Each year the Center brings together Visiting Scholars who are pursuing their own research projects in the history of political economy.
Visiting Scholars have the opportunity to join for a semester, a full academic year (late Aug-early May), or a twelve- month period. For those interested in shorter stays, please refer to the Academic Visits section. While the primary focus of the program is to allow scholars to pursue their own research, many of our most successful scholars have found great value in engaging with the vibrant intellectual community of the HOPE Center. We encourage participation in our various programs, including the Workshop/Lunch Series, Hayek Lectures, and conferences. Additionally, junior scholars may benefit from sitting in on classes during the academic term and participating in the “Summer in the Archives” program.
Applicants are encouraged to visit our Visitors Resource Guide for information about living in Durham.
Funding
The Center has funding available for Visiting Scholars. When possible, Visiting Scholars should attempt to bring their own funding through some combination of support from their own university (e.g., fellowships or sabbatical funds) and from outside foundations. We recognize that more junior scholars may not have ready access to such support, and typically we fully fund their stays. Sometimes our acceptance of an applicant’s proposal will be contingent on either the applicant or the Center being able to secure outside funds. Funding is only available during the regular academic year, when school is in term (late August through early May).
Application Procedure
The 2025-2026 application deadline is January 1, 2025.
All applicants should:
A. Please submit the following materials (items 1 through 4) as a single PDF document, organized in the specified order. Do not submit four separate documents.
- Statement of Interest: Provide a brief overview of your background and experiences, emphasizing key aspects that have shaped your interests. Explain your motivation for joining the Center and how it aligns with your goals. Additionally, specify your preferred time frame for your visit (e.g., Fall 2024, Spring 2025, the 2024-2025 academic year, or a twelve-month period starting September 1, 2024). Limit your response to one page.
- Research Plan: Describe the area of research you plan to pursue during your residency at the Center. This statement should be no longer than 2 pages.
- Curriculum Vitae: Include an up-to-date CV highlighting your academic and professional experiences.
- Funding Statement: Indicate whether you will be bringing any financial support. If so, please identify the source(s) of your funding and the amount. Specify whether you have secured the funding or have applied for it, and include the date when you expect to know the outcome of your funding request. If you are approved for funding, will you require any additional funding from the Center? If yes, please specify the amount.
B. Please arrange for a letter of recommendation to be sent from a scholar who can speak to the quality and significance of your proposed research. For pre-doctoral candidates, it is advisable to request this letter from your dissertation supervisor.
Submission Instructions:
Please submit your materials via Strongbox. Label your document packet with your last name and the year (e.g. Smith 2025). After submitting, notify us by emailing chope@econ.duke.edu.
If you do not receive an acknowledgment of your application within one to two days, please email us to confirm that we have received your submission.
The application process is competitive; only a portion of applicants will be selected.