"2026-28 Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Literatures in English"

With the sponsorship of the Society for the Humanities, the Department of Literatures in English invites applications for a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship position beginning August 1, 2026. The fellowship carries a stipend of $64,000/year.

The Cornell Department of Literatures in English and the Society for the Humanities jointly seek a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow for 2026-27 and 2027-28. We aim to recruit a candidate specializing in African American literature and culture in any historical period. We especially seek applications from candidates with additional expertise in gender and sexuality studies or media studies (print and/or digital culture). In addition to conducting their own research, supported by faculty mentorship, the Fellow will be expected to teach two courses per year: one lower-level course, such as Introduction to African American Literature, and an upper-level course such as Black Aesthetics, Early African American Print Culture, or a course of the fellow’s own design. The Fellow will also participate in events and seminars sponsored by the Society for the Humanities.

Applications for the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Literatures in English are due November 14, 2025. Applications must be submitted through Academic Jobs Online Job #30459.

Eligibility Requirements: Applicants eligible for the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Literatures in English for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 academic years include those who have received the Ph.D. degree after September 1, 2020, and no later than June 30, 2026. Applicants who do not have the Ph.D. in hand at the time of application must include a letter from the committee chair or department stating that the Ph.D. degree will be conferred before the term of the fellowship begins. International applicants are welcome to apply, contingent upon visa eligibility.

Apply through AJO: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30459

Application Procedures: The following application materials must be submitted via Academic Jobs Online position #30459 by November 14, 2025: 1. Information Cover Sheet... [list of materials].

For further information please email, humctr@cornell.edu.

Society for the Humanities: The Society for the Humanities was established at Cornell University in 1966 to support research and teaching in the humanities. It is intended to be at once a research institute, a stimulus to educational innovation, and a continuing society of scholars. The Society and its Fellows have fostered path-breaking interdisciplinary dialogue and theoretical reflection on the humanities at large. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellows are invited to attend all the Society’s events, and are expected to participate in the Society’s weekly Wednesday Fellows Seminar and luncheon.