Grants

The IRSCL Research Grant

 

The Research Grant of US $1,000 encourages research by early career scholars in children's literature. Applications are welcome from postgraduate students or early career researchers. It is not necessary to be a member of the IRSCL to apply for the grant.  Eligible activities include literary, historical, cultural, sociological, empirical and pedagogical research.

Applications should include a clear outline of aims, methodology, budget allocation, and expected outcomes. Applications are invited every two years. Look here for information about the next round of grants in October, 2008.

Recipients

2007 Anto Thomas Chakramakkil (India)

The IRSCL research grant, of US $1000, attracted a good range of applications in 2007. A number of these were from young or early-career scholars, giving pleasing evidence that children’s literature studies will be in excellent hands for many years to come. The adjudicating board was encouraged by the high quality of the submissions, and regretted that there was scope for only one grant.

However, the board was unanimous in its decision to award the 2007 grant to Dr Anto Thomas Chakramakkil, of St. Thomas College, Trichur, Kerala, India, for his project: ‘Alice in India: Translations and Reception of Alice in Wonderland into Indian Languages, and the Development of Children’s Literature in India’. Board members were impressed by the scope and ambition of Anto’s proposed project, and were keen to support his work in developing children’s literature studies in India. In its aim to strengthen the network of children’s literature scholars in India, through the process of the research, the project seems likely to make a lasting impact. The plans to link the project with other research on Alice world-wide will also contribute to the wider community of children’s literature researchers, within IRSCL and beyond.

Receiving the grant at the 18th Biennial Congress in Kyoto, in August 2007 (photo), Anto emphasised that the funds were a tribute to the hard work of all Indian children’s literature scholars. The Children’s Literature Association of India, of which Anto is Secretary, is now active, launching 2008 with its second annual conference. ‘Alice in India’ will contribute to the activities of the association and give impetus to the growing momentum of scholarship throughout the subcontinent.

2005 Li Li (Hong Kong)

2003 Martina Seifert (Germany)

The recipient of the IRSCL Research Grant 2003 was Martina Seifert, a research student at Leipzig University, Germany. The project she submitted was entitled 'The Image Trap: On the Translation of Canadian Children's Literature into German', and is part of her PhD thesis on Canada as an 'image type' in German-language children's literature as well as related to two major projects (one at Leipzig University, the other at Ottowa University) with which she is affiliated.

Her approach towards researching the translations is a comparative, imagological one which asks the central question: how have existing images of Canada influenced the reception, distribution and evaluation of Canadian literary texts in Germany. The grant was to fund a research trip to the National Archives in Ottawa, and the Lillian H. Smith Library in Toronto, as well as a three week research period at the University of Ottawa School of Translation and Interpretation with Prof. Von Flotow, whose major forthcoming publication on translation of Canadian Literature into German will include a section on children's literature by Martin

2001 Michelle A. May (USA)

1999 Maria Österlund (Finland), Beverly Pennell (Australia) and Sylvia Warnecke (Scotland/Germany)

1997 Karen Sands (USA)

The 1997 IRSCL New Researcher Grant was awarded to Karen Sands for her work entitled, 'The Imagination and the Imagined Nation: Post-1945 British Children's Fantastic Fiction'. This work became the basis of her doctoral thesis from Cardiff University. It has also resulted in several other publications, including a 2003 article entitled 'The Enemy Without: Post-1945 Animal Fantasy and the Safety of Home Spaces' for the online journal The Looking Glass.

1995 Larissa Klein Tumanov (Canada)

1993 Faye Davies (New Zealand)

Research Grant Guidelines

Applications are welcome from any postgraduate students or early career researchers in the field. It is not necessary to be a member of the IRSCL to apply for the research grant. Applications should include a 1000-word description of the research project, and the following information:

  • Name and title, Address, Telephone, fax, email
  • Name of the institution where the project will be listed as an academic activity undertaken by its staff or students.
  • Whether the research project is being undertaken as part of current postgraduate studies.
  • Supervisor of the applicant's research project (where applicable).
  • Names and addresses of two academic referees (the applicant's research supervisor may be one of these). Please include telephone and fax numbers, and email address. Previous academic record: qualifications at tertiary level, when and where obtained. Applicant's previous publications in children's literature (where applicable).
  • Title of the research proposed for the IRSCL Grant.
  • Aims of the research.
  • Methodology
  • A brief summary of research already carried out pn the topic with reference to key researchers. How the prioject will contribute to previous work.
  • Budget showing how the applicant will use US $1,000 and brief justification of budget items.
  • Expected outcomes of the project: planned publication(s), names of journals to which papers(s) arising from the research will be submitted.

Travel Grants

 

Prior to IRSCL Congresses, applications are invited for travel grants of not more than US$1,000 each to be awarded to IRSCL members in need of financial assistance to attend the Congress. Applicants are asked to send a brief summary of their recent research  activities, a budget (including estimated travel expenses, accommodation, meals and registration fees) that clearly states any other source of travel support. Applications are confidential.