Polly Ha is associate professor in the Duke Divinity School and the Department of History in Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, and a 2026-27 Provost Faculty Fellow. She traces her fascination with intellectual history to an unexpected discovery as an undergraduate: a hidden world of dissent, forbidden manuscripts and the birth of independence. That early research led to questions about freedom, religion and the uses of the past that continue to animate her work at Duke. read more about Polly Ha is Thinking With the Past »
Mélanie Aimée Marie Lamotte, assistant professor of History and a historian of race, colonialism and slavery in the early modern period, has been awarded the 2026 Boucher Book Prize for her book, “By Flesh & Toil: How Sex, Race, and Labor Shaped the Early French Empire” (Harvard University Press). Presented annually by the French Colonial Historical Society, the Boucher Book Prize recognizes the best book on French colonial history before 1815. In “By Flesh & Toil,” Lamotte examines how French colonies in the… read more about French Colonial Historical Society Honors Mélanie Lamotte »
Hannah Conway, assistant professor of History, has received a 12-month Career Enhancement Fellowship from the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, funded by the Mellon Foundation. The fellowship will support her ongoing scholarship and research. An environmental historian, Conway specializes in the history and philosophy of science, technology, and environmental justice in the U.S. South. She is among 29 new Career Enhancement Fellows selected from a highly competitive applicant pool for the 2026–27 academic year.… read more about Hannah Conway Selected for Prestigious Career Enhancement Fellowship »
Philip Stern, professor of History, has been awarded the 2026 Miegunyah Distinguished Visiting Fellowship at the University of Melbourne. Established in 1993, the fellowship brings internationally distinguished scholars to Melbourne to enrich the University’s academic, intellectual, and cultural life. Stern’s work examines the legal, political, intellectual and business histories that shaped the British Empire. His research interests include companies and corporations in colonial enterprise, overseas exploration and… read more about University of Melbourne Names Philip Stern the 2026 Miegunyah Fellow »
What does it mean to ask why the humanities matter?The question can sound almost too familiar. Universities have spent years explaining the humanities in terms of what they produce: critical thinkers, effective communicators, adaptable graduates. But over the course of a four-part series this spring, faculty at Duke approached the question from another direction. They considered what becomes possible when we learn to look more carefully at the world around us—at the stories we inherit, the technologies we build, the… read more about How We’ve Come to Talk about the Humanities »
Nilay Ghodasara, Class of 2027, studies Economics, Public Policy, and History. Nilay is a 2026 Human Rights Summer Research Grant recipient at the Duke Human Rights Center at the Franklin Humanities Institute and a featured guest blogger. Grant winners will be sharing an inside look into their experiences on the Duke Human Rights Blog this summer and fall as part of our Student Stories: Summer Research Series. read more about Trinity Senior Nilay Ghodasara Spent His Summer Interviewing Election Officials Across the U.S. »
America wasn't founded in a bubble. Philip J. Stern, Duke University professor of History That's the inspiration behind Worlds of 1776: The American Revolution in Global Perspective, a History course taught this fall by Professor Philip J. Stern. Using rare books and manuscripts from the David M. Rubenstein Book and Manuscript Library, students will research objects connected to the global history of 1776, present their findings and help curate a public exhibition in spring 2027.… read more about Beyond the 13 Colonies: Philip Stern Invites Students to Rethink the Worlds of 1776 »
This summer, 260 undergraduate and graduate students joined research teams through Duke’s +Programs, exploring questions ranging from AI ethics to climate change, documentary storytelling and public history. Along the way, they discovered new interests, built confidence and learned what collaborative research is really like. read more about Trinity Departments Support a Summer of Discovery Through Collaboration »
Felipe De Brigard and Polly Ha are two of five Duke University faculty members named Provost Faculty Fellows for the 2026-27 academic year. The selective program aims to introduce Duke faculty members to key leadership roles and responsibilities and areas of strategic focus of the university. Fellows were nominated by their deans and submitted proposals for projects connected to their interests. read more about Two Trinity Professors Named Provost Faculty Fellows »
In Sarah Balakrishnan’s class, history research looks a little different. Students work in teams to investigate unsolved historical questions, weighing conflicting evidence and uncovering new clues as they piece together the past. (Courtesy of Balakrishnan) Balakrishnan, the Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Professor of History, wanted students to approach the past the way historians do: by piecing together clues and building an explanation from the evidence.The course, called “… read more about Escape Into the Past with This Trinity History Class »
Three doctoral students Jules Anderson, Katja Riegler, and Shiqi Xu were awarded the DAAD Graduate Scholarship, chosen from more than 600 applicants to conduct research in Germany for one year. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the world’s largest organization supporting global academic exchange, providing more than 100,000 scholarships and grants annually to advance graduate study and research in Germany. Anderson, Riegler, and Xu will spend the next academic year… read more about Three Trinity Graduate Students Named DAAD Scholars for Study in Germany »
