History doctoral candidate Amos Bronner is seen with a book of medieval document facsimiles at Mullen Library. (Catholic University/ Patrick G. Ryan)
History doctoral candidate Amos Bronner was honored in late March with an award from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the nation’s most prestigious international educational exchange program. During his nine-month fellowship in Vienna, Bronner will conduct dissertation research on early medieval legal practices.
Bronner expressed gratitude to his doctoral supervisor Jennifer Davis, associate professor of history, and Andrew Litke, assistant director of student support, grants, and fellowships.
Bronner’s research focuses on how Carolingian-era local communities resolved disputes in a “legal system without lawyers” and a “state apparatus” with limited capacity to effectively enforce its will. He said he is especially looking forward to studying at the Austrian State Archives, which houses one of the world’s most significant collections of medieval documents.
“Dr. Davis helped me a lot with the sort of research side of the proposal,” said Bronner. “Dr. Litke read several drafts of everything I wrote and I don’t think I would have gotten this award without his help. … I’m very grateful for their guidance.”
Litke described Bronner as an “excellent and dedicated scholar who has served the University community through his work with the Graduate Student Association.”
“Amos' selection as a Fulbright finalist showcases The Catholic University of America's status as a national research university as exemplified by his research skills and expertise in both modern and ancient languages,” said Litke. Bronner is the eighth University student in the last five years to be offered a Fulbright grant.
Bronner, who is originally from Israel, chose the University to study with Davis. He said his advisor at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem “highly recommended I work with Dr. Davis, whose research I cited extensively in my master’s thesis.”
“I took his advice, and I'm very glad that I did,” said Bronner, describing the University’s history department as “exceptional.” He said, “I cannot think of another institution of this size with such a concentration of deservedly well-known and well-respected medievalists.”
To learn more about fellowship opportunities for students, contact the office of grants and fellowships.