The Carnegie Corporation of New York has announced the 2021 class of Andrew Carnegie Fellows. 

Each of the twenty-eight scholars will receive a grant of $200,000 over two years to help underwrite research that addresses an enduring social issue and leads to the publication of a book or major study. This year’s research proposals are focused on U.S. democracy, the environment, polarization and inequality, technological and cultural evolution, and international relations, among other subjects. Selection criteria prioritize the originality and promise of the research, its potential impact on the field, and the scholar’s plans for communicating the findings to a broad audience. 

Selected from a pool of nearly 300 nominees, this year’s cohort consists of 15 men and 13 women. Topics include a history of food security in Africa, a study of a public university built on the site of a former slave plantation in the American South, efforts by Indigenous groups to remove dams and/or restore rivers; a review of humanity’s impact on the rest of life on Earth, and oral histories conducted in communities affected by climate change. 

“In recent years, as we have looked to respond to our world’s most complex problems, the Carnegie Fellows have provided important contributions through their exceptional research, pursuit of knowledge, and creative approaches,” said John J. DeGioia, chair of the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program jury and president of Georgetown University. “Our panel of jurors were gratified and inspired by the caliber of the research proposals. We believe that this year’s fellows show extraordinary potential for lasting impact.”

For a complete list of this year’s Andrew Carnegie Fellows, see the Carnegie Corporation of New York website. 

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