The Esperantic Studies foundation (ESF) announces its 2023 competition for research fellowships in all fields of the humanities and social sciences, particularly as they relate to interlinguistics, linguistic justice, intercultural communication, Esperanto, and related phenomena. Interdisciplinary work is welcome, and primary disciplines might include, but are not limited to, linguistics, sociology, history, anthropology, communication, or media studies. Open to candidates worldwide, with a preference for candidates in North America and the global south, the fellowships may be held concurrently with other awards or fellowships and are non-renewable.
These fellowships honor the legacy of the late Marjorie Boulton, a prolific author of plays, poems, and prose in Esperanto, as well as the leading biographer in English of L. L. Zamenhof.
ESF, a non-profit organization that works for linguistic justice on a global scale, values inclusion and diversity. ESF does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, language, national origin, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation or gender expression.
Awards of $10,000 USD may be given in each of two categories: Doctoral and Post-doctoral research. See below for eligibility requirements.
Category 1. Doctoral Research for students engaged in or about to begin their doctoral dissertations.
Eligibility: Applicants must be admitted to candidacy for a research doctoral degree at an accredited university, in good standing in their programs, and considering or embarked on an original research project that will make a significant contribution to the field.
Category 2. Post-doctoral Research for scholars who have recently completed their dissertations, to support related research and publication.
Eligibility: Applicants must be no more than five years beyond receiving the Ph.D and propose an original, significant research project; it can be either an extension of the dissertation or a new program of research.
There are no geographical eligibility restrictions; candidates from any country may apply. The research proposal itself must be in English or Esperanto, with supporting materials in English, Esperanto, or the intended language(s) of the thesis or postdoctoral research.
Applications must include:
- Research proposal, up to 1500 words.
- Curriculum Vitae including a list of graduate coursework.
- A brief sample of prior academic writing of no more than 10 pages total, double spaced, including notes. Please include a cover page indicating the sample’s relationship to the proposed project.
- 2 letters of recommendation, including at least one from a faculty member at the applicant’s institution who knows his/her work well. ESF will solicit letters from referees once the application is filed. Applications should be uploaded to our portal on or before June 1, 2022. Only complete applications will be considered. Please submit your application here.
Evaluation Criteria:
- The project’s potential to make a significant contribution to the applicant’s field or fields of study.
- The clarity and pertinence of the proposal, which should indicate the scope of the project, the methodology used, and its grounding in the relevant scholarly literature.
- A demonstrated record of academic success, along with strong recommendations indicating scholarly promise.
Deadline for applications: June 1, 2023. ESF’s goal is to announce the awards in July 2023.