The Calvin J. Li Fellowship is intended to support a recent PhD with expertise in the issues facing second-generation children/adolescents of immigrants to the United States. A focus of the fellowship program is research on how children of parents from Asian backgrounds navigate family, community, and life in the United States. Successful applicants might focus on the challenges facing second-generation youth, identity formation, racial and ethnic representation, acculturation, transnationalism, family dynamics, or closely related topics. The Li Fellow will teach one class a semester for the Asian American Studies Program related to their research.  In addition, the Li Fellow has the opportunity to present their research to the University community through public lectures and, in particular, will distill research for a lay audience through a community-based lecture that will be coordinated by the Asian American Studies Program in conjunction with local Asian American community organizations and held in a local, off-campus location. The successful applicant is expected to work closely with a core or affiliate faculty member in the Asian American Studies Program and is expected to take an active role in dissemination of research related to the children of immigrants through traditional and new media outlets. The fellow will have opportunities for participating in research, writing and developing their own research questions, for seeking additional training and consultation, and for presenting their research findings at national conferences.

Asian American Studies at the University of Maryland is a program of study that draws upon the experiences of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans to explore critical questions about identity, representation, and power. Through a focus on Asian American communities, students learn about how racial categories are constructed, how groups are represented, and how power shapes social, political, and historical dynamics. The varied experiences of Asian Americans highlight a complex racial positioning that reflects both privilege and marginalization. As a predominantly foreign born group with members that hail from many different places, the experiences of Asian Americans also tell us much about how migration and transnationalism affect identity and belonging across diverse social, political and economic arenas.

The Asian American Studies Program is housed in the Office of Undergraduate Studies and offers 10-15 classes each semester taught by the program’s four core faculty and numerous affiliate and part-time lecturers.  For more information about the Asian American Studies Program visit www.aast.umd.edu.

The candidate must have earned a doctorate within two years of the position start date.  The Li Fellowship is open to disciplines in the Social Sciences or Humanities, particularly Psychology, Cultural Studies, Education, Sociology, Demography, and Family Sciences.  Applicants must demonstrate expertise in Asian American Studies and their research must focus on issues related to the children of immigrants. In addition, applicants must demonstrate excellent written communication and interpersonal skills

Ideally, candidates will have a strong interest in making their research accessible to a lay audience and experience teaching undergraduate students.

Required Application Materials: Cover Letter, CV, Sample research paper/publication, Sample syllabus