Indigenous Arts and Research Fellowship (new!)

The Centre for Studies in Religion and Society (CSRS) at the University of Victoria welcomes applications from First Nations, Inuit, or Métis scholars (graduate students and faculty members) for a one-year fellowship appointment commencing September 1, 2023.

Application deadline: The 2023-24 IRF application is now closed. Please visit this page again for the information on the next competition.

Indigenous Research (IR) Fellows should be pursuing an academic project in which truth and reconciliation as well as spiritual, cultural, or religious themes are central concerns. In accord with the centre’s mandate (see: www.csrs.uvic.ca ), fellowship projects may involve any aspect of society and culture, either contemporary and historical. Potential areas of study might include the examination of spiritual or religious themes in the areas of ethics, health, environment, public policy, gender, sexual identity, technology, human conflict, art, literature, the media, law, and social currents and debates within philosophy and/or the natural sciences. Applications from all academic backgrounds, from UVic and beyond, are welcome.

We are looking for Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) scholars (graduate students and faculty members) interested in pursuing an academic project in which truth and reconciliation as well as spiritual, cultural, or religious themes are central concerns.  Applicants should also demonstrate a willingness and capacity for public engagement.

For graduatestudent applicants: the awards are intended for students who have completed course work and will be at the writing stage of their graduate thesis or dissertation during the period of their fellowship. We will also consider students enrolled in one-year MA programs if they are in the writing stage of their programs. MA and PhD students may hold a CSRS fellowship only once during each degree program. Applicants may apply for fellowships at other centres at the university; however, because this fellowship includes dedicated office space, students are only eligible to accept one of these awards.

For faculty applicants: faculty members may use the awards in whatever way they see fit. Faculty members from UVic could, for example, use some of the funds to reduce their teaching load so they can focus on their research while at the CSRS.

Fellowships include a $10,000 award and a private office at the CSRS. Fellows will have access to the administrative support (library access, photocopying, etc.) provided to other CSRS fellows, and will be warmly welcomed into the CSRS community.

IR Fellows are expected to conduct most of their work at the CSRS, taking advantage of the research space provided in the centre. Fellows are also expected to provide a public presentation, lecture or performance that includes an opportunity for public engagement during their fellowship and to participate in the regular activities of the CSRS (e.g., daily informal meetings over coffee and tea, weekly public lectures of other centre fellows). Fellows do not need to participate in all events but are expected to be involved in the thriving academic and social life of the centre.

Applications are accepted via email and should include:

• a current CV (not exceeding 5 pages);
• a completed IR Fellowship application form (download from the link below);
• two letters of support for the project from applicant’s references such as applicant's supervisor, another professor, department chair, colleagues, etc. emailed directly as PDFs to [email protected] ;
• Graduate Student applicants only: university transcripts (copies are acceptable);

Please note that any research involving human subjects will require approval of the UVic Human Research Ethics Board (HREB).

All IRF materials should be submitted via email to [email protected] , addressed to Dr. Kathryn Chan, Acting Director. 

The deadline for the 2023/24 Indigenous Research Fellowship (IRF) competition is January 24, 2023. All applications will be reviewed by the CSRS Indigenous Arts and Research Fellowship Committee and decisions will be ratified by the CSRS Program Committee.

Please note: Candidates are responsible for ensuring their applications are complete and submitted by the competition deadlines. As well, fellowship winners from abroad are responsible for additional costs and protocols, including visas, health insurance, etc.

2022/2023 CSRS IARF Guidelines and Application (download from this link)

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Rachel Brown, Program and Research Coordinator ([email protected] or 1-250-721-6695) and Dr. Kathy Chan, Acting Director ([email protected] or 1-250-721-6324).