The public scholarship program is a remote fellowship that introduces political science graduate students to the intellectual and practical aspects of presenting academic scholarship to the public.
During the fellowship period, fellows focus on producing public-facing summaries of political science research. This involves communicating with journal editors and authors under the supervision of APSA staff. Fellows also produce previews and recaps of Annual Meeting events. This work is shared via APSA’s newly redesigned blog, politicalsciencenow.com, as well as on APSA social media accounts.
The Public Scholarship Program was created in collaboration with the APSA Presidential Task Force for New Partnerships, and thanks to generous support from the Ivywood Foundation.
Our Fellows' Work
Our fellows write public-facing, accessible summaries of cutting-edge political science research published in the American Political Science Review. Recent articles covered include work on how new technologies have changed the way we track human rights violations and the effects of electoral quotas on minority populations. You can read all of our fellows’ posts here.
The Fellowship:
Timing: Fellows participate in a 12-month fellowship beginning with a two-day workshop at APSA headquarters in Washington, DC
Support: Fellows will receive a stipend to support their work, as well as complementary travel, food, and lodging for the orientation workshop and APSA Annual Meeting.
Training: The Public Scholarship workshop features training by APSA staff, opportunities to workshop public scholarship, and presentations from experts in political science and public scholarship.
Eligibility:
We welcome doctoral students in political science who have completed their first year of graduate work by the beginning of the fellowship period. Among the criteria for selection are applicant’s interests and investment in public scholarship, as well as ability to write for a general audience. Anyone with interest in public scholarship is encouraged to apply, whether or not that interest is explicit in their existing work.
Application Materials:
- CV (2 pages max.): Please include contact information, academic department, relevant employment and service history, and academic accomplishments. Applicants who have published work in popular magazines, newspapers, or blogs (e.g. the Duck of Minerva, The Monkey Cage) are encouraged to list those citations in addition to any scholarly publications.
- Statement of Interest: 1 page single-spaced max at least 11-point font.
- Writing Sample (3 single-spaced pages max, at least 11-point font): A sample of writing about political science for a public audience. This can include previously published work in popular outlets. In place of an existing writing sample, applicants may also write a summary of a recent APSR article. Summaries should be a maximum of 600 words.