Research Commissioned in Phase Three
Phase III funding Opportunities
We are pleased to announce the final round of commissioning for the Religion and Society Programme.
The call is for applications for Large and Small Research Grants. The Large Research Grants have a deadline for outline stage of Thursday 8th January 2009 and the Small Research Grants have a deadline of Thursday 30th April 2009.
The overall themes of the Religion and Society Programme, reaching across disciplinary boundaries, have been identified throughout the programme as:
• Meaning, Defining and Being
• Identity, Community, Welfare and Prosperity
• Religion, Violence and Conflict Resolution
• Religion, Media and the Arts
• Texts, Spaces, Rituals and Objects
• Education and Socialisation
• Law, Politics and the State
This call is open across the full programme specification but the AHRC and ESRC are particularly keen to encourage proposals in the following specific areas:
Meaning, Defining and Being –
In addition to all of the key questions outlined in the Programme Specification, proposals are welcomed which offer theoretical reflection on aspects of religion and society, and/or which develop and interrogate key concepts in the study of religion and society. Contributions from disciplines such as theology, philosophy and religious studies, as well as the social sciences, are invited.
Religion, Media and the Arts –
All of the key questions within this theme, including issues about religion, the arts, performance, space and material and visual culture and the representation of religion in news media. Proposals are particularly encouraged from disciplines such as design, architecture, popular culture and the performing arts, particularly if they engage with the cultural sector e.g museums, arts practitioners etc.
Texts, Spaces, Rituals and Objects –
In addition to all of the key questions within this theme outlined in the Programme specification, proposals are welcomed which address the changing significance of sacred texts and symbols in religious communities and wider society.
Law, Politics and the State –
All of the key questions within this theme, including the significance of religion in relation to specific political or social movements, or for different kinds of political mobilization.
Attention to the Religion and Society Programme’s aims, objectives and themes, and overall quality, will be deciding factors in the assessment of proposals. The final call is highlighting the areas listed above in the light of commissioning to date, in order to ensure that all themes in the Religion and Society Programme are well represented once the commissioning process is complete. Proposals dealing with the other Programme themes are not excluded, even though commissioning has already taken place in these areas.
To apply for an award, you should be actively engaged in research and be of postdoctoral standing. We regret that there is no funding available for postgraduate study within this programme, with the exception of PhD studentships attached to Large Grant applications.
The Details for the outline stage of the Large Research Grants scheme (deadline 8 January 2009) are now available from the AHRC website and the form is available through the JeS system, please follow this link: http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/ReligionandSociety-LargeGrants.aspx
The Details for the Small Research Grants scheme (deadline 30 April 2009) can be found on the AHRC website http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/ReligionandSociety-SmallGrants.aspx
Enquiries about the scholarly content of the Religion and Society Programme, its aims, objectives and themes should be directed to Linda Woodhead at the contact address below:
Professor Linda Woodhead
Email: l.woodhead@lancaster.ac.uk
Tel: 01524 592414
Enquiries about the application procedures, competitions and timetables, application forms and application process should be directed to one of the officers as detailed below:
Awards Officers
Laura Milne-Day
e-mail: l.milne-day@ahrc.ac.uk
Tel: 0117 987 6685
Dylan Law
email: d.law@ahrc.ac.uk
Tel. 0117 987 6613
Senior Awards Officer
Louise Matter
e-mail: l.matter@ahrc.ac.uk
Tel: 0117 987 6605
ESRC Senior Science Manager
Dr Craig Bardsley
e-mail: craig.bardsley@esrc.ac.uk
Tel: 01793 413166
Workshops:
The AHRC/ESRC and the Religion and Society Programme are holding two half day workshops on Thursday 23rd October 2008 (Manchester) and Monday 10th November 2008 (London). The workshops are primarily aimed at researchers within the areas that are being specifically highlighted in the third phase (see above) for the forthcoming final round of bids for Large and Small Research Grants (deadlines January and April 09). An applicants’ clinic will form part of the workshops to allow attendees to discuss a specific proposal. This workshop is only for those with an interest in making a proposal to the Religion and Society Programme who have a firm proposal in mind. Places are free of charge but numbers are strictly limited and early registration is advised. Registration forms and further information can be found on the Public Events page Religion & Society Public Events