The retreat is for intensive group discussion of well-formed works in progress, that is, substantial writings complete with appropriate scholarly apparatus etc. Once again we hope to have a balanced mix of graduate students and faculty for the event. As always, the goal will be to “create an atmosphere of constructive support and interchange among the group” in furtherance of the work and our intellectual exchange (to borrow from Miriam Wattles’ words from the inaugural 2008 event).
Each participant is responsible for reading, in advance, the writings of their fellow group members, and being prepared to offer commentary. We typically have a couple groups of perhaps seven or eight members each. Participants take turns discussing each others’ work, with each participant receiving approximately an hour of focused, constructive commentary. This can be a transformative experience: the previous iterations of the experience were highly successful for the participants, as attested to by the many subsequent publications and dissertation chapters.
Qualifications:
Faculty and Graduate student applicants will be considered from JAG member institutions; participation requests from JAG alumni will also be considered. Prospective JAG institutions are also welcome to apply, though they will have to self-fund (contact William Marotti for details). To be considered, please submit a one-paragraph summary, and a current draft of the paper or chapter to be considered; send them to marotti@history.ucla.edu with “JAG retreat” in the subject line. Please send in your requests by April 22, though early submissions are encouraged, as are short messages of initial interest in advance of the application. Successful applicants will be notified of their status shortly after the deadline.
Accommodations:
Double and single occupancy rooms will be provided courtesy of JAG, along with meals. We also hope to support students for reasonable travel (contact me for details), but will ask for your help in arranging car pools etc. as possible to minimize costs.
Rough Schedule:
People will arrive in the late afternoon of the 31st. We’ll have orientation and dinner that night, and get organized into groups. The next day will be the intensive group sessions, followed by a final morning get-together on the 2nd and an optional lunch.
Families/non-participants:
Lake Arrowhead has many facilities and attractions for family members and partners to enjoy while the JAG participants convene, and they are welcome, as always. You would have to pay for their stay (it’s a discounted “non-participant” rate—contact William Marotti for details–the sooner the better to ensure space). Participants can expect to be completely busy apart from meals during the Saturday sessions, but we’ll be done by the morning of the 2nd.