Call for Proposals: The Elizabeth Oakes Smith Travel Scholarship, 2024
The Elizabeth Oakes Smith Society invites proposals from scholars interested in incorporating the life and work of Elizabeth Oakes Smith (1806-1893) into their projects. With the expanding EOS website, the appearance of Elizabeth Oakes Smith: Selected Writings, Volume I in March 2023, the availability of Volume II this spring, and a mass of new material available to scholars studying Oakes Smith’s life and work, scholarship focused on Elizabeth Oakes Smith is expanding quickly.
The Society is open to proposals from any discipline or approach that promises to contribute to the appreciation and understanding of Oakes Smith’s life and work.
Possible projects might involve literary history, archival recovery of Oakes Smith as a professional writer or political leader, comparative studies involving Oakes Smith and other more well-known writers of the 19th century, Civil War history, or film and art projects related to any of these topics.
The Travel Scholarship provides $2000 for a scholar to visit one or more of the following destinations where Oakes Smith’s papers and publications are housed:
- The University of Charlottesville, where the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library holds the largest collection of Oakes Smith’s manuscripts, correspondence, and personal items. ·
- The New York Public Library, where The New York Public Library in New York City, and where the Manuscripts and Archives Division holds some of Oakes Smith’s letters and writings. ·
- The Maine Historical Society Library and other local libraries in Oakes Smith’s early home of Portland, Maine.
The Travel Scholarship is intended to cover travel expenses, accommodation costs, and research fees for a period of up to two weeks. The scholar is expected to produce a report on their research findings and outcomes within six months of completing their trip. Work may take the form of a dissertation chapter, conference paper, a creative project, or a public presentation. The recipient’s report will be published on the Society’s website and newsletter, and recipients will be invited to present their work in upcoming Oakes Smith panels at national and international conferences.
To apply or inquire, please submit the following documents by email to VP of Communciations for the Oakes Smith Society, Zabrina Shkurti (zshkurti@usf.edu), by January 31, 2024:
- A cover letter that introduces yourself and your project
- A proposal that describes your research question, methodology, objectives, expected outcomes, and relevance to Oakes Smith’s life and work (maximum 1000 words)
- A budget that outlines your estimated travel expenses, accommodation costs, and research fees
- A curriculum vitae that highlights your academic or professional background, publications, awards, and relevant experience
The proposals will be evaluated by all Society officers and a select committee of published Oakes Smith scholars. The evaluation criteria will include:
- The originality and significance of the research question or approach
- The feasibility and soundness of the methodology
- The clarity and coherence of the objectives and expected outcomes
- The contribution to the appreciation and understanding of Oakes Smith’s life and work
- The adequacy and reasonableness of the budget
The successful applicant will be notified by March 1, 2024. The Travel Scholarship must be used within one year of receiving the notification.
For more information about the Elizabeth Oakes Smith Society and its activities, please visit our website.
We are eager to support research involving this provocative pioneer as her figure re-emerges in the 21st century and look forward to receiving your proposal.
SSAWW 