APSA Public Scholarship 2024 in America

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Are you a political science graduate student eager to make an impact beyond the academic community? The APSA Public Scholarship Program offers a unique opportunity to hone your skills in translating complex political science research into accessible, public-facing content. This remote fellowship is designed to introduce graduate students to the intellectual and practical aspects of presenting academic scholarship to the public, ensuring that critical research reaches a wider audience.

The APSA Public Scholarship Program is a 12-month remote fellowship starting with a virtual orientation in the summer. During this period, fellows will focus on producing summaries of political science research that are both engaging and informative for the general public. This work involves close communication with journal editors and authors under the supervision of APSA staff.

Fellows’ Contributions

Fellows will write accessible summaries of cutting-edge research from APSA’s leading peer-reviewed journal, the American Political Science Review. Recent topics covered by fellows include the strategic use of misinformation by politicians and the impact of hurricanes on public attitudes toward climate change. This fellowship offers a platform for fellows to make significant contributions to public understanding of political science.

Sponsorship Support and Training

Stipend: Fellows receive a $2,000 stipend to support their work throughout the fellowship period.
Training: The fellowship includes a Public Scholarship workshop featuring training by APSA staff, opportunities to workshop public scholarship, and presentations from experts in the field.

Eligibility Criteria

Doctoral Students: Applicants must be doctoral students in political science who have completed their first year of graduate work by the start of the fellowship.
Interest in Public Scholarship: Selection criteria include the applicant’s interest and investment in public scholarship, as well as their ability to write for a general audience. All students with an interest in public scholarship are encouraged to apply, regardless of whether this interest is evident in their current work.

Application Materials

CV (2 pages max): Include contact information, academic department, relevant employment and service history, and academic accomplishments. List any published work in popular magazines, newspapers, or blogs, in addition to scholarly publications.
Statement of Interest (1 page single-spaced): Clearly outline your interest in public scholarship and how you envision contributing to the program.
Writing Sample (3 single-spaced pages max): Provide a sample of writing about political science for a public audience. This can be previously published work in popular outlets or a new summary of a recent APSR article (maximum 600 words). Note: Academic writing samples are not accepted; the evaluation will be based on the accessibility of the writing for a wider audience.