Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory Fellowships for the

School of Criticism and Theory
at Cornell University

 

 

 

See how previous Unit fellows enjoyed their SCT experience:

* Quicktime Video: Remember SCT 2006

* Photos and Commentary from SCT 2007

* Melissa Free and Zia Gluhbegivic on their experiences as SCT 2007 fellows.

Announcement for Summer 2009:

The Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory is pleased to announce a competition for Nicholson Graduate Student Fellowships, sponsoring students to attend the 2009 School of Criticism and Theory at Cornell University:

With substantial financial support from the Nicholson Gift Fund, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Graduate College, the Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory will once again offer graduate student fellowships to the School of Criticism and Theory (SCT) at Cornell University. Currently directed by Professor Amanda Anderson of Johns Hopkins, the SCT is a six-week summer institute that has existed for more than thirty years and provides the opportunity for graduate students and faculty members to take seminars with some of the world's leading critical theorists. The SCT provides an unparalleled opportunity for advanced training in critical theory and for making connections with an international cohort of peers and world-class scholars. This year the Unit for Criticism will once again provide two full fellowships for graduate students on a competitive basis.

This summer's SCT will take place between June 14-July 23, 2009 and will feature the following six-week seminars, from which participants must pick one (full descriptions are available on the SCT website):


--Simon During, "Conservatism, Religion, History

--Geoff Eley, "Fascism, Modernity, Politics, Aesthetics"

--Leela Gandhi, "On Anticolonial Metaphysics"

--Michael Steinberg and Suzanne Stewart-Steinberg, "Voice, Representation, Ideology"

Additional mini-seminars for all SCT participants will be given by Arjun Appadurai, Wai Chee Dimock, Brian Massumi, and Susan Stewart.

More information about the SCT and more detailed seminar descriptions are available on their website:

http://sct.arts.cornell.edu

Under the SCT's "Sponsored Participant" program, the Unit for Criticism will be able to select two graduate students this year to send to Cornell; with the help of funds from the Nicholson Gift Fund, LAS, and the Graduate College, we will be able to pay for the entire SCT tuition, and also contribute $1,400 for housing, food, and transportation costs. (On campus housing at Cornell costs $1,100, but less expensive options in town are also possible.) The Sponsored Participants chosen by the Unit do not have to go through the SCT application process; they simply file an abbreviated application and are generally guaranteed the seminar of their choice.

Students who would like to apply to be one of the Unit for Criticism's Sponsored Participants should read the guidelines below and submit the necessary materials by January 20, 2009.  The fellowships will be awarded soon after and applications and other materials are due at Cornell in early February. Fellowships will be awarded by a selection committee made up of Unit faculty members from different departments. Please note that the SCT recommends that students be in their post-course taking phase and that preference will be given to more advanced students. However, all students who meet the criteria described below are eligible to apply.

If you have any questions about this program, please contact Unit for Criticism Director Lauren Goodlad (lgoodlad@illinois.edu).


---------------------------------------
Guidelines for participation in the Unit's Sponsored Participant program at the School of Criticism and Theory:

1. Applicants must be full-time graduate students enrolled in a degree-granting program at UIUC who will either return to UIUC in fall 2009 or graduate in May 2009.

2. Applicants must be affiliated students of the Unit for Criticism, but Unit applications can be submitted concurrently with SCT applications. See our website: http://criticism.english.uiuc.edu/affiliation.htm

3. Applications must be sent by email to Lauren Goodlad (lgoodlad@illinois.edu) and received NO LATER than January 20, 2009 at 3:00 pm.

Necessary materials:

1. A short cover letter that gives the names of two UIUC faculty references and indicates which six-week seminar the student would like to attend. (Please note that faculty members will not necessarily be contacted for references.)

2. Five copies of a statement of approximately two pages single-spaced describing current scholarly interests and plans and how the SCT might further those interests and plans. The statement should include information about courses taken in critical theory and about ongoing and projected research projects. It should also clarify what your current status is in your program (i.e. ABD, taking courses, etc.). *Please be sure to connect your interests and research to the particular seminar you would like to attend. This is the most important part of your application.*

3. Five copies of a current c.v.