Nominations to the 2027 Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program are now open to scholars, journalists, and public intellectuals who are U.S. citizens or have legal U.S. residency status.
Each year, about 30 fellowships are awarded annually through this program which asks scholars to help Americans understand how and why their society has become so polarized and what can be done do to strengthen the forces of cohesion.
For the 2027 class, the sponsor is broadening the focus of the Fellows Program. While they remain interested in work focused solely on the US context, they now also ask what the US can learn from the interplay of polarization and democracy in other countries that might ensure the sustainability of pluralist democracy. They are seeking proposals which address the relationship between populism and polarization, how democracies have resisted or reversed polarization, the impacts of AI and social media, and the conditions under which polarization has declined or become entrenched or even escalated into violence.
The criteria for selection prioritize the originality and potential impact of the proposal, as well as the capacity to communicate the findings to a broad audience.
Each fellow receives a grant of up to $200,000 to support their research project, enabling them to devote significant time and resources to their work. Recipients have the choice of a 12-month or a 24-month fellowship, beginning on the first of the month between July and September of 2027.
UBC may nominate one untenured and one tenured scholar, so an internal selection may be necessary for this award. Interested candidates must submit the following 2 items to Stephanie O'Neill, Award Nomination Development Officer, by October 1, 2026 11:59 p.m. .
- A three- to five-page prospectus that describes the proposed research, including a projected work plan and approximate time frame. The prospectus should be double-spaced with a minimum of 12-point font.
- Note: Jurors will not read any prospectus beyond the five-page limit (footnotes and bibliography excepted, but brevity is appreciated).
- Please ensure to specify the time you will allot to working on the project*.
- A UBC CV
UBC cannot nominate the same candidates more than once during the 2027-2029 competition cycle. Candidates may submit materials through the university's internal selection process each year.
*Candidates should discuss any teaching or administrative release time with their department/unit head prior to submitting their application (As per the sponsor's instructions, candidates can go on sabbatical for the entire fellowship or a portion of it. They may also choose to teach classes part-time and/or to work on the project over the summer.)