Mercatus Center’s James Buchanan Fellowship

The Mercatus Center’s James Buchanan Fellowship is a one-year, competitive fellowship programme awarded to scholars in any discipline who have recently graduated from their doctoral programmes. The application deadline is April 15, 2023.

The aim of this fellowship is to encourage early-career scholars to critically engage ideas in the political economy of Adam Smith and the Austrian, Virginia, and Bloomington schools of political economy. In addition, James Buchanan Fellows will be introduced to contemporary applications of these ideas to questions in social sciences dealing with the dynamics and institutional underpinnings of economic, political, and social coordination.

About Mercatus Center’s James Buchanan Fellowship

James Buchanan Fellows spend two weekends in residence at George Mason University (Fairfax, VA) and three virtual colloquia during the calendar year participating in discussions on mainline political economy. To accommodate for the teaching and/or research obligations and responsibilities of early career scholars in the academy, the events that constitute the James Buchanan Fellowship all take place within the same calendar year. Furthermore, the three shorter colloquia take place during the summer virtually.

Each in-person colloquium is structured around a set of readings, and includes discussion sessions, lectures, formal meals, and hospitality. Each virtual colloquium is structured around a set of readings and includes discussions sessions.

Hayek Programme scholars, affiliated scholars, and alumni of the James Buchanan Fellowship serve as discussion leaders and participants during the colloquia. Fellows will join a network of Mercatus students, alumni, and scholars who are conducting and engaging with cutting-edge research in contemporary political economy and are eligible to apply for conference and research funding.

The total award of up to $15,000 includes

• a stipend,
• all required reading materials, and
• travel and lodging to attend colloquia hosted by the Mercatus Center.

Eligibility Criteria For Mercatus Center’s James Buchanan Fellowship

How To Apply

In order to apply to the James Buchanan Fellowship, please visit the fellowship website, click the “Apply Now” button and complete the online application. The online application includes:

• A 1-2 page cover letter explaining:
  • your graduate school career to date,
  • your academic career goals,
  • your research interests and current projects,
  • your familiarity with the thinkers associated with the Austrian, Virginia, and Bloomington schools of political economy, and
  • what you hope to get out of the program.
• A current resume/CV
• A list of recent academic publications, if any
• A few short answer questions