I Tatti/DHI Rom Joint Fellowship for African Studies 2023-2024

With this fellowship, I Tatti and the DHI Rom seek to stimulate and support increased scholarship on cultural exchange with and within the African continent during the period c. 1250-1750 by creating and promoting opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration, particularly between scholars from African regions and those working in European and North American institutions. The fellowship offers post-doctoral scholars working on African studies (or topics that closely consider Africa) a ten-month position to conduct historical research in Italy supported by two institutes with dynamic academic communities.

About I Tatti (The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies)

Villa I Tatti, The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies is a center for the study of early modern culture with a focus on Italy, defined historically as the period ranging from the 14th to the 17th centuries and geographically to include transnational dialogues between Italy and other cultures (e.g. Latin American, Mediterranean, African, Asian, etc.). The historic villa contains a unique collection of Renaissance and Asian art, and also houses the Biblioteca Berenson, one of the over seventy libraries that make up the Harvard Library system. In addition to its holdings of... read more

I Tatti/DHI Rom Joint Fellowship

Aim and Benefits of I Tatti/DHI Rom Joint Fellowship

• Fellows will spend five months at I Tatti (February – June 2024), made possible by a generous grant from The Lila Wallace – Reader’s Digest Fund.
• Fellows are required to spend their research period in Rome except for research-related trips, and to participate in and contribute to the activities of the DHI Rom.
• The Fellowship may not be held concurrently with another fellowship or award.
• The Fellow is responsible for obtaining health coverage with an Accident and Health insurance policy.
• The Fellow is responsible for obtaining a visa, permesso di soggiorno, and health coverage (and, if appropriate, for accompanying family members). 
• The Fellow must determine if a visa is required and, if necessary, obtain one before travel.
• Fellows are given a space to work within the DHI for the duration of their stay.
• Fellows enjoy the use of the DHI library, archive, and collections.
• The stipend is Euro 2,500 per month, plus a monthly supplement of Euro 1,000 to offset rental costs.

Requirements for I Tatti/DHI Rom Joint Fellowship Qualification

We welcome applications from scholars of all nationalities. Special consideration will be given to scholars from the African continent. Applicants must have their PhD certificate in hand by the time they apply and will be asked to upload a scan of it when submitting their application. (If the certificate is not in English, please include a translation.) Applicants must be fluent in English, Italian, German, or French, and proficient in an additional one of these languages. Each successful candidate must be approved by both institutions. It must be possible for Fellows to carry out most of their research with the resources available in the city where they are resident. The Fellow will be expected to carry out original research on the topic for which they have been awarded their fellowship. Priority will be given to applicants with no previous association with the two institutes.

Interview date, Process and Venue for I Tatti/DHI Rom Joint Fellowship

The fellowship is designed for scholars in fields related to the study of precolonial and colonial African history c. 1250-1750, including art history, the history of expressive cultures, musicology, economic history, intellectual, political, and religious history, as well as literature and languages. Preference will be given to advanced research projects that address the relationship between the African continent and the Mediterranean world during the early modern period, broadly understood historically to include the period from the 14th through the 17th centuries. 

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Applications must be written in English and must be submitted electronically by midnight (Cambridge, MA time) on November 15, 2022. Scholars can apply to only one type of fellowship at I Tatti per academic year.

For more details, visit I Tatti website.