Visegrad Scholarship at the Open Society Archives in Budapest

Deadline: 20 April 2015
Open to: scholars, researchers or journalists
Fellowship: EUR 2,000 including access to the archives for scholars, artists, and journalists, travel to and from Budapest, a modest subsistence, and 2-month accommodation

Description

The International Visegrad Fund in cooperation with the Open Society Archivum Budapest offers research fellowships at the Open Society Archives (OSA) at the Central European University in Budapest. As part of the joint project, 12 fellowships will be awarded annually to selected scholars, researchers or journalists from the Visegrad Group (V4) countries and 3 fellowships annually to non-V4 applicants. The fellowships will be given on a competitive basis to scholars/artists/journalists who wish to conduct research at OSA, and whose current research projects are relevant to the holdings and the given research priorities of the Fund and the Archivum.

Suggested research topics for 2015:

• The informational environment of the period of the Cold War, East and West;
• History of information science during the Cold War;
• History of information gathering during the Cold War (scientific, diplomatic, clandestine, public opinion research, intelligence, party reports, etc);
• Public opinion research East and West during the Cold War (audience research in the West and reports on the “public mood” behind the Iron Curtain);
• The consequences of limited available information on “the other” in the Cold War;
• The perception and construction of the “other” as reflected through cataloguing and data classification practices before 1989;
• The impact of cybernetics on informational and archival practices;
• The techniques and role of gathering and using information in the planning process and for social engineering purposes both East and West;
• The nature of the propaganda (including film) archive and its impact on (planning and manipulating) political and social processes;
• The role of propaganda during the Cold War;
• “Manufacturing objectivity” (how archival “facts” were used in order to create the objectivity effect of information);
• How political events and professional scholarly practices in the “real world” of the Cold War had an impact on the documentary practices, the categorical changes, the perception and interpretation of information and the documents.

The list does not exclude those applicants, who would like to pursue their own research that is different from the current research focus.

Eligibility

OSA is looking for prospective individual Visegrad fellows after their Master degree and with proven competency in the English language, ready to work on issues related either to the history of the Cold War or to human rights documentation. OSA does not host Grantees in July and August but there may be exceptions on an individual basis. The call is open to scholars, researchers and journalists.

Fellowship

The scholarship of EUR 2,000 is designed to provide access to the archives for scholars, artists, and journalists, and to cover travel to and from Budapest, a modest subsistence, and accommodation for a research period of two months. Scholarships for shorter periods are pro-rated.

Starting with the 2014-2015 academic year, OSA Archives would like to involve the Visegrad fellows more closely in the ongoing research work of the Archives. The work of the fellows will not simply be supported by designated colleagues at OSA, but the fellows are expected to work together with – at least – one of the researchers at the Archives. The fellows will take part in the research activities of OSA, will attend in-house seminars, and, if possible, together with other fellows will work on similar or relevant research topics. The intention is to build long-lasting working relationships, and involve former fellows in the research programs of OSA.

How to Apply?

Please submit the following to OSA:

• Application letter in English (should specify expected period of stay and preferred dates). Please note that the research period must end on the last day of the academic years, July 31, 2015;
• Research description/plan in English (about 800 words; should indicate the relationship between the current research topic, the chosen collection in the OSA holdings and the general research interest, etc.) Artists are expected to submit a portfolio, too;
• Curriculum Vitae (C.V.);
• Proof of officially recognized advanced level English language exam (if not native speaker);
• Names of two referees with contact address.

The Application letter, C.V., the Research description/plan, the copy of a language exam certification and the Referees’ contact information should be sent by email to Katalin Gadoros at gadoros@ceu.hu. Apply until: 20 April 2015.

The Selection Committee will evaluate proposals on the strength of the professional quality and novelty of the research proposal, its relevance to the chosen topic and the involvement of the OSA holdings in the research.

Find the official call HERE.