Institution/Organization: Columbia School Linguistic Society
Web Address: https://www.csling.org/rfps-20252026

Level: Open

Duties: Research, Project Work

Specialty Areas: General Linguistics; Linguistic Theories; Phonology; Semantics; Syntax

Description:

For the coming 2025-2026 academic year the Columbia School Linguistic Society (henceforth the Society) is considering fellowship proposals.

The fellowship is intended for studies that adhere to the general characteristics of a Diverian Columbia School analysis. The successful applicant for the fellowship (the fellow) will develop a linguistic research project that addresses a grammatical, lexical, or phonological problem of the fellow’s choice, under the guidance of a mentor who is a member of the Society. Grammatical and lexical analysis will be moving toward an explicit signal-meaning hypothesis: through their research, fellows will aim to identify and describe the distribution of the hypothesized signal(s), and to propose a meaning hypothesis with explicitly formulated links between these patterns and the hypothesized meaning. Phonological analyses explain the syntagmatic and paradigmatic distribution of phonological units within signals, drawing on both communicative function and human physiological and psychological characteristics.

Applicants with a basic understanding of Columbia School (CS) theory may apply for the fellowship if they can formulate a CS-based research question and if they are committed to exploring the question through a CS lens. If the applicant does not have a CS mentor, a mentor can be assigned after the application is submitted. In addition, an introductory course will be offered for new fellows in order to further develop their understanding of CS theory.

Each new fellow will receive a stipend for the period covering from September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2025. Fellowship awards start at US$5,000 and are calculated on the basis of a 12-month calendar year. The deadline for submitting a proposal for the 2025-2026 fellowship is May 31, 2025.

Assuming satisfactory progress in the judgment of the mentor and of the Society’s Executive Committee, stipend payments will be made on a quarterly basis by the Society.

Fellowship requirements:

Fellowship awards include requirements for both fellow and mentors. In addition to the requirements mentioned above, the fellow is expected to:
- Take the initiative to actively seek out the mentor during the time of the fellowship and to consult with the mentor on a regular basis on all aspects of the project.
- Present ongoing work in proseminars that include their mentor and at least two other invited Society members. Fellows are encouraged to attend a proseminar other than their own. The dates of at least two proseminars each year should be planned in advance and shared with the Society’s program manager.
- The fellow will give a conference-style presentation (short presentation followed by discussion) at one Seminar during the 2025-2026 academic year. Dates will be selected
at the beginning of the academic year.
- Work, during and/or after the fellowship period, to present the results of the research at professional conferences and to publish results in a recognized academic venue; publications resulting from the fellowship should acknowledge the support of the Society and copies should be sent to the Society’s program manager.

Fellows are expected to attend the Seminar regularly; this is especially important when other fellows are presenting.

Each fellow is expected to submit a report, in the form of either a proposal for continued funding, or a final report at the conclusion of the fellowship year.

The fellow is also expected to be an active supporter of the Society in activities pursuant to its mission. Fellows may also be asked to make service contributions.

The mentor is expected to:
- Support the fellow by meeting regularly.
- Help the fellow organize proseminars, and generally make sure that the requirements of the fellowship are fulfilled.
- Support the fellow to work toward presenting their research at a professional conference and eventually publishing it in a recognized venue.
- Attend the Seminar on a regular basis, reflecting a commitment to support the Society’s scholarly community.

Application Deadline: 31-May-2025

Web Address for Applications: https://www.csling.org/rfps-20252026
Email Address for Applications: [email protected]

Contact Information:
Program Manager Columbia School Linguistic Society