The Humanities Research Center is pleased to announce a call for proposals for Spring 2021, to be completed by August 31, 2021. Applications are due via email to Chi Zhang by April 15, 2021, except for the writing retreat, for which application is via Qualtrics form. A separate funding round will take place for the fall.
Faculty Funding for Student Research Stipends
The HRC will fund a number of summer research stipends for DKU students. Each student will be funded to a maximum amount of RMB12,800 for eight week’s full time work (40RMB per hour X 40 hours per week X 8 weeks). Accepted students will be eligible to apply for free accommodation at DKU for the duration of their research work. Stipends will not be give to projects that could be covered by existing lab funding. Faculty should request positions by writing a proposal (max 2 pages) including a title, a description of the research question, a summary of the activities to be undertaken, the number of hours requested (max 320 per student) and the names of student researchers to be funded.
Small Events
The HRC will fund a number of small-scale events, which could take the form of workshops, reading groups, film screenings and discussions, research group excursions, and so forth over the summer. Experimentation and innovation is encouraged, and applications may be submitted by either individuals or by groups of collaborators. All DKU and Duke faculty affiliates may apply.
A complete proposal (max 5 pages single-spaced) should include a title, a description of the research question, a summary of the activities to be undertaken, a list of collaborators to be invited (with brief bios), a description of anticipated outcomes, and a budget. The maximum contribution from the HRC for each small event is $5,000.
Writing Retreat, May 17-21
The retreat, undertaken jointly with the Center for the Study of Contemporary China, will take place in a quiet location (TBD) not too far from Kunshan. Transport from and to DKU, meals, and accommodation will be provided by the two research centers. Faculty are expected to work on their writing projects during the day. An optional light exercise activity such as a walking tour will be offered in the afternoon. Faculty will be grouped into small thematic clusters and invited to discuss their research with their colleagues after dinner in the evening. Each center will fund eight to ten faculty, who will be expected to participate for the full five days.
Eligibility
All DKU faculty working on writing projects broadly related to arts and humanities, interpretive social sciences or contemporary China are eligible to apply. Faculty working on equivalent projects in creative arts, such as editing a film, are also eligible to apply. Priority will be given to tenure-track professors who will make substantial progress on a project relevant to their eventual tenure application, and to those who did not participate in the March writing retreat. Other applications will be considered if space permits.
Application Process
Applications for the writing retreat are due via Qualtrics form by April 15. Faculty will be asked to briefly describe their project, its state of completion, its significance for their research career, and the concrete goals that they hope to achieve by the end of the retreat. Decisions will be made by the center directors and announced within one week.
