Deadlines:
Fall Semester (September – December): March 1
Spring Semester (February – May): August 23
Since the Shorenstein Center’s founding in 1986, the Fellowship Program has been central to its mission examining the intersection of media, politics and public policy. The purpose of the Joan Shorenstein Fellowship Program is to advance research in the field of media, politics and public policy; facilitate a dialogue among journalists, scholars, policymakers and students; and provide an opportunity for reflection.
The Joan Shorenstein Fellowship Program is designed to provide journalists, scholars, politicians and policymakers with an opportunity for reflection. A Fellowship offers busy professionals the time and resources needed to think, research, and write on issues central to our media and politics.
The primary focus of a fellow is to research and write a paper on a media/politics topic. The Shorenstein Center strives to create an environment for fellows to do their best work, with faculty support, weekly discussion meetings with peers, and all the resources that Harvard has to offer, including world-class libraries and leading experts on a vast array of subjects.
During the semester fellows will attend regular events hosted by the Center, including thought-provoking speakers from the media and social gatherings. Fellows leave the Center having made lasting friendships and important professional connections.
It is our hope that fellows come away from their time at the Shorenstein Center having contributed to the field in a substantive way, and having embraced all the opportunities and activities that present themselves on a daily basis as a part of Harvard University. In an era when the noise of the constant news cycle leaves little time for reflection, the Shorenstein Center’s Fellowship Program aims to provide the space to think critically about our media and its role in our society; to shape the debate and understand which questions deserve the most attention; and to create a vibrant and long-lasting community of scholars and practitioners dedicated to meeting the challenges faced by our institutions.
Eligibilities:
- Journalist: Reporters, editors, columnists, producers, media business executives and related, with a minimum of five years of full-time experience either at professional news organizations or as a full-time freelancer (not including work completed as a university student).
- Politician: Someone who has campaigned and been elected to a national or high-level state office, or communications professionals within politics and policy, e.g. speechwriters, press secretaries.
- Scholar: Tenured or tenure-track professor employed by a college, university or research institution in political science, political communication, journalism, international political communication, or a field relevant to the Shorenstein Center’s areas of inquiry.
- Policymaker: High-level official in a cabinet office or adviser to a candidate for national office.
- Applicants should not have participated in another fellowship within the two years prior to their preferred semester.
- Applicants must be fluent in English – listening, reading, writing and speaking. Non-native English speakers must provide TOEFL or IELTS score
What Fellows will be working on:
- The primary deliverable for a fellow is a research paper in a style similar to a magazine essay, journal article or book chapter examining the influence of the media on politics or public policy in the domestic or international arena.
- Fellows’ papers are published on the Shorenstein Center website, and many have been cross published or excerpted in a variety of high-profile media outlets and academic journals, or have become the basis for a longer book. The quality and originality of an applicant’s research proposal is a key deciding factor in their potential selection.
- Fellows who are journalists, policymakers or other practitioners will often seek to write papers that represent provocative or speculative arguments designed to stimulate debate among the wider community. Fellows who are university scholars usually write a paper based on original research with a well-supported and fully-documented conclusion.
Benefits/Fundings:
- Fellows receive a stipend of $30,000, paid in monthly installments at the end of each month over the 4-month semester.
- Travel and living expenses are not covered by the Shorenstein Center.
- Fellows are provided with a workstation in the Shorenstein Center fellows’ suite, a computer, phone, Harvard email address, and a Harvard ID allowing access to libraries and other resources.
- Fellows are also able to select a paid Harvard Kennedy School student research assistant (eligible to work up to 10 hours per week) to work on their projects.
Selection timeline:
-
Fall Semester
- March 1: Application deadline
- Mid-March: Applicants or their references may be contacted for further information or interview. This is strictly informational; not all applicants or their references will be contacted and this should not be considered a sign of the success or otherwise of their application.
- By early April: Applicants will be notified of their status.
- Summer: The press release announcing the class of fellows will be posted.
Spring Semester
- August 23: Application deadline
- Mid-September: Applicants or their references may be contacted for further information or interview. This is strictly informational; not all applicants or their references will be contacted and this should not be considered a sign of the success or otherwise of their application.
- By early October : Applicants will be notified of their status.
End of Year: The press release announcing the class of fellows will be posted.
For enquiries:
Contact Susan Mahoney at
[email protected]
