Reading and writing from below: Call for research proposals

The research project Reading and writing from below: Toward a new social history of literacy in the Nordic sphere during the long nineteenth century, led by Dr Taru Nordlund, University of Helsinki, and financed by a NORDCORP grant, invites applications from PhD students, junior (early career) researchers and independent scholars not holding a permanent position to apply for funding for travel and research in the period 1 August 2011 to 31 July 2014.

Applicants may come from disciplines such as Finnish or Scandinavian languages, literature, history and cultural studies, and they must be based in the Nordic countries. Their proposed research should focus on literacy, by which is meant not just the ability to read and write but rather the totality of the processes and practices involved in the production, dissemination and reception of written texts, and involve a "from below" perspective, i.e. deal with non-privileged people, those of the lower strata of society with little or no access to formal education.

PhD students are eligible to apply for grants for travel and research within the Nordic area for up to 6 months, while junior researchers may apply for wages for up to one year, paid in accordance with standard wages in their respective countries, including overheads. Both PhD students and junior researchers will be encouraged to participate in the general work of the project, for example by attending the yearly seminars.

PhD students should briefly specify the use to which the grant will be put and show how it will facilitate their work; a detailed budget should also be included. Junior researchers should include a research plan of not more than four pages, including information on theoretical and methodological background.

Please send your proposal, indicating the period of time in which the funding would be used, CV and contact information of one or two referees both electronically to Dr Anna Kuismin and by post to Dr Taru Nordlund, Department of Finnish, Finno-Ugrian Languages and Scandinavian Studies, P.O. Box 3, 00014 University of Helsinki. Inquiries: M. J. Driscoll, Nordisk Forskningsinstitut.

The deadline for proposals is 15 March 2011; applicants will receive notification in the beginning of May.