The Declaration of Independence proclaimed powerful ideals about liberty, equality and the right of people to govern themselves — and the meanings of these notions has been debated, interpreted and tested ever since. As Duke celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the milestone offers a chance to look beyond 1776 and revisit the ideas that helped shape the nation. The following Trinity College courses explore the intellectual roots, global revolutions… read more about 1776 in the Classroom: Exploring the Ideas Behind the Declaration of Independence »
Thavolia Glymph, Peabody Family Distinguished Professor of History, has been elected to the American Philosophical Society (APS), one of the nation’s oldest academic societies. A historian of U.S. slavery, the Civil War, and emancipation, Glymph’s scholarship examines power, gender and violence in slaveholding households, and the transformations brought by the end of slavery. Founded in 1743, the American Philosophical Society was established by leaders including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Thomas… read more about Thavolia Glymph Elected to the American Philosophical Society »
“People don’t develop political ideologies in a vacuum,” said Hunt Family Assistant Professor of History Cecilia Márquez. “As a historian, I always look to the past to understand how we got here.” The question of how history shapes the political present is at the center of Márquez’s newest research project, which has been awarded a prestigious Carnegie Fellowship. The fellowship will support her work examining the historical roots of Latino participation in right-wing and far-right political movements in the United… read more about Cecilia Márquez Awarded Carnegie Fellowship »
Three Duke University faculty have been named 2026 American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)’s fellows: Mélanie Lamotte, assistant professor of History; Cecilia Márquez, the Hunt Family Assistant Professor of History and Yun Emily Wang, assistant professor of Music. Lamotte, Márquez and Wang are joined by 62 fellows representing a wide range of institutions, disciplines and career stages, including many early-career and non-tenure-track scholars. Each fellowship provides up to $60,000 for six to 12 months of full-… read more about Three Duke Faculty Awarded ACLS Fellowships »
When James Chappel, Gilhuly Family Associate Professor of History, thinks about failure, he doesn’t point to one dramatic moment. Instead, he describes something more common: the steady stream of rejection that comes with almost any career. “I know a lot of people,” said James Chappel. “Nobody I know succeeds in every area. It’s not possible.” “In grad school, I kept a spreadsheet of jobs I was applying to,” he said. “Everything I applied to, I put in a spreadsheet, and when I didn’… read more about Freedom to Fail: James Chappel »
Karina Lu is a senior from Seattle, Washington majoring in History with a concentration in Law & Governance and a minor in French. During her time at Duke, she competed in the American Moot Court Association Nationals, was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, received a Fulbright Scholarship, and published research with the Duke Center for Firearms Law and the Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law. Her senior thesis, “Embodying the Revolution: Female SentDown Youth on the Yunnan Frontier, 1969–1980,” explores… read more about Karina Lu '26: Learning to Think Across Disciplines »
Simon Miles has been named by Duke University as a Bass Chair in recognition of his excellence in undergraduate teaching and research.Miles will be the Kevin D. Gorter Associate Professor of Public Policy, effective July 1 for a five-year term. He will become a lifetime member of the Bass Society of Fellows. Bass Chair recipients, including Miles, were honored at a Duke University reception for Bass Chairs on April 15. The Bass program, established through a gift to Duke in 1996 from Anne T. and Richard M.… read more about Simon Miles Selected by University as Bass Chair »
When Andrew Guthrie first toured Duke, one thing immediately stood out: the sea of tents outside Cameron Stadium. “I saw K-Ville,” he says, laughing, “and I thought that looked like the most fun thing ever.”That moment nudged the Atlanta native toward seeing Duke as an actual place where he could belong — but the appeal went beyond the spectacle of basketball season. Music also played a huge role in his decision to become a Blue Devil. Before stepping foot on campus, Guthrie had reached out to Harry Davidson,… read more about Andrew Guthrie '26: From Courtside to the Courtroom »
On Wednesday, April 8th, Professor of History Thomas Robisheaux, approaching retirement, reflected on his long and storied career with Duke University as an undergraduate student, a faculty member, and a leader within the alumni association.Filled with anecdotes, observations, and insights covering the state of higher education, the life of a teacher, and a love of historical research, Professor Robisheaux reminded his audience why he has been such a treasured colleague and beloved professor for more than 4 decades.We are… read more about Tom Robisheaux Reflects on a Life in (Duke) History »
Historian Kelly Lytle Hernández, the 2025–26 Nannerl Keohane Distinguished Visiting Professor at Duke and UNC–Chapel Hill, will return to Duke’s campus on April 16 to deliver her final public lecture, “Half a Loaf: Reform and the Whites Only Immigration Régime, 1965–2025.” The event, organized by the Duke Department of History in partnership with the Duke Center for Documentary Studies, will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the Nasher Museum of Art, with a reception to follow. The event is free, but registration is required.… read more about Kelly Lytle Hernández Concludes Yearlong Inquiry into U.S. Immigration History »
