Message from Dr Dafydd Townley
I have been awarded a Scouloudi Research Grant by the Institute for Historical Research. The grant will finance essential archival research at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in the autumn. The research will form part of my postdoctoral project, entitled ‘Lost Identity: Liberalism and the 1976 Democratic Party Presidential Nomination Campaign’, which aims to establish that the 1976 Democratic Party’s presidential nomination campaign demonstrated that there was still significant support for liberal politics within the United States. The project will place the nomination campaign into the wider transformation of liberalism and the Democratic Party in the post-reform era.
The research grant, combined with the fellowship at the Rothermere American Institute, makes a great start to this project. This will not be the first time that I have visited the Carter Library, having conducted research there as part of my doctoral studies. Atlanta is a wonderful historic city – friendly people, great food, and warm weather. I’m looking forward to returning and enjoying the Southern welcome.