Call for Small Research Grants - Women and World War II in Soviet Azerbaijan

The Heinrich Boell Foundation Tbilisi Office – South Caucasus Region announces a call for small research grants for students, young researchers, gender specialists, historians and anthropologists from Azerbaijan. Within the framework of the research grants, each recipient has to prepare one academic article (length: 15-18 pages) which will analyze the role of women during and after World War II in Soviet Azerbaijan. The deadline for submitting the applications is January 24, 2020. After the selection process, one or two candidates will be chosen.

Maria Stepanova, from Azerbaijan is browsing her old photos in the album

The academic articles can be about the following topics:

  • The intersection between gender, nationality, and propaganda: what role were given to women during and after the World War II?
  • WWII and women in Soviet army;
  • Sexual violence in the WWII;
  • Women’s strategies for survival and overcoming traumas;
  • Women and deportations during war-time;
  • Female images/representation in different types of art (e.g. placards, movies, paintings) during the WWII;
  • Gender, war-time correspondence and private archives;
  • War-time press covering women’s issues;
  • Gendered experiences and memories of those people who were children during WWII;
  • Women’s work-force in industries and agriculture during WWII;
  • Women’s emancipation practices/stories during the WWII and afterwards.

Young scientists, researchers, historians, gender specialists, anthropologists and students who are studying on the MA and PhD level, as well as those who have already finished their MA and Ph.D. studies, in the fields of humanities and social sciences can submit their applications. The interested individuals can send their CV (together with the list of publications), motivation letter and the research proposal (2-3 pages) which should include the literature review and overview of the research methods that will be used within the framework of the research grant. The applications should be in the English language and sent till January 24 to the following e-mail: info@ge.boell.org.

There will be two steps of the selection process: a review of applications and oral (skype) interviews (February 5-6, 2020). Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for Skype interviews.

While conducting the research, the mentor – Sevil Huseynova, social anthropologist, will advise the applicants. The deadline for submitting the final version of the article (English and Azerbaijanian versions) – July 25, 2020. The selected applicants will also have the possibility to participate in a round-table discussion on the role of women during and after World War II in Soviet Azerbaijan in September. The amount of the research grant is 500 EURO gross.

The author of the best article will have the opportunity to attend the European History Forum in Berlin on May 18-19. Once a year, the Heinrich Boell Foundation organizes the European History Forum in Berlin, which gathers historians, politicians, social scientists and civil society actors from Eastern, Central and Western Europe at an international conference in order to strengthen the critical thinking about memory politics and debate on Europe’s recent history. The 9th European History Forum will be dedicated to the Women and memories during and after World War II in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. After attending the Forum, the author has to submit the report of the Forum till June 30 which is planned to be published afterwards.