Sons of the American Revolution Visiting Professorship at King’s College London for 2017

Invitations are extended for expressions of interest for the position of Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Visiting Professor at King’s College London for 2017.

The Georgian Papers Program aims to digitize, disseminate, and interpret an extraordinarily rich collection of materials, including correspondence, maps, and royal household ledgers.  Making this extensive collection of approximately 350,000 items available to scholars the world over, the project will transform our understanding of the Georgian period, in Britain and through its connections in the wider world.

In furtherance of these goals, King’s College London and the SAR invite expressions of interest to join the academic staff of the university and to contribute to the interpretation of the archive.

One Visiting Professorship will be awarded annually for each of the academic years 2017 and 2018 (and subject to the review of the program by the SAR possibly also 2019 and 2020).  King’s College London and the SAR welcome expressions of interest from academics of international standing drawn from any relevant discipline.

• SAR Visiting Professors will have direct, regular access to the Georgian Archives at Windsor Castle and individual workspace at King’s College London. This will include access to College libraries and those of the University of London as well as the British Library and The National Archives at Kew.
• Each professorship will be expected to make a significant contribution to increased public understanding and appreciation – both in the USA and UK –of the decades surrounding the American Revolution and in so doing contribute to academic discourse within the university.
• Visiting Professors will work on their own research and will be invited to lead an academic seminar or series of seminars on the interpretation of the archive in relation to their own work. They will also be available to staff of the Georgian Papers Program for consultation about interpretation and dissemination.
• Professors will be required to prepare a paper relating to their area of study and use of the Royal Archives and offer the paper to the SAR for publication. They will also be asked to speak about their work in relation the King’s College London and the Royal Archives at SAR events.

Professorships are expected to be of eight-week duration, but subject to faculty discussion may be spread across more than one term.  Funding directly available to professors includes £15,500 to cover a return flight to the US, hotel accommodation and subsistence and books.  Funding up to £4,000 has been allocated to support UK travel and administrative support.  The university will also host a major public lecture and hospitality for up to 200 guests.

King’s College London is a recognized hub for the interdisciplinary study of the eighteenth century.  The Centre for Enlightenment Studies consists of 25 academics from eight departments and draws on a range of expertise in the field of literature, cultural and intellectual history, science and medicine, music, languages, philosophy and religion, naval and military history.  King’s runs a highly successful MA in 18th Century Studies with the British Museum.  King’s Department of Digital Humanities and the Archival Service equally have a track record of ground breaking research and delivery in the fields of digital access and data interpretation.

King’s is delighted to be working with The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and is grateful for their support which will enable us to attract leading international academics to join the work of Georgian Paper Program.  The SAR is an historical, educational, and patriotic, non-profit corporation whose members are direct descendants of the men and women who supported the cause of American Independence during the years 1774-1783.  The SAR’s headquarters is in Louisville, Kentucky, but its members are located in all fifty states of the United States and throughout the world.

Applicants should forward their curriculum vitae and a letter of expression of interest to Joseph W. Dooley, Chairman of the SAR King’s College London Partnership Committee at joe.dooley.1776@gmail.com by September 30, 2016.  The final decision on the appointment shall be made by King’s.