Raymond D. Fogelson Pre-Dissertation Research Grant

The Raymond D. Fogelson Pre-Dissertation Research Grant honors the career and reflects the generosity of Ray Fogelson, former president of the American Society for Ethnohistory (1987-88). A leading expert in Southeast ethnology, Fogelson mentored several generations of graduate students over the course of his career, thereby contributing greatly to the growth and evolution of both the Society and the field of ethnohistory.

The Fogelson Pre-Dissertation Research Grant supports preliminary travel to an archive, library, or field location by a Ph.D. student in ethnohistory. The grant is meant to help the student determine the feasibility of a projected research agenda and thereby develop and refine a compelling dissertation topic. The Research Grant is not restricted by topic or geographic region.

One travel grant of up to $3000 will be awarded each year to a graduate student in ethnohistory who, at the time of application, has not yet completed the Ph.D. comprehensive exams or advanced to candidacy (although the grantee can be ABD at the time of the research itself). The funds are to be used only to support exploratory research travel expenses, such as transportation, lodging, and reproduction fees. The grant must be used during the summer following the award unless there is prior authorization from the Fogelson selection committee. Fogelson Grants may be combined with other funding sources, but under no circumstances are they to be added to larger grants supporting extended research of more than one month.

The ASE nominations committee will serve as the Fogelson selection committee each year. All applications are to be submitted electronically to the names and email addresses listed on the ASE website no later than January 15, and must include:

  1. a prospectus of proposed research and budget, no longer than 800 words, with a preliminary bibliography and a basic estimate of travel and research costs.
  2. a tentative research schedule for the grant period, indicating the destination for research, preliminary knowledge of the availability of archives, and potential interviews and places for fieldwork, if the project includes contemporary ethnography.
  3. a current curriculum vitae, with a notation of the intended date for the comprehensive exams or the prospectus defense.

Separately, two letters of recommendation are required. The recommenders should send these directly to the selection committee. If relevant to the proposed research, at least one letter should attest to the language competence of the applicant.

The Fogelson Grant committee will notify the successful applicant and the ASE executive committee of its decision by March 15. At the end of the grant period, the grantee must submit a brief follow-up report via email to the ASE Executive Committee, indicating how the funds were used, as well as all other awards received, including sources and amounts.

For the 2025 cycle, please submit application materials to the committee members: