Fellowship Information
Praying in a Machine World:
Technology & African and Middle Eastern Religious Cultures
Lilly Scholar in Residence Short-term Fellowship Opportunities
The African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED) of the Library of Congress invites applications for short-term fellowships on the theme of religious culture and technology, defined in its broadest sense from stone tools to AI. There is no limitation regarding the time period covered but projects must relate primarily to the Library’s African, Middle Eastern, Hebraic and Central Asian collections.
Researchers are encouraged to propose projects that utilize new methodologies, interdisciplinary approaches, or comparative perspectives. Topics may include but are not limited to:
- impact of new technologies (e.g. printing, lithography, photography, telecommunications, transportation, mapping, automation, or artificial intelligence)
- new methods and materials for book production (e.g. ink, pigments, dyes, papyrus, parchment, paper, binding techniques) and distribution
- anxiety, discourse, or legal concerns around technology
- digital humanities approaches
These fellowships are part of the Division’s on-going program on African and Middle Eastern religious cultures, which aims in part to support innovative scholarship through the collections of the Library of Congress.
This program is made possible through the generous support of the Lilly Endowment, Inc.
Eligibility
Fellowships will be offered to individuals with doctoral degrees in the humanities or social sciences. To qualify for a Senior Scholar Fellowship, candidates must have held a doctoral or equivalent degree for at least seven years and have a strong record of publication. For an Emerging Scholar fellowship, individuals can be up to seven years beyond their doctoral or equivalent degree.
Applicants who are not U.S. residents but who otherwise meet the above academic qualifications may also apply and be considered for a fellowship, contingent upon the applicant's visa eligibility, see below for more information.
Stipend & Tenure
All appointments must start between June and December 2026, with a preference for summer 2026. Research is expected to be conducted primarily on-site at the Library of Congress and the stipend amount is all-inclusive.
Senior scholars are eligible for a stipend of $4,000 for a minimum residency of two weeks.
Emerging postdoctoral scholars are eligible for a stipend of $7,000 for a minimum residency of one month
Deadline
All application materials must be submitted by 11:59PM EST on January 9, 2026. Finalists may be invited for a virtual interview.
Contact Us
For questions or clarifications, please write to AMED@loc.gov.
Specialists in the African and Middle Eastern division are available to discuss questions about the collections.
Visas
Foreign nationals (not United States Citizens or Permanent Residents) awarded Library of Congress fellowships for research in the U.S. may be eligible for a Library-sponsored exchange visitor visa (category J-1). Even if it would otherwise be possible for a foreign visitor to enter the U.S. without this type of visa, it is the most appropriate category for Library-provided fellowship opportunities.
The Library’s Contracts and Grants Directorate will provide documents necessary to apply for the J-1 visa. Please email visas@loc.gov to request the documents if you are selected for a Library of Congress fellowship. In the email include the information provided in the Library’s offer letter.
Foreign nationals already in the U.S. on visas obtained through or sponsored by other institutions should send an email to visas@loc.gov to obtain guidance on eligibility under existing visas. Do not email any Personal Identifiable Information (PII) to visas@loc.gov . The Library will send you information on how to provide information after we receive your email. Please note that individuals with H-1B visas are not eligible for Library opportunities, and all other visa types will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Foreign Nationals may also be subject to tax withholding.