GHI Archival Summer School in the United States for Junior Historians 2017

The German Historical Institute offers an archival training program in selected cities across the United States for doctoral students from Germany and the United States.

This ten-day summer school prepares Ph.D. students working in various fields of history for their prospective research trips and teaches them practical research skills. Participants learn how to contact archives, use finding aids, identify important reference tools, and become acquainted with miscellaneous American research facilities, among them the Newberry Library in Chicago and the National Archives and the Library of Congress in Washington DC. They gain insight into how historical materials – both traditional and digital ones – are acquired, preserved, and made accessible to historians. In addition, they have the opportunity connect with their peers and meet a number of prominent scholars and discuss their research with them.

We hope that participants will gain an appreciation for the various kinds of archives and special collections located in the United States, either for future reference or for their general training as scholars of American history, culture, and society. Students are also welcome to extend their stay in the United States to do their own exploration and research after the program ends.

We welcome applications from disciplines that apply historical research methods, provided that the proposed projects require consulting sources located in US Archives. Students working in the fields of U.S., transatlantic, transnational, and global history are especially encouraged to apply.

Applicants must be registered as Ph.D. students or enrolled in a Ph.D. program at a German or UShttps://www.ghi-dc.org/ institution of higher education. Preference will be given to those who have already chosen a dissertation topic and written a dissertation proposal. Prospective candidates must have excellent knowledge of written and spoken English. All parts of the program will be conducted in English.

To apply, please email the following materials in one PDF file named LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_ASS2017 to pertilla@ghi-dc.org no later than January 31, 2017:

• cover letter
• curriculum vitae
• project exposé of no more than 3,000 words

Additionally, at least one letter of recommendation must be received via email or mail by January 31. Applicants may write in either English or German; we recommend that they use the language in which they are most proficient.

The program pays for round-trip air transportation to and from the applicants’ home town, ground transportation, and accommodation. Please note that participants are expected to share double rooms and bring along funds for private travel, lunches, and dinners.