REMINDER- HESP Seminar: Nationhood and Narrative in C. Asia - Deadline June 5


HESP Regional Seminar for Excellence in Teaching
Nationhood and Narrative in Central Asia: History, Context, Critique

Final Call for Applications

The Department of Cultural Studies at Arabaev Kyrgyz State University and
the Foundation 'Education Initiatives Support' invite applications for
participation in the three-year academic program, Nationhood and Narrative
in Central Asia: History, Context, Critique, beginning in the summer of
2006.

Application deadline: June 5, 2006

Project Description

In recent years, the study of national identity, the regulation of
inter-ethnic relations, and the re-examination of national and regional
histories have taken on greater significance in University curricula and
teaching throughout Central Asia. However, opportunities for University
teachers critically to examine concepts of nationhood, ethnicity and
identity in their comparative and historical contexts are often limited.

The aim of the three year academic project, Nationhood and Narrative in
Central Asia: History, Context, Critique, is to support young teachers from
Central Asia in developing and implementing university courses pertaining,
broadly, to the study of nations and national histories, narrative and
identity, and ethnicity and ethnic relations. It will examine the ways in
which these concepts have been theorised in different academic and
institutional traditions, and the ways that these shape the diversity of
approaches to the study of nationhood that are found today.  By drawing on
the historiography of modern Central Asia and theoretical studies of
narrative and discourse, it will ask how we come to know about nations and
their pasts, and will promote innovative approaches to teaching about them
in university curricula.

The project is structured so as to facilitate this exploration in increasing
depth through a series of summer schools and inter-session activities over
the course of three years.  In the first year of the project, topics to be
explored include an examination of concepts of nation in Soviet, Western and
Jadid thought; the relationship between local and national identities; ideas
of narrative and identity, and the teaching of national and regional
histories in Central Asia.   Faculty members are researchers and university
teachers from Central Asia, Russia, Europe and North America who, from a
variety of disciplinary perspectives, have engaged these questions in their
own teaching and research.

Project activities:

The project involves three annual summer schools, a seminar series during
the academic year, an annual inter-session workshop in Bishkek, on-line
discussion and mentoring.

The first summer school will take place at Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan, July
17th - August 6th 2006.

All the costs related to the ReSET project, including travel expenses,
accommodation, meals and educational materials for selected applicants will
be covered by the Program.

Participating faculty and project direction:

- Sergei Abashin, Candidate of Science, Institute of Ethnology and
  Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences
- Evgenii Abdullaev, Candidate of Science, National University of
  Uzbekistan, Tashkent
- Gulnara Aitpaeva, Doctor of Science, Aigine Cultural Research Centre,
  Bishkek
- Nina Bagdasarova, Candidate of Science, Invisible College, Bishkek
  (Project Manager)
- Adrienne Edgar, PhD, Department of History, University of California,
  Santa Barbara
- Adeeb Khalid, PhD, Department of History, Carleton College
- Serguei Oushakine, PhD, Department of Slavic Literature and Languages,
  Princeton University
- Madeleine Reeves, MPhil, Department of Social Anthropology, University of
  Cambridge (Co-director)
- Cholpon Turdalieva, Candidate of Science, Department of Cultural Studies,
  Arabaev Kyrgyz State University (Co-director)
- Tatiana Zhurzhenko, Candidate of Science, Department of Philosophy,
  Kharkiv National University

Eligibility:

- Applicants must be academics, preferably under the age of 40, currently
  teaching at institutions of higher education in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
  Tajikistan, Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan
- Applicants should be currently teaching, or planning to teach, university
  course(s) in the social sciences or humanities addressing issues of
  nationality, ethnicity, identity, narrative or national history.
- The working language of the project is Russian.  Applicants should have
  sufficient command of Russian to read academic texts and participate in
  seminar discussions.  Reading ability in English is highly advantageous.
- Only those applicants able to commit to involvement in the project for
  the three-year duration will be considered.
- Individuals are not permitted to participate in more than one ReSET
  program in any one year.
- Since one of the goals of the project is to establish a network of
  academics able to develop the project ideas after completion, we
  particularly welcome the participation of more than one academic from any
  given department or faculty.

Application procedure:

Applications for the ReSET project, 'Nationhood and Narrative in Central
Asia: History, Context, Critique' must be completed in either Russian or
English and sent electronically to arrive no later than Monday, 5th June
2006 to nationhood.narrative@googlemail.com.  Applications received after
the deadline will not be considered.

Decisions on selected participants will be made by June 19th 2006

The application package should contain the following material:

1- Completed application form (attached)
2- CV, including current position, educational record, list of courses
  taught, publications, research interests and language abilities
3- Statement of purpose (max. 1000 words) indicating the relevance of the
  project to your own teaching and research and what you hope to achieve
  from participation in the project
4- Brief syllabus for one of the courses you are currently teaching
5- Letter of endorsement from the head of your department or institution
  (with full contact details), assessing your status within the faculty and
  indicating their willingness for you to participate in the program.  If
  several people are applying from one department, it is advantageous to
  include a copy of the departmental curriculum, with an indication of the
  ways in which participation in the project would benefit the department's
  development.

Contact details:

Please direct all correspondence concerning the project to the following
address:

Nina Bagdasarova
Nationhood and Narrative Project
11, Suvanberdieva Street
720005
Bishkek
Kyrgyz Republic

Tel: (+ 996 312) 511-666 or 510-047

For further information and correspondence regarding the project, please
contact Nina Bagdasarova or Madeleine Reeves in Russian or English.
Administrative questions should be addressed to the project assistant,
Zarina Derbisheva.

nineczka@mail.ru (Nina Bagdasarova)
madeleinereeves@gmail.com (Madeleine Reeves)
office@sfe.kyrnet.kg (Zarina Derbisheva)

HESP Regional Seminar for Excellence in Teaching
Nationhood and Narrative in Central Asia: History, Context, Critique

Application Form:

Name and Surname
Date of Birