Story+

Story+ imagePlease note that Story+ will not be offered in Summer 2025. Please check back at a later date to learn about future Story+ offerings.

If you're interested in summer research in the humanities or interpretive social sciences, check out History+, Arts+ or Doc+ (website forthcoming in Spring 2025).

How do we tell compelling stories about complex historical, cultural and social realities? What goes into creating great stories that stay with the audience, and even change minds? Story+ is a six-week summer research experience for undergraduate and graduate students interested in bringing academic research to life through dynamic storytelling.

Undergraduates work in small teams with graduate student mentors, in a collaborative and creative research environment. Each project has a sponsor. Students learn to conduct qualitative, humanities-based research (e.g., archival research, narrative analysis, visual analysis, ethnography) and to communicate their research through effective storytelling techniques. Final projects may take the form of writing, websites, exhibits, short films or other genres, depending on the project’s goals.

Story+ is offered through the Franklin Humanities Institute and Bass Connections, with support from Duke Libraries. It is open to:

  • All undergraduates, except graduating seniors
  • All graduate students, with preference given to doctoral students in the humanities and interpretive social sciences.

Story+ typically takes place during Summer Session 1. Students receive a stipend for their participation.

Past Projects and Participants