The Afro-Latin American Research Institute at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, Harvard University, invites graduate students working on dissertations related to Afro-Latin American studies to submit a proposal to the annual Mark Claster Mamolen Dissertation Workshop on Afro- Latin American Studies.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Doctoral students on Afro-Latin American Studies* at universities anywhere in the world who are actively writing their dissertations.
*We consider Afro-Latin American Studies “as the study of people of African ancestry in Latin America, and… as the study of the larger societies, in which those people live. Under the first heading, scholars study Black histories, cultures, strategies, and struggles in the region. Under the second, they study blackness, and race more generally, as a category of difference, as an engine of stratification and inequality, and as a key variable in processes of national formation.” (Alejandro de la Fuente and George Reid Andrews (eds.) Afro-Latin American Studies: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2018. p. 1)
HOW TO APPLY
- Fill in the Application Form
- Submit 3-page proposal of your dissertation chapter (3 pages + references, Times New Roman 12, double space). Proposals can be submitted in English, Spanish, or Portuguese and should identify in the header the name & the institutional affiliation of the applicant. Within your proposal, please state the context of the chapter within your dissertation project.
- Submit a Recommendation Letter from your advisor. Please note that the recommendation letter is a personalized document and needs to address both:
- Confirm that you are indeed a doctoral student
- Explain your contribution to the Dissertation Workshop.
There is no model for the letter of support. Every research is unique and so is the relationship between the advisor and her advisee.
Submit the COMPLETE APPLICATION using this link by January 17, 2024, 9am EST. Late applications will not be accepted.
SELECTED APPLICANTS
Twelve to fifteen students will be selected to participate in the Workshop. They will be notified by February 29, 2024.
Selected students will be asked to submit a dissertation chapter (up to 50 pages, double space, in English, Spanish, or Portuguese) by March 16, 2024. Chapters will be circulated among workshop participants to be read in advance. The Workshop will meet at Harvard on May 3-4, 2024. Each participant should be ready to comment (in any language preferred) on every dissertation chapter in the workshop. In the Afro-Latin American Research Institute we proudly use Spanish, Portuguese, and English and we ask all our guest to make an effort to accommodate them all.
FAQ
1. What is Afro-Latin American Studies?
We consider Afro-Latin American Studies “as the study of people of African ancestry in Latin America, and… as the study of the larger societies, in which those people live. Under the first heading, scholars study Black histories, cultures, strategies, and struggles in the region. Under the second, they study blackness, and race more generally, as a category of difference, as an engine of stratification and inequality, and as a key variable in processes of national formation.” (Alejandro de la Fuente and George Reid Andrews (eds.) Afro-Latin American Studies: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2018. p. 1)
2. Can I apply if I already have a PhD?
Only PhD candidates in actively writing stage can apply. Master’s students or students who completed their PhD are not eligible to apply. However, students who have not yet completed their PhD by the time of the application are eligible to participate even if their defense is scheduled to take place prior to the Workshop in May.
3. How should my application be presented?
Please make sure you send your complete application and you identify every document in the title and in the header your first and last name & your institutional affiliation.
4. Do I write about my chapter or about my dissertation?
You write about your chapter within the context of your dissertation.
4. When is the deadline to apply?
You can apply until January 17, 2024 9:00am EST. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
5. What language should I use for written proposal?
You can present your proposal in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. We always make an effort to communicate in the three languages during the Workshop as well. You don’t need to be proficient in English to participate.
6. Can my proposal be in one language and my letter of recommendation in another?
Yes.
7. Does Bibliography count in the three-page limit for the proposal?
Your written text should not exceed three-page limit, but you can include your references in the fourth page.
8. Do you have any model for the letter of support from my advisor?
There is no model for the letter of support. Every research is unique and so is the relationship between the advisor and her advisee. Nonetheless, we ask you to make sure that the recommendation letter includes the confirmation that you are a PhD Candidate and explain the contribution of your research to the Afro-Latin American Studies and to the Dissertation Workshop. The letter of recommendation is not a certificate, rather a personal statement of your advisor about your research and your contribution to the field.
For further inquiries, please contact ALARI@fas.harvard.edu, using subject line: “Dissertation Workshop.”