CFP: Contributors are invited for the volume New Directions

Call for papers: contributors are invited for the volume New Directions
in Travel Writing and Travel Studies – Carmen Andras, editor 

Travel studies have recently gained an important place among academic fields owing to
their inter- and trans-disciplinary character. Contributions are invited to Carmen Andras at mailto:carmen_andras@yahoo.com on the subject of travel from the perspectives of history, literature, geography, imagology, cartography, anthropology, sociology, political sciences, or other related domains of research. Culture is in a great measure a history of travel and migration, including their integration in new topographies such journeys, exodus, nomadism, pilgrimage, (e/im)migration, exploration, dislocations of the labour force, etc., and the reading or writing about these experiences. Conceived in a broad sense, the idea of travel can also refer to the circulation and reception of books, documents, ideas, cultural influences, translations, etc. Other themes of interest include new directions and theory of travel writing and travel studies, histories of travel and the travel of histories, spaces of intercultural and international communication and conflicts of interests, maps of travel and the travel of maps, travel-knowledge-power, and discourses of identities and/or difference. Papers should be 6000-7000 words and in the MLA style of parenthetical sources and a works cited (but no footnotes or end notes).

The volume is to be published in the Shaker publisher monography series of Books in Comparative Culture, Media, and Communication Studies http://www.shaker.eu/catalogue/booklist.asp?Reihe=451.

Dr. Carmen Andras
“Gheorghe Sincai” Institute for Social Sciences and the Humanities of
the Romanian Academy
Targu Mures
Romania
Email: carmen_andras@yahoo.com

BERGEN SUMMER RESEARCH SCHOOL (BSRS)

Global Development Challenges
www.gdc.uib.no

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to announce the first edition of the Bergen Summer Research School on Global Development Challenges, to be held in Bergen, Norway, 7-17 August, 2008.

The theme for 2008 is Global Poverty understood as a global challenge, affecting advanced, developing and less developed economies. Our program offers nine different PhD courses and academic as well as social and cultural activities. The city of Bergen is known for its distinctive beauty and charming ambiance, which will be the inspirational backdrop to lectures, group work, plenary debates and discussions on Global Poverty.

PhD-students and Junior Researchers from the whole world are invited to apply. We think this will be an excellent opportunity to acquire new knowledge and meet with PhD-candidates and experts in an international unique setting.

The Bergen Summer Research School is a joint venture under the leadership of the University of Bergen, with the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH), the Christian Michelsen Institute on Human Rights and Development (CMI), the Bergen University College (HIB) and UNIFOB.

You will find the application form and more information about the BSRS on our website www.gdc.uib.no. The deadline for submitting the application form is April 15, 2008.

Please forward this information to colleagues and candidates. Apologies for cross postings. For questions, please contact coordinator Kirsti Thesen Sælen, kirsti.salen@uib.no

Best regards from

Kjersti Fløttum,
Vice-Rector for International Relations, University of Bergen
and
Asuncion Lera-St. Clair
Head of the Bergen Summer Research School

Kirsti Thesen Saelen
University of Bergen
Research Department
Nygaardsgt. 5
N-5020 Bergen
Norway

Email: gdc@uib.no
Visit the website at http://www.gdc.uib.no

Presson Archival Summer Fellowships at College of William and Mary

The Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) at the College of William and Mary is pleased to announce the availability of John M. Presson Archival Fellowships for graduate and advanced undergraduate students. These fellowships are intended to provide a summer work experience for students interested in pursuing a career in archives or special collections. We anticipate awarding two fellowships for the summer of 2008.The 2008 Fellows will work on several projects, including processing collections, conversion of legacy finding aids to EAD, and a preservation survey. In addition, they may participate in such activities as providing reference assistance, digitization, and exhibit development and preparation.

Fellows will be expected to work ten 40-hour weeks; pay will be $400/week for undergraduates and $440/week for graduate students. Exact dates will be worked out with each Fellow.

Requirements: Graduate students and advanced undergraduates (rising juniors and seniors) from any accredited institution are eligible to apply. Applicants should have completed at least twelve credits in archival administration, library or information science, public history, American history, or American studies. Undergraduates should have an overall GPA of at least 3.4. Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in archives or historical repositories, such as through volunteering, work, internships, or coursework. Also important are attention to detail, good organizational and communication skills, the ability to lift 30 pounds, flexibility, and a sense of humor. The Fellows may be subject to a criminal background check before starting their Fellowships.

