Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies
Durham UNESCO World Heritage Site Fellowships 2019/20
Call for Applications
Application Deadline:12:00 noon on 15th July 2019
Please submit applications to [email protected].
www.dur.ac.uk/imems/researchfellowships/whs
Durham University’s Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (IMEMS) offers Postdoctoral Visiting Fellowships of up to three months to study Durham’s UNESCO World Heritage Site and its significance in any aspect of its tangible and intangible heritage.
The Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies is an international centre for research in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period situated at the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We are a hub for interdisciplinary research with a vibrant community of scholars and postgraduate researchers working across all three faculties of the University. durham.ac.uk/imems
Durham’s UNESCO World Heritage Site
Durham was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site by the World Heritage Committee in 1986, and comprises Durham Cathedral and Castle and the buildings between them.
The Cathedral was built in the late eleventh and twelfth centuries to house the relics of St Cuthbert, evangeliser of Northumbria, and the Venerable Bede. It attests to the importance of the early Benedictine monastic community and is the largest and finest example of Norman architecture in England. The innovative audacity of its vaulting foreshadowed Gothic architecture. Beside the cathedral stands the castle, an ancient Norman fortress which was the residence of the prince-bishops of Durham, and which is still in use as a college.
Five key aspects of the Site are recognised as being of Outstanding Universal Value:
i) the Site’s exceptional architecture demonstrating architectural innovation, including the architectural design and construction techniques of the nave of Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle’s Norman Chapel;
ii) the visual drama of the Cathedral and Castle on the peninsula and the associations with notions of romantic beauty, including the dramatic, dynamic skyline of Durham Cathedral and Castle;
iii) the physical expression of the spiritual and secular powers of the medieval Bishops Palatine that the defended complex provides;
iv) the relics and material culture of the three saints (Cuthbert, Bede, and Oswald) buried at the site;
v) and the continuity of use and ownership over the past 1000 years as a place of religious worship, learning and residence, and a focal point of community identity and cultural activity.
Criteria
We are delighted to invite applications from postdoctoral researchers for visiting fellowships within the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies. Successful applicants will be reimbursed expenses of up to £1,500 per month for up to three months, to go towards travel, accommodation and living expenses during the fellowship.
Applications should demonstrate a serious research interest that focuses on Durham’s UNESCO World Heritage Site and align with topics identified within Durham’s World Heritage Site Research Framework Objectives; see: https://www.durhamworldheritagesite.com/research/durham-whs-research-framework-2015
We particularly encourage applications in 2019/20 that focus on:
·Durham’s tangible and intangible heritage of Pilgrimage
·Research Framework Objective 1: Understanding the WHS today
Fellows will be encouraged to work collaboratively with subject specialists and curators at Durham to realise the Site’s research potential, and to co-design and pilot innovative research methodologies. They will also be expected to participate actively within the life of the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies.
How to Apply
Applicants should submit a brief summary of what they propose to work on (maximum one side of A4) and supporting a CV. Applications should be submitted no later than 12:00 noon on 15th July 2019 to[email protected]. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by 2nd August 2019.
We aim to be flexible with fellowship dates; to ensure a healthy audience for your presentations, you should phase at least part of your fellowship within term time (October to mid-December; late January to early March; or late April to mid-May).
Please indicate your availability in 2019/20, and your preferred fellowship duration (i.e. one, two or three months). Please note that fellows will be expected to arrange their own travel and accommodation.
IMEMS should be cited as sponsor in all dissemination material and in any publications arising from the award. Events and publications will be publicised on the IMEMS website and, where relevant, on social media and will be advertised to the wider IMEMS membership.