Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing 2026–27
The former Hunt Postdoctoral Fellowship has been discontinued in its previous form. Wenner-Gren now offers the Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing, supporting anthropologists who are writing books for general audiences.
What happened to the Hunt Postdoctoral Fellowship?
The current fellowship has a different purpose from the older postdoctoral award. It is designed for anthropologists developing books for nonacademic audiences, including trade books and crossover books. Applicants should therefore use the current programme rules rather than older Hunt Postdoctoral Fellowship requirements.
Funding and fellowship period
| Current programme | Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing |
|---|---|
| Award | $80,000 |
| Fellowship period | 9 months of focused writing |
| Number awarded | One fellowship per year |
| Fellowship start | 1 September of the following year |
Wenner-Gren states that the award can be used flexibly, including for living expenses, institutional leave, or project-related costs such as developmental editing. The Foundation does not provide institutional overhead or grant-administration fees.
Who can apply?
The current call is for anthropologists writing books intended for general audiences. Eligible projects may be trade books or crossover books. Wenner-Gren states that there is no preference for research methodology, location, or anthropological subfield.
Applicants may apply regardless of institutional affiliation, country of residence, or nationality, and independent scholars are encouraged to apply. Books may be written in any language if they are intended for a general audience, although the application itself must be submitted in English.
Application process and deadlines
The programme uses a two-stage process:
- Letter of Interest: submit by 15 October.
- Full proposal: only applicants invited after the first-stage review submit a full proposal, due 15 December.
No late Letter of Interest submissions are accepted. Successful fellows also commit to a writing-craft workshop held in the summer before the fellowship begins.
How this differs from the former Hunt Postdoctoral Fellowship
The older programme supported post-PhD scholars in developing anthropological research for publication. The current Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing is specifically oriented toward books for broader public audiences and provides a larger $80,000 award over nine months. Applicants using an older checklist, deadline or $40,000 funding figure should replace it with the current requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Official source
Always verify the current call before submission. Wenner-Gren Foundation — Hunt Fellowship in Public Writing.
