The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is accepting applications for the Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan program. The program aims to promote Japan studies in the United States, to encourage U.S.-Japanese scholarly exchange, and to support the next generation of Japan scholars in the United States. Awards support research on modern Japanese society and political economy, Japan’s international relations, and U.S.-Japan relations. The program encourages innovative research that puts these subjects in wider regional and global contexts and is comparative and contemporary in nature. Research should contribute to scholarly knowledge or to the general public’s understanding of issues of concern to Japan and the United States. Appropriate disciplines for the research include anthropology, economics, geography, history, international relations, linguistics, political science, psychology, and sociology. Awards usually result in articles, monographs, books, e-books, digital materials, translations, editions, or other scholarly resources. The program is a joint activity of the Japan-United States Friendship Commission (JUSFC) and the NEH.

Special Encouragement for Junior Scholars

In keeping with the JUSFC’s commitment to foster the next generation of leaders in developing and maintaining the Japan-U.S. relationship, NEH encourages applications to this program from junior scholars (that is, scholars who have earned their terminal degree within the last seven years).

Additional Details

The fellowships are designed for researchers with advanced Japanese language skills whose research will require use of data, sources, documents, onsite interviews, or other direct contact in Japanese. Fellows may undertake their projects in Japan, the United States, or both, and may include work in other countries for comparative purposes. Projects may be at any stage of development. The fellowships provide $5000 per month, for 6-12 months of full-time work. Eligibility is limited to a) U.S. citizens and b) non-citizens who have lived in the U.S. for at least the three-year period immediately preceding the application deadline.

Application Deadline: April 28, 2021 (for projects beginning between January 1, 2022 and September 1, 2023).

More information (including samples of successful applications) is available at http://www.neh.gov/grants/research/fellowships-advanced-social-science-research-japan