Located in the heart of the colonial city of Williamsburg, Virginia, William and Mary is the nation’s second-oldest college and prides itself on being the best public liberal-arts university in the country. The SCRC is a unit of Swem Library, the main university library. It houses outstanding manuscript collections in American and Virginia history, a fine rare book collection, and the University Archives, which has materials relating to the College’s history dating back to its founding in 1693.

Applications are due by March 31, and winners will be notified by April 15. To apply, send a cover letter, resume, official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate), and the names and contact information for three references to the contact address. Beatriz Hardy, Director
Special Collections Research Center
Swem Library
College of William and Mary
PO Box 8794
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8794
Email: bbhard@wm.edu
Visit the website at http://swem.wm.edu/scrc/

Postdoc Fellowships Research Islamic Architecture

The Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT (AKPIA@MIT) is pleased to announce its postdoctoral fellowship program for the academic year 2008-2009. The fellowship program is intended for scholars with Ph.D. in any field related to architecture – including architectural, art, and urban history, design, technology, computation, urban planning, anthropology, and archeology – who are engaged in research on an Islamic topic. One to three fellowships will be granted. The fellowship duration can range from two months to a maximum of two semesters, or nine months, of residency, that will have to fall within the academic year. Fellows are expected to pursue their own research, give at least one public lecture, and participate in the program’s scholarly and academic activities during their stay at MIT. The fellowship award consists of monthly stipend not to exceed the amount of $3,000 (before taxes) per month and one roundtrip ticket for the fellow from his/her place of residence. Fellows will be responsible to find their own housing and health insurance during their fellowship period. AKPIA will provide library cards and email accounts at MIT.

Deadline for application is March 1, 2008. Results will be announced by April 20, 2008. Applicants should send a C.V., a research proposal specifying the desired period of stay and other sources of funding if available, one substantial writing sample or a portfolio, and two letters of recommendation. No electronic applications will be accepted. Applicants are encouraged to seek other sources of funding to supplement the fellowship award. Scholars with their own financial resources or who are on sabbatical and wish to apply to AKPIA
fellowships are also welcome. AKPIA reserves the right to prorate its fellowship when combined with another grant or fellowship.

Please send all application material to:
Prof. Nasser Rabbat
2008-2009 Postdoctoral Fellowships
The Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture
MIT, Room 10-390
Cambridge, MA 02139

For further information please send an email to <akpiarch@mit.edu> or
visit the web at http://web.mit.edu/akpia/www/fellowshipsreq.htm

Jose Luis Arguello
Administrative Assistant
Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture
MIT, 10-390
77 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
Aga Khan Program Web Site: http://web.mit.edu/akpia/www/
Agakhan-lectures mailing list
Agakhan-lectures@mit.edu
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/agakhan-lectures

Digital Asia Workshop

Digital Asia: Documentary Digital Video Workshop

The Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies (EAPS), the Asian Educational Media Service (AEMS), and Applied Technologies for Learning in the Arts & Sciences (ATLAS) at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, invite applications for a weekend workshop on documentary digital video for scholars in Asian Studies, May 16-17, 2008, in Urbana, Illinois.

This workshop is intended for faculty and graduate students who are interested in turning a current Asia-focused research project into a documentary digital video for an educational or public audience. Today’s user-friendly media inspires many scholars to envision an audio-visual expression of their research.  We will offer eight such scholars introductory training towards the creation of a professional
video, in the context of an academic career.

The workshop will provide an introductory overview of the filmmaking process, from framing your project, through funding and planning, to filming in the field, and finally, to post-production and distribution. Equipment choices, ethical issues, and resources for further assistance will be discussed.  Both lecture and hands-on
components will be included.  Participants will produce a short interview project in the course of the weekend.  No prior experience or training in media design or techniques is assumed.  The workshop will be led by both academics with filmmaking experience and professional filmmakers with research experience.

