The Institute

Founded in 2007, the Institute for Historical Studies in the Department of History has provided a dynamic space for scholarly inquiry and exchange.  Embodying the history department’s commitment to excellence in research and teaching, the Institute organizes international conferences, fosters scholarly presentations and roundtables,  promotes critical discussion of historical themes and methods, and encourages reflections on the origins and legacies of historical events.

Through its multifaceted programming, the Institute for Historical Studies serves as the intellectual heart of the history department, offering a venue for scholars to share their work and building bridges to other department and centers at the university, as well as the broader Austin community.  Each year, the Institute sponsors an international residential fellowship competition around a specific theme of critical importance to the historical profession and of general relevance to understanding the problems of the contemporary world.  Applicants may be at the senior, mid-career, or junior level.  The Institute’s annual theme culminates in a spring conference that brings together academic scholars from around the nation and the world.  The Institute also offers limited visiting research affiliation for scholars who wish to conduct research at the University of Texas.

The programming of the Institute also includes the History Faculty New Book Series, where members of the history department share the findings of their most recent publications with colleagues, affiliates, and students.  Showcasing the historian’s pivotal role as the guardian of public memory, the Institute’s Commemorations series hosts roundtable discussions to assess the making and meaning of landmark events on their  anniversaries.  These forums are widely publicized and open to the general public.  The Institute also sponsors or co-sponsors numerous events, including lectures, symposia, and films, working closely with other centers, departments, and academic units across the university.

Housed in Garrison Hall, the Department of History’s newly renovated, longtime home, the Institute for Historical Studies is a meeting place for historians and historically-minded scholars of all fields and periods. For more information on the Institute’s policies and programs please review our website.