialists in order to better understand the workings of the trans-Eurasian Silk Road as a broader phenomenon.  For further information about the seminar, please visit silkroadseminar.georgetown.edu. 

Junior faculty and recent Ph.D. recipients are eligible to apply for the fellowship.  Advanced graduate students with the Ph.D. in hand at the beginning of the fellowship will also be considered.  The position offers an annual salary of $50,000 with benefits and office space.  Applications consisting of a cover letter addressing research areas and interest in the Silk Road, CV, writing sample, and two letters of recommendation should be submitted through the following link: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/fellowship/3277. Faxed, emailed, or mailed applications will not be accepted.  Questions regarding the online application system should be directed to Nicholas Starvaggi at nhs22@georgetown.edu. Questions regarding the postdoctoral position should be directed to Yelizaveta Raykhlina at silkroadseminar@georgetown.edu.  The deadline for applications is December 31, 2013, and the successful applicant will be notified by mid-April 2014. 

Georgetown University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer fully dedicated to achieving a diverse faculty and staff. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability or other categories protected by law.