CCA Seminar

Each year the CCA runs a research seminar that draws faculty, advanced graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers into a sustained conversation on a topic of importance. In 2024-2025 the seminar theme is “Resonance: Sound among the Disciplines.”  The seminar meets from 1:10-4:10pm on alternate Wednesday afternoons and ordinarily discusses scholarship that has been pre-circulated to members.  Approximately half of the meetings are devoted to discussing the work of distinguished visitors.  All are welcome to attend! Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for access to the readings. 

Call for Proposals for Annual Seminar for 2026-2027

The Center for Cultural Analysis at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, invites proposals from faculty who may wish to lead an advanced interdisciplinary research seminar at the CCA during the 2026-27 or 2027-28 academic years. CCA seminars may be convened on any topic, with the proviso that the work of the group focus on a problem of major importance to the academy that is situated at the intersections among the humanities, social sciences, and possibly the natural sciences. For example, the theme this year is “Resonance: Sound Across the Disciplines,” while the theme for 2025-26 is “Hunger.”

The research seminar is the primary focus of the CCA’s annual activity and is led by one or two faculty from within Rutgers, at least one of whom must be located on the New Brunswick campus. The seminar is constituted by five additional faculty fellows from any campus in the Rutgers system and by five graduate fellows, as well as by two postdoctoral associates chosen from an international application pool. Faculty leaders and fellows each receive a single course release from teaching, to be taken during the year of the seminar. Graduate fellows receive a full year of funding, plus health insurance to support their dissertation work.

Seminars meet on alternate Wednesday afternoons in the main seminar room at the CCA, on the top floor of the Academic Building at 15 Seminary Place. Seminar sessions typically feature collective readings, invited guests who share pre-circulated work for discussion, and the work-in-progress of seminar members. In addition to supporting the seminar, the CCA provides funds for associated public programming (conferences, lectures, or colloquia) as well as publicity and administrative support. Please direct any questions about proposals to Colin Jager at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Interested faculty should submit a 1-2 page description of their proposed topic for the seminar, along with their department or campus affiliation and a brief professional bio. The proposal should include a rationale for the project and a description of its interdisciplinary importance.  Proposals should be addressed to the Executive Committee of the CCA and may be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at any time before December 10, 2024, at 5:00 PM.  All proposals will be reviewed by the CCA Director and then by the Executive Committee.  Decisions will be communicated during Spring semester 2025.