Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts university (founded in 1831) in Connecticut and home to the Center for the Study of Guns and Society, the first academic center in the United States dedicated to interdisciplinary humanities study and teaching on the social and cultural history of firearms. Established in April 2022, the center is a hub for pioneering interdisciplinary research on a wide variety of topics in firearms history, including the technologies, manufacture, possession, and use of firearms; the social and cultural underpinnings of gun ownership; and the nature and extent of gun-related violence in the U.S. relative to other countries. The center has an internal and external faculty advisory board, promotes collaborations with other universities and museums, hosts regular conferences and workshops, and is engaged in several research projects ranging from empirical studies of ballistics lethality to explorations of the history of guns in cinema. Information on the Center for the Study of Guns and Society can be found at https://gunsandsocietycenter.com/.
Working under the direction of History Prof. Jennifer Tucker, Director of the Center for the Study of Guns and Society, and a team of project advisors from history departments around the U.S., the Postdoctoral Researcher will conduct archival research on 18th and 19th century firearms laws and sources on historical firearms use and regulations across multiple regions, contribute to a field guide and database of empirical findings, and participate in the writing and sharing of research papers in regular workshops and conferences.
Responsibilities include:

This is an on-campus position located in Middletown, CT. Funding is available for two years. Ideal start date is between January 1 and March 1, 2024.
The Postdoctoral Researcher may have the option of teaching one undergraduate class, if they are interested, and have an opportunity to conduct and share their research at the Center’s regular workshops and conferences.

Ph.D. in U.S. history or a related field such as legal history, social and cultural history, or history of technology.