Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing

Applicants should be no more than 15 years beyond receipt of the Ph.D., with allowances made for periods of caregiving. Please contact applications@wennergren.org if this consideration applies to you.

Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in anthropology. Scholars with doctorates in related fields are only eligible to apply if they hold an appointment in an anthropology department or program, or its equivalent in countries where the subfields are named differently. Qualified scholars of any nationality or institutional affiliation may apply. Independent scholars are encouraged to apply.

The research that forms the basis of the book project must be completed by the time of application. The fellowship is intended to support focused writing, not new research. Applicants should be ready to devote a continuous block of time to completing a book manuscript.

The Foundation accepts a single resubmission of a Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing application that was unsuccessful in a prior funding cycle.

Grantees must complete all requirements for any existing Wenner-Gren Foundation awards, including submission of final reports, before applying for a new grant. We do not allow applicants to have more than one submission under consideration at the same time. This includes applications to other Wenner-Gren programs.

We consider the Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing to be a separate program from the Hunt Postdoctoral Fellowship. If you received a previous Hunt Postdoctoral Fellowship, you are still eligible for the Hunt Fellowship in Public Anthropology. Prior recipients of the Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing are not eligible to apply.

Our reviewers carefully assess the quality of the proposed book project, its grounding in anthropological research, its potential contribution to public understanding, and its adherence to the principles articulated in our mission, including a commitment to fostering an inclusive vision of anthropology. We expect applicants to draw inspiration from a broad range of scholarship, including relevant work in English and other languages. Please refer to “Motion of the 32nd RBA: Diversify Information and Education about the Global Anthropologies of Foreign Researchers and Anthropology Students.”

Successful letters of intent will feature:

• A clear and compelling story waiting to be told
• A persuasive explanation of why the book is relevant for a general audience now
• A well-defined understanding of the intended audience and market for the book
• A convincing account of the impact the author hopes the book will have
• A clear sense of how the fellowship will advance the project given its stage in the publishing process
• Evidence that the applicant is qualified to write a public-facing book or a description of the previous work (or steps they have taken) that points to their likely success

A successful full proposal should mirror a book proposal and have the following strengths:

• A captivating central idea
• A strong narrative or argumentative structure
• A clear vision of the audience and market
• A persuasive explanation of how the project will reach readers beyond the academy
• A compelling description of the research conducted for the project
• Realistic goals for completing the manuscript during the fellowship period
• Convincing evidence that indicates the applicant is ready to write a successful book for popular audiences
• Writing that is engaging, accessible, and intellectually serious

Competitive applicants may have a signed contract for the book and need time to complete the manuscript. Applicants may also apply if they are developing a proposal to secure an agent or publisher.

Applicants whose research is oriented toward primatology or primate conservation must demonstrate the broader anthropological relevance of their work. The Foundation supports work on endangered languages and language structure, but only when it is grounded in anthropological concerns.

To present your project in the best possible light, please follow all instructions for completing your application. Use all the available space to describe your project. If you have questions, contact us at applications@wennergren.org.

The Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing has a two-stage application process. Applicants must first submit a letter of intent. After review, the Foundation will invite a small number of applicants to submit full proposals.

The letter of intent asks applicants to answer all of the following questions in 1,000 words or fewer:

• What is your manuscript about?
• Why is it relevant now?
• Who is it for, and what impact do you want it to have?
• At what juncture in the publishing process are you?
• Why are you the person to write this book and positioned to successfully publish it
• Additionally, if you are resubmitting the letter of intent, you will be asked to provide a resubmission statement of up to 250 words.

Invited full proposals should mirror a book proposal and include the following:

• Title, name, and intended word count
• Short blurb or summary, 150 words maximum
• Introduction to the project, 3,000 words maximum
• Chapter titles and descriptions, 1,000 words maximum
• Author information, 300 words maximum
• Target market and publicity strategy, 500 words maximum
• List of competing titles, including title, publisher, year, and a brief description of how your proposed book compares, 300 words maximum
• One full or partial sample chapter, 5,000 words maximum
• A resubmission statement if we declined a Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing application you submitted previously, 1,000 words maximum

Applications must be in English. The proposed book may be written in any language, provided it is intended for a general audience. Applicants must submit all forms and other required materials online. If you don’t have adequate internet access to use our system, please contact us at least 1 week before the deadline and we’ll help arrange an alternative method.

Before submitting your application, please refer to the U.S. tax information on our website. Non-U.S. applicants should read the information on visa requirements for non-U.S. citizens present or coming to the U.S. as part of their project.

The Foundation requires successful applicants to comply with all U.S. laws. These include but are not limited to regulations governed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which administers U.S. government sanctions programs and regulations relating to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. Please see the OFAC Guidelines page on our website and consult the U.S. Department of the Treasury for more information.

In compliance with OFAC regulations, the Foundation requires special documentation for projects located in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Crimea, including Sevastopol, the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic regions of Ukraine, and Russia. The Foundation does not require this documentation at the application stage, but we must receive it before we can release funds.

Please do not send any other materials beyond what the application requests. Do not send transcripts, letters of reference, manuscripts beyond the requested sample chapter, publications, photographs, or recordings. We will not use this material in the review process, and we cannot return it to you.

The Foundation has a policy regarding the use of Generative AI. Please consult it before applying.