Deadline: May 15, 2026

The John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute (FHI) seeks proposals from graduate student-led working groups organized around topics of cross-disciplinary concern in the humanities, arts, and interpretive social sciences. We are especially interested in projects that relate to ongoing FHI projects such as the Entanglement Project (on race, health, and climate), and our Humanities Labs, the Future of Critical Thought, our 2025-27 Annual Theme, and Worlds of 1776, a project co-sponsored by the FHI, in partnership with the Department of History and Duke Library and coordinated by Professor Philip Stern, surrounding global aspects of the American Revolution, the global early modern, and intersections with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

To be eligible for an award, a group needs to be convened by two or more PhD students in the humanities, arts, and interpretive social sciences. Conveners may also include MFA (e.g. in Experimental and Documentary Arts, Embodied Interdisciplinary Praxis) and MA students (e.g. in Critical Asian Humanities, Digital Art History). Group members may include faculty, staff, and other constituencies, but conveners should be graduate students. 

There is no prescribed format for FHI Grad Working Groups. The format of past and present Graduate Working Groups have varied depending on the need of each group and its conveners. For example, many operated as reading groups, invited guest speakers, or had group members present their own work to each other. We are open to supporting any format that suits your collective intellectual interests. 

This year, we are offering two types of grants. The first type is intended for working groups planning to invite a guest speaker and create a public-facing event. This grant of $2000 will help cover the cost of your guest speaker’s travel, lodging, honorarium, etc. The second type will support working groups interested in holding workshops, reading groups, meetings, etc. The $1000 offered with this grant can assist in paying for meeting expenses (e.g. small meals), supplies, books, etc.

Current FHI GWGs are welcome to apply.

To apply, please complete this online form by Friday, May 15, 2026. You will be asked to provide the following:   

  • Basic information and CV (1-2 pages) for each co-convener
  • A brief description of your group's intellectual project (max. 3,000 characters or ~500 words). Discuss your likely format (e.g. reading group meetings, viewing/listening sessions, speaker visits, etc.) and your sense of who will likely be interested in participating in the working group (past, current, and anticipated). If you are applying for $2000, please also share names of potential guest speakers, dates/times for their event(s), and format, i.e. in-person, online, hybrid, etc. For current GWGs re-applying for another year, please comment on your work this past year and how you envision the project growing in the future.
  • Please provide a simple, preliminary, non-binding budget proposal of expenses and costs for up to $1,000 or $2,000, depending on the type of group you're proposing. Note that you don't have to request the maximum amount if it's not necessary for what you plan to do. For example, this budget can include books your group plans to read together, refreshments, collective research supplies, etc. If you are applying for $2000, please also account for costs such as honoraria, lodging, ground and air travel, catering, rentals, etc.

Questions? Email FHI Associate Director christina.chia@duke.edu and FHI Program Coordinator michael.pascual@duke.edu.