Exploring the Assumptions of Cultural History
Call for Fellowship Applications
The lenses of Western modernity surreptitiously shape the study of past cultures in ways that encourage us to disregard their own claims about their world in favor of those that align with the traditions of the Euro-American academy. The product of this influence is a colonialist narrative that presents past cultures as flawed or inconsistent (because they fail to meet modern criteria) and modern (usually Western) cultures as the resolution of these inconsistencies. Exploring the Assumptions of Cultural History is a three-year project sponsored by The Future of the Past Lab and The Center for Premodern Studies at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities that seeks to interrogate the influence of modern assumptions in the study of cultural history and to imagine ways forward. The series will feature ten, week-long visiting fellowships grouped around three main themes: the transmission of evidence (2024-5), the role of comparative work (2025-6), and the influence of uniquely modern “-isms” (2026-7). In the Spring of the last year of the series (2027), fellows will come together in Minneapolis for a conference to share their findings and discuss the future of the study of non-modern cultures.
We invite applications for two, week-long visiting fellowships in the Fall semester of 2026 around the question of “-isms” (e.g., classicism, medievalism, biblicism, colonialism). We seek fellows whose work examines the influence of modern philosophies, theories, pop culture, and movements on the study of non-modern cultures. In particular, we are interested in projects that:
1) explore how “-isms” reveal important information about popular enthusiasm and contemporary scholarly engagement with the past.
2) interrogate the ways in which the application of modern “-isms” might undermine our understanding of the past.
3) imagine multidisciplinary approaches in the historical humanities and social sciences that address contemporary interests and our responsibility to the past.
If selected, fellows will give a public lecture on their work, record an episode of The Future of the Past Lab’s podcast, participate in a workshop on their project, and participate in a seminar with graduate students relating to their work. Depending on the fellow’s wishes and interests, other events may be scheduled as well. While at UMN, fellows will have access to office space, the University of Minnesota Library, and archival resources, and will be encouraged to make connections with UMN faculty. Fellows’ travel, lodging, and food costs will be covered, and each fellow will receive a $1,500 honorarium.
We welcome applications from scholars of all ranks (from advanced graduate students and up) and disciplines. Special consideration will be given to applications from candidates who represent a diversity of backgrounds and experiences, especially those that have been historically underrepresented in American academia. Likewise, we are interested in applications from colleagues who work in institutions and environments that do not have access to the resources available at an R1 institution or who would benefit from resources specific to the University of Minnesota. For your application, please submit:
- An updated CV (in PDF; titled: [LAST NAME]_CV)
- An Application Statement (in PDF; titled: [LAST NAME]_STATEMENT) of no more than two pages, single-spaced that explains your research, how it relates to the theme, and why you believe you are a good candidate for the fellowship.
Applications should be submitted to futureofpast@umn.edu with the subject line “Fellowship Application 2026” no later than Sunday, February 15th. If you have any questions, please contact Noah Segal (nsegal@umn.edu).
About Us:
The Future of the Past Lab is an initiative based in the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Religions and Cultures at the University of Minnesota. Initiated in 2021, the goal of the Future of the Past is to prompt, facilitate, and platform public-facing work and conversations that think about the systems of power embedded in the histories of our fields; how those systems have favored particular dominant perspectives; how our practice as scholars and teachers perpetuates these systems today; and how we can make changes that remove barriers for under-represented individuals and world views.
The Center for Premodern Studies (CPS) is the home for collaborative scholarship and outreach in the historical humanities and social sciences at the University of Minnesota. Founded in 2021, it is the latest iteration in a long line of interdisciplinary ventures into the study of the past at Minnesota including the Mellon-funded Consortium for the Study of the Premodern World. CPS’s connections within and beyond the UMN will support fellows in engaging regional scholars, special collections, and museums.