Eligibility: Scholars at any level of seniority affiliated with an academic and/or research institution.  Graduate students should have already defined their dissertation project.  Applicants must have an original, current research project on an Asian topic (any discipline), a portion of which they envision expressing in documentary video format.  Participation is competitive; successful applicants will have delineated a video project which addresses a gap in available Asian Studies media and will have the potential for bringing this project to fruition.  Those accepted must complete a questionnaire and prepare assigned readings prior to attending the workshop.  Accommodations for May 15-17 and meals for May 16-17 are included; graduate students will be offered assistance with transportation costs up to $400.

After completing the workshop, participants will be eligible to compete for two small seed grants to produce pilot videos to launch their projects.

Applications and more information are available at:
http://www.aems.uiuc.edu/events/educator_events/digitalasia.html
Deadline for receipt of applications: February 28, 2008.

With further inquiries, please contact:

Tanya Lee
Program Director
Asian Educational Media Service (AEMS)
Center for East Asian & Pacific Studies
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
805 West Pennsylvania Avenue, MC-025
Urbana, IL  61801
TEL: 217-265-0642 or 888-828-AEMS
FAX: 217-265-0641
tanyalee@uiuc.edu
www.aems.uiuc.edu

CFP: Cultural Politics @ EASA 08

CALL FOR PAPERS – Please forward this to anyone who might be interested. Thanks!

We would like to invite those of you interested in “Challenges of local and regional cultural politics in Southeast Asia” to submit paper abstracts for our workshop at the 10th Biennial Conference of the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA) that will be held from 26 to 30 August in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Please find the workshop abstract below.

For a more detailed workshop description and the submission of proposals please visit: http://www.nomadit.co.uk/easa/easa08/panels.php5?PanelID=291

Workshop organisers: Birgit Bräuchler, Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore: birgitbraeuchler@gmx.net

Kari Telle, Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI), Norway: kari.telle@cmi.no

For more information on the conference as such see: http://www.easa2008.eu/en/informacija.asp?id_meta_type=13

We are looking forward to your submissions!

Kind regards, Birgit Bräuchler

Dr Birgit BRÄUCHLER
Asia Research Institute
National University of Singapore
469A Tower Block
Bukit Timah Road, #10-01
Singapore 259770
Website: www.ari.nus.edu.sg——————————————
“Challenges of local and regional cultural politics in Southeast Asia”

There are two trends in the study of cultural politics in anthropology of SEA, which this workshop aims to bring together: the analysis of 1) national cultural politics and 2) the objects of these politics, e.g. local (cultural) groups.

On the state level, culture/identity politics are often an important means to foster nation-building processes in multi-ethnic societies, but also as part of tourism, minority, development and religion policies or in order to differentiate the nation from the ‘outside world’. Due to recent democratisation processes in the area local cultural politics are on the rise and increasingly influence regional politics as well as the cultural and political constitution of nation-states. Local and national cultural
politics are not always characterised by mutuality, but by opposition and competition. On the local level (the revival of) culture and traditions can serve different purposes, like achieving self-determination, resistance against the state, access to natural resources, as touristic resource and to solve local conflicts the state is not entitled or able to solve.

The workshop aims to explore cultural concepts underlying these politics from an anthropological angle and to analyse the problems emerging between the different levels of cultural politics and the interest groups involved in them. Besides the local and the national level, the inter-/transnational level might play a role as well; be it, for instance, the global discourse on human rights influencing national and/or local politics, or transnational networks that emerge with reference to a common culture/religion and that can challenge the nation-state.

Congressional Research Awards Announcement (USA)

Congressional Research Awards Announcement

DEADLINE: All proposals must be received no later than February 1, 2008.

The Dirksen Congressional Center invites applications for grants to fund research on congressional leadership and the U.S. Congress. A total of up to $30,000 will be available in 2008. Awards range from a few hundred dollars to $3,500.

The competition is open to individuals with a serious interest in studying Congress. Political scientists, historians, biographers, scholars of public administration or American studies, and journalists are among those eligible. The Center encourages graduate students who have successfully defended their dissertation prospectus to apply and awards a significant portion of the funds for dissertation research.

The awards program does not fund undergraduate or pre-Ph.D. study. Organizations are not eligible. Research teams of two or more individuals are eligible. No institutional overhead or indirect costs may be claimed against a Congressional Research Award.

There is no standard application form. Applicants are responsible for showing the relationship between their work and the awards program guidelines. Applications are accepted at any time. Applications which exceed the page limit and incomplete applications will NOT be forwarded to the screening committee for consideration.

