Nominations open for Library of Congress chair positions

Each year, the Kluge Center brings a small number of prominent scholars and thinkers to the Library of Congress to use the rich and often unique materials available there. Appointees are chosen on the basis of intellectual accomplishment and the ability to communicate ideas to a broad audience. It is hoped that appointees will stimulate thinking by sharing their insight and analysis through informal discussions and formal presentations within the center and the library.

The chairs are suited for the most accomplished and innovative scholars who are at the height of their creative and intellectual powers.

There are eight chairs at the Kluge Center that are filled by nomination:

  • The Kluge Chair in American Law and Governance focuses on legal, constitutional and political issues related to the institutions of American government.

  • The Kluge Chair in Technology and Society focuses on the impact of fast-changing technologies on human societies.

  • The Kluge Chair in Modern Culture focuses on modern arts and media and their impact on civic life.

  • The Kluge Chair in Countries and Cultures of the North focuses on the history and cultures of North America, Europe, Russia and East Asia.

  • The Kluge Chair in Countries and Cultures of the South focuses on the history and cultures of Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia and Oceania.

  • The Jay I. Kislak Chair for the Study of the History and Cultures of the Early Americas supports scholars in archaeology, history, cartography, epigraphy, linguistics, ethno-history, ethnography, bibliography and sociology, with an emphasis on projects that combine disciplines in novel and productive ways. With a focus on the Western Hemisphere, the chair may consider regions from the Arctic to Patagonia, including the Caribbean, from the eras before the arrival of Europeans to about 1825.

  • The Henry A. Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations supports research on foreign policy and international affairs.

  • The Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History supports exploration of the history of America with special attention to the ethical dimensions of domestic economic, political and social policies.

Throughout their tenure at the Kluge Center, chair-holders have opportunities to interact formally and informally with Members of Congress, their staff and other policymakers in Washington, D.C., as well as with scholars from other disciplines in residence at the library.

More information about Kluge Center chairs may be found on the website:
https://www.loc.gov/programs/john-w-kluge-center/chairs-fellowships/chairs/

How to nominate a perspective chair

To offer nominations for any of these chair positions, please provide the person’s name and a short statement of rationale for up to three candidates per chair, and send via e-mail to klugechairs@loc.gov, without sharing news of your submission with colleagues or nominees. 

We encourage you to re-nominate candidates you have previously nominated if their scholarship continues to be outstanding and attention-worthy.

This year’s submission deadline is October 18, 2024, which gives the library ample time to conduct a rigorous evaluation in view of making offers on or around June 1, 2025, for appointments beginning in Sept. 2026 and following.