James H. Billington Fellowship Grant

James H. Billington Fellowship Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (The Wilson Center)
Amount: US $45,000
Last Updated: May 13, 2025

Summary

The James H. Billington Fellowship, offered by the Kennan Institute at the Wilson Center, invites recent Ph.D. graduates to conduct research on Russian history and culture. Established in 2016 in honor of James H. Billington, the fellowship provides a $5,000 monthly stipend and access to prestigious research facilities. While in residence in Washington, D.C., fellows engage with key experts, participate in discussions, and contribute to the academic community, fostering dialogue on crucial policy issues.

Overview

NOTE: The Kennan Institute is suspending the 2025 Billington Fellowship competition until further notice. Updates will be made as they become available. About the Wilson Center Chartered by Congress, the Wilson Center provides nonpartisan counsel and insights on global affairs to policymakers through deep research, impartial analysis, and independent scholarship. The Wilson Center brings fresh thinking and deep expertise to the most pressing policy challenges we face today. We convene scholars to create a global dialogue of ideas that Congress, the administration, and the international policy community can act on. In 2019, the Wilson Center was named the #1 regional studies think tank in the world. James H. Billington Fellowship The Kennan Institute seeks applications from scholars who have received their Ph.D. within the past 10 years for the James H. Billington Fellowship to conduct research on Russian history and culture. The Billington Fellowship was established in 2016 in tribute to the co-founder of the Kennan Institute, former Director of the Wilson Center, and former Librarian of Congress, James H. Billington. Dr. Billington made enduring contributions to the field of Russian Studies, and in our nation’s ability to understand and maintain bridges of dialogue with the Russian people. He was not only the author of The Icon and the Axe (1966), Fire in the Minds of Men (1980), and Russia in Search of Itself (2004), among other seminal works; he was the visionary behind the Open World Leadership Center, which has facilitated the travel of over 24,000 individuals from Eurasia to the United States to meet with members of Congress and visit across the United States. The Billington Fellow will be based at the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute in Washington, D.C. for a nine-month term (one academic year). Fellows will receive access to the Library of Congress, National Archives, and policy research centers in Washington, D.C., as well as the opportunity to meet with key experts and officials at the State Department, USAID, Department of Defense, and Congress. While conducting research, the Billington Fellow will be expected to actively participate in discussions with the policy and academic communities. These discussions can be in the form of speaking engagements at the Wilson Center and potentially outside of Washington D.C., as well as attending meetings, conferences, and other activities organized by the Kennan Institute and the Wilson Center. Upon completion of the fellowship, the Billington Fellow will join our growing list of alumni, for whom the Kennan Institute will continue to offer opportunities for collaboration and engagement. Funding The Billington Fellowship offers a monthly stipend of $5,000, research facilities, a research intern, and computer access.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicants for the Billington Fellowship must hold a Ph.D. awarded within the past 10 years.Fellows are required to be in residence at the Kennan Institute, Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. for the duration of the grant.There is no citizenship restriction on this grant.Non-U.S. applicants must be eligible to obtain a J-1 exchange visitor visa.