Celebrating Forty Years of The David Bruce Centre
The David Bruce Centre for American Studies marked the occasion of its 40th anniversary with a reception and luncheon at Keele Hall. 35 former and present members of the Centre celebrated four decades of working on behalf of graduate training and research into matters related to the United States. The anniversary event was also a tribute to Professor David K. Adams, who founded the Centre in 1969 after having established the first honours degree programme in American Studies in the UK. Due to his foresight and perseverance the Bruce Centre is today in a position to provide financial assistance to Keele researchers, host visiting faculty, organize conferences and lectures, offer support for postgraduate students, and sponsor American Studies-related events in the UK and continental Europe. In addition to a welcoming address by the current director, Dr. Axel Sch äfer, the assembled guests enjoyed a lively speech on "Being an Americanist" by Professor Adam Fairclough (Leiden University), a distinguished historian of the American Civil Rights movement and former Keele postgraduate student. The event also inaugurated the Bruce Centre alumni network to keep in touch with former members of the centre. [read more]
If you are a former graduate student in American Studies at Keele, a former member of staff, or a former Bruce Centre fellow, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please send a message to brucecentre@keele.ac.uk.
About the Centre
The David K. E. Bruce Centre for American Studies (DBC) was founded in 1969 to further and encourage research in matters relating to the United States. It is named for the distinguished American diplomat who was then nearing the end of his eight years as US ambassador in London.
The Centre is an internationally recognized centre for the study of the United States. It is funded by a substantial endowment which provides financial assistance to active researchers, supports seminars, conferences, colloquia, occasional lectures and small exhibits, and encourages postgraduate study by means of scholarships and research grants.
The DBC is housed in the Research Institute for the Humanities at Keele University in Staffordshire. Half-hourly trains from Stoke-on-Trent to London (c. 90 minutes) and similarly frequent train services to Manchester (45 minutes), Birmingham (60 minutes) and Nottingham (60 minutes) offer easy access to Keele and from here to other locations with significant American Studies resources. Keele is close to a number of international airports, such as Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Nottingham (East Midlands).
All academic staff and postgraduate students in American Studies at Keele University are members of the Bruce Centre. Others may seek membership by application to the Director. The Director chairs a Committee which has responsibility for managing the Centre.