CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR AN INTERNATIONAL POSTDOCTORAL WORKSHOP ON THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN EAST ASIA

The Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History at Boston College, in collaboration with the Institute of Humanities at Seoul National University, will hold a four-day international workshop in Seoul, South Korea, from November 28 through December 4, 2022. Please note that the working language of the workshop will be English.

All participants will be expected to arrive by Monday, November 28 and depart on Sunday, December 4, 2022. They are required to attend all workshop-related activities and sessions. All participants are required to follow the COVID protocols set forth by airlines, respective governments, and other local institutions before, during and after the workshop.

The Ricci Institute relocated from University of San Francisco to Boston College in late 2021. We are inviting post-doctoral level scholars and junior faculty members whose research focuses on Christianity in East Asia and who are currently preparing a book manuscript for publication to apply. This workshop is part of a four-year project supported by the Henry Luce Foundation in New York City. The project is entitled, “Historical Legacies of Christianity in East Asia: Bridging a New Generation of Scholars and Scholarship” and is administered by the Ricci Institute. For more information about the various initiatives that are part of the project, please visit: http://www.ricci-institute.org/. For information about previous workshops, please visit the above website as well as: http://www.facebook.com/bcricci.

The workshop has three primary components.

[1] First, through a series of lectures and seminars by senior scholars from Seoul National University and other universities, participants will have the opportunity to confer with specialists from around the world regarding the interpretation of complex primary source materials, including manuscripts and early printed books from different historical periods composed in a variety of East Asian and Western languages (e.g. classical Chinese, classical Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, etc...). Another primary focus of the workshop will be reflecting on research methodologies and historiographies, how they developed, and the ways in which they were expressed through different scholarly traditions. The training offered will be further enhanced by visits to local archives and museums with specialized collections pertinent to the history of Christianity in East Asia, as well as to important Christian historical sites in Seoul.

[2] Secondly, participants will have the opportunity to interact with a Senior Acquisitions Editor from Brill Academic Publishers in Leiden, The Netherlands, and with other scholars regarding the entire editorial and publication process of a scholarly monograph (with any major academic press).

[3] Thirdly, participants will be personally mentored by invited senior scholars who are well known internationally for their contributions to the study of Christianity in East Asia. These scholars will critique and discuss the participants’ draft manuscripts in view of their preparation for publication. This will take place in an open forum together with fellow participants. Participants will be required to submit their manuscripts well ahead of time, so that the scholars will have sufficient time to read them carefully.

Qualifications. Applicants must have completed their doctoral studies and dissertation defense in order to be eligible to participate in the workshop.Post-doctoral candidates must have completed their doctoral degrees within the past five years and have been involved actively in teaching and/or research (as a post-doctoral fellow, an independent scholar, or a junior faculty member).

Requirements.
(1) a most recent Curriculum Vitae;
(2) an 8~10-page double-spaced statement in English that summarizes the manuscript (also in English) the candidate is currently preparing to submit for publication.  The theme of the manuscript should be related to some aspect of the history of Christianity in East Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. This can be either in the Catholic or Protestant tradition (16^th-early 20^th centuries) and may focus on one or more aspect from a wide range of historical topics (e.g. the history of philosophy, theology, science, missionary translation, art, architecture, music, local Christian community life and culture, etc…).

This statement should include a synopsis of the manuscript, a detailed description of the research methodology employed, plans for additional research and writing to complete the project (if any), and a proposed timeline for the submission of the manuscript to a publisher.

(3) two up-to-date letters of recommendation (preferably from senior scholars familiar with the candidate’s work).

Expenses. The Ricci Institute will cover the following expenses for all successful applicants:

(1) Transportation: return economy airfare from your city/country of residence as well as local public transportation to and from Incheon International Airport/Gimpo International Airport to the hotel reserved for the workshop participants;

(2) Lodging in Seoul from November 28 until the morning of December 4, 2022, including most meals during the workshop (Note: lodging will be pre-arranged by the workshop organizers).

All authorized expenses will be paid as a reimbursement on presentation of official receipts, in compliance with the travel policies of Boston College and the terms stipulated by the Henry Luce Foundation.

Incidental expenses of a personal nature (e.g. travel insurance, phone/SIM card, data purchase, and other incidentals, etc.) are not reimbursable.

Medical Insurance

Please note that all participants are responsible to arrange their own valid medical insurance for the duration of their stay in South Korea.

Visa

If you are required to apply for a visa to enter South Korea, please contact the local South Korean Consulate for more information on the documentation you will be expected to provide. To support your visa application, the Institute of Humanities at the Seoul National University will be able to issue successful applicants with an official invitation to participate in the workshop. For more information see:https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/TRV/TV_ENG_1_COVID.jsp
and the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://www.mofa.go.kr/eng/brd/m_22742/list.do

Deadline

All required documents should be in English and submitted via email no later than August 15, 2022 to Dr. Xiaoxin Wu at: xiaoxin.wu.2@bc.edu with the subject line: “2022 Seoul Workshop Application”. Letters from the recommenders must be sent directly to the above email address by the same deadline. The preferred formats for the letter attachments are PDF or MS-WORD. Inquiries regarding the application and the workshop should also be sent to the above email address.

Application results will be announced by September 2, 2022.

For more information about the Ricci Institute at Boston College, please visit: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/centers/Ricci-Institute.html or visit our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/bcricci