As Americans struggle with how to effectively confront an autocratic leader and his billionaire backers as they brazenly dismantle democracy and the rule of law, they might well look to a southern state where an unlikely movement managed to defeat the extreme-right agenda of a governor who followed a similar path.History doesn’t always repeat itself, but it often rhymes, as the aphorism goes. Consider this:A newly-elected executive appoints a powerful donor and plutocrat to dismantle government root and branch, mounts broad… read more about Nancy MacLean Reflects on The Impact of Moral Mondays »
Duke Libraries is pleased to announce its partnership with History doctoral candidate Jobie Hill on her newly funded project, Bearing Witness to Enslaved Women and Their Future Issue and Increase in the Massie Family’s 18th– and 19th-Century Reproductive Labor Systems (Bearing Witness). Hill is the recipient of a Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) award through its Digitizing Hidden Collections: Amplifying Unheard Voices program.Bearing Witness is one of sixteen projects that received funding through the… read more about Duke Grad Student Awarded Grant to Digitize Historic Slavery Records »
As Americans struggle with how to effectively confront an autocratic leader and his billionaire backers as they brazenly dismantle democracy and the rule of law, they might well look to a southern state where an unlikely movement managed to defeat the extreme-right agenda of a governor who followed a similar path.History doesn’t always repeat itself, but it often rhymes, as the aphorism goes. Consider this:A newly-elected executive appoints a powerful donor and plutocrat to dismantle government root and branch, mounts broad… read more about Nancy MacLean Reflects on The Impact of Moral Mondays »
Duke Libraries is pleased to announce its partnership with History doctoral candidate Jobie Hill on her newly funded project, Bearing Witness to Enslaved Women and Their Future Issue and Increase in the Massie Family’s 18th– and 19th-Century Reproductive Labor Systems (Bearing Witness). Hill is the recipient of a Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) award through its Digitizing Hidden Collections: Amplifying Unheard Voices program.Bearing Witness is one of sixteen projects that received funding through the… read more about Duke Grad Student Awarded Grant to Digitize Historic Slavery Records »
Simon Partner, an APSI core faculty member and professor of history at Duke, is the winner of the third Modern Japan History Association book prize for his 2024 publication, “Koume's World: The Life and Work of a Samurai Woman Before and After the Meiji Restoration.”The Modern Japan History Association is a professional association of scholars interested in modern Japan and Japanese history whose mission is to support the creation and dissemination of knowledge about modern Japan and its history by encouraging collaboration… read more about Simon Partner Wins Modern Japan History Association Book Prize, Launches Substack »
Jobie Hill, a Ph.D. student in Duke’s Department of History, was announced as a 2025 recipient of a prestigious Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) Grant for her project Bearing Witness to Enslaved Women and Their Future Issue and Increase in the Massie Family’s 18th- and 19th-Century Reproductive Labor Systems (Bearing Witness). The project was one of only sixteen digitization projects that received funding through the Digitizing Hidden Collections: Amplifying Unheard… read more about Duke Graduate Student Jobie Hill Awarded CLIR Grant to Fund Digitization Project »
On opening night of Disobedient Subjects: Bombay 1930–31 at the Duke Center for Documentary Studies (CDS) visitors leaned in close, tracing faces in black-and-white photographs captured nearly a century ago. Presented by CDS in partnership with The Alkazi Foundation for the Arts, the exhibition has welcomed hundreds into the streets of Bombay — today’s Mumbai — and India’s Civil Disobedience Movement, where ordinary citizens transformed the city into a center of anticolonial resistance.As the exhibition nears… read more about Doc: Doc — Sumathi Ramaswamy and Avrati Bhatnagar on Collaboration and Curating the Photography of Civil Disobedience »
On opening night of Disobedient Subjects: Bombay 1930–31 at the Duke Center for Documentary Studies (CDS) visitors leaned in close, tracing faces in black-and-white photographs captured nearly a century ago. Presented by CDS in partnership with The Alkazi Foundation for the Arts, the exhibition has welcomed hundreds into the streets of Bombay — today’s Mumbai — and India’s Civil Disobedience Movement, where ordinary citizens transformed the city into a center of anticolonial resistance. read more about Sumathi Ramaswamy and Avrati Bhatnagar on Collaboration and Curating the Photography of Civil Disobedience »
Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences has invited its faculty to submit proposals for the creation of new research initiatives on campus.Following the successful launches of the SPACE Initiative and the Society-Centered AI Initiative, the Trinity Research Initiative will support new directions for interdisciplinary research through seed funding for nascent research collaborations, community-building, and complementary educational and outreach activities.Open to all areas of research and… read more about Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Invites Proposals for New Research Initiatives »
