India Research fellowships

Deadline for Submissions: the application for 2023-24 is now closed. We will announce the next application deadline as soon as it is determined.

The University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada, invites applications from faculty, senior doctoral and post-doctoral students at Indian universities for a visiting research fellowship in Victoria between approx. January and June of 2024. The successful candidate will be affiliated with the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society (CSRS), the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives (CAPI) and the Centre for Global Studies (CFGS).

This fellowship recognizes the academic contributions of Professor Harold Coward, a prominent Canadian scholar of Hinduism, fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and founding director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society.

The purpose of the fellowship is to provide the visiting scholar with a stimulating academic environment conducive to research and writing, and to strengthen academic partnerships between the University of Victoria and our colleagues in Indian universities. The fellowship also aims to enrich the scholarly communities housed at the CSRS, CAPI, and CFGS by providing each community with opportunities to engage with the visiting scholar’s research.

The fellowship is targeted at scholars whose research addresses religion in Indian regional, national, and/or diasporic contexts.

Residents of India who are completing doctoral work, engaged in postdoctoral research, or hold a regular academic appointment in India. Applications from all disciplinary backgrounds are eligible. Preference will be given to scholars with the demonstrated ability to approach religion and politics from an engaged, critical perspective. The groups and phenomena that interest the fellow must be rooted in India.

The fellowship will cover travel costs, and will provide fellows with a living allowance of $2000/month for six months. In addition, the fellowship provides private office space at the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society along with library and university privileges.

This award has a term of six months (approx. January-June 2024).

Fellows are expected to conduct their work on site at the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society and to participate in the programs and activities of the CSRS, CAPI and CFGS. The successful candidate will give at least one public presentation of their research at each research centre and will work with each Centre director to identify other opportunities for participation in formal or informal events.

Applications should include the following: 1) a descriptive project title, 2) a detailed statement (maximum 3 pages) that clearly explains the objectives and methodology of the research project as well as its connection to the theme of religion and modern India, 3) an up-to-date curriculum vitae, and 4) two letters of reference from scholars with subject matter expertise in the area(s) of research (to be forwarded to the CSRS under separate cover). The selection panel may also solicit the opinions of other referees.

Please submit completed applications bye-mail to:
Dr. Kathryn Chan, Acting Director, Centre for Studies in Religion and Society University of Victoria Box 1700 STN CSC Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2 CANADA E-mail: [email protected], with Harold Coward India Fellowship in the subject line.

The fellow will be selected by a committee composed of members of the CSRS, CAPI, and CFGS based on the academic merit of the proposal and the potential of the candidate to contribute to the intellectual life of each Centre.

Application Deadline - to be announced

For information visit CSRS at www.csrs.uvic.ca, CAPI at www.capi.uvic.ca, and CFGS at http://www.uvic.ca/research/centres/globalstudies/ and the University of Victoria at www.uvic.ca.