From University of London Press Release:

We are thrilled to announce that our colleague Dr Josh Hollands, Lecturer (Teaching) in United States History, has received a Fulbright Scholar Award that will see him undertake research and lecture at Elon University in North Carolina on one of the most well-regarded and impactful scholarship programmes in the world. At Elon, a university committed to engaged and experimental pedagogies, Josh will be teaching classes in US and LGBTQ history.

Josh has been selected to undertake research that examines the role of the workplace in the rapid expansion of LGBTQ rights over the past two decades. The majority of LGBTQ people had no federal protection against discrimination in employment until the US Supreme Court ruled sexual orientation and gender identity are protected characteristics under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964) in June 2020.

The Fulbright Award will also allow Josh to develop his next project, a history of the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain. The project seeks to re-examine and re-orientate the service sector workplace as a central space in which human and civil rights are negotiated and contested.

Commenting on receiving the award, Josh said: “This generous award will allow me to complete my first monograph and undertake substantial archival and oral history research for my next project. I am excited and immensely thankful to the Fulbright Commission for this exceptional opportunity. I am also particularly looking forward to working with Elon undergraduates and to hearing their unique perspectives on U.S. and LGBTQ history. Elon is renowned for its teaching provision and global engagement, and I hope to learn from as well as contribute to this environment while on campus.”

Maria Balinska, Executive Director, US-UK Fulbright Commission said: 

“Our vision is a world where there are no obstacles to learning, understanding and collaboration. Today there are many global challenges to overcome, and the world needs compassionate leaders to tackle them. This cohort of awardees will be placing cultural engagement at the heart of their experiences as they undertake ambitious study and research programmes in the US: I am filled with hope for the wonderful collaborations that will ensue.” 

Josh Hollands completed his doctorate at UCL’s Institute of the Americas in 2019, where he is now a Lecturer (Teaching) in US history. Prior to his doctorate, Josh completed an MA in US history and politics at UCL and received a BA in American Studies from the University of Hull. Earlier this year Josh was awarded the Herbert G. Gutman Prize for Outstanding Dissertation in U.S. Labor and Working Class History by the Labor and Working Class History Association (LAWCHA). He is currently revising his dissertation for publication by the University of Illinois Press.