All application materials must be received on or before February 1, 2008. Awards will be announced in March 2008. Complete information about eligibility and application procedures may be found at The Center’s Web site: http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_grants_CRAs.htm. Frank Mackaman is the program officer — mailto: fmackaman@dirksencenter.org

The Center, named for the late Senate Minority Leader Everett M. Dirksen, is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational organization devoted to the study of Congress and its leaders. Since 1978, the Congressional Research Awards (formerly the Congressional Research Grants) program has paid out $680,000 to support 350 projects.

PEAES Fellowship Applications

The Program in Early American Economy and Society at the Library Company of Philadelphia, invites applications for its dissertation-level and one-month fellowship awards for 2008-2009.

* One resident dissertation-level fellowship, carrying a stipend of $20,000, tenable for nine consecutive months from September 1, 2008 to May 31, 2009. It may also be divided between two scholars, each receiving $10,000 for the periods between September 1, 2008 to January 15, 2009 or January 15, 2009 to May 31, 2009.

* Four resident one-month fellowships, available to scholars at all levels, carrying stipends of $2,000 each, are tenable for a month of research at the Library Company between June 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009.

THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS IS MARCH 1, 2008

To apply please complete the online cover sheet (see below) and send seven copies of the following:

For the dissertation fellowship: a brief resume, a proposal outlining the nature of the project and intended research strategy, and one letter of reference.

For the one-month fellowship: a brief resume, a proposal outlining the nature of the project and intended research strategy, a writing sample of about 25 pages, and two letters of reference.

Mail all to:

PEAES Fellowships

Library Company of Philadelphia – 1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

To fill out the online coversheet, visit www.librarycompany.org/fellowships/coversheet.htm

For more information email cmatson@udel.edu

Thank you,

Debbie Shapiro, Administrative Assistant – The Library Company of Philadelphia 1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

(215) 546-3181 x130

dshapiro@librarycompany.org

CFA: AIIS Fellowship Competition

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF INDIAN STUDIES FELLOWSHIP COMPETITION

The American Institute of Indian Studies invites applications from scholars from all disciplines who wish to conduct their research in India. Junior fellowships are given to doctoral candidates to conduct research for their dissertations in India for up to eleven months. Senior long-term (six to nine months) and short-term (four months or less) fellowships are available for scholars who hold the Ph.D. degree. Some senior fellows in the humanities will receive fellowships funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Performing and Creative Arts fellowships are available for accomplished practitioners of the performing arts of India and creative artists. Professional development fellowships are available to scholars and professionals who have not previously worked in India. Eligible applicants include 1) U.S. citizens, and 2) citizens of other countries who are students or faculty members at U.S. colleges and universities. This requirement is not applicable to U.S. citizens.

For applications, please contact us at American Institute of Indian Studies, 1130 E. 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, (773) 702-8638. Email: aiis@uchicago.edu.  Applications can be downloaded from our web site: www.indiastudies.org. The application deadline is July 1, 2008.

Historicising the middlebrow

Humanities Research Institute, University of Sheffield, 4 July 2008

The term ‘middlebrow’ emerged in the mid-1920s to describe dismissively the extensive area of cultural production which situated itself between high modernism and popular culture. The category was particularly associated with best-selling novels, but was also used to label certain types of broadcasting, cinema, periodical, music and interior decoration. The ‘middlebrow’ prompted hostility and fierce debate, both at the time and subsequently, and the underlying concept of different ‘brows’ has been a resilient one.

This conference seeks to historicise and contextualise ‘middlebrow’ by exploring the formation and consolidation of cultural hierarchies in nineteenth and twentieth-century Britain and America. How, when and why were these hierarchies established? In what ways were they connected to ideas of class, gender and social geography? Were they related to the content and genre of texts or to their audiences? What impact did shifts in production, dissemination and marketing have on the construction of cultural taxonomies? What other categories have performed similar functions in mapping culture?

We invite papers that will illuminate any aspect of the ongoing debates about cultural hierarchies in modern Britain and America. Papers may focus on any type of cultural production, including novels, films, music, broadcasting and the press, and examine any period from the early nineteenth century to the present.

Proposals of 400 words for 20-minute papers should be sent via email to Dr Adrian Bingham at adrian.bingham@sheffield.ac.uk by 7 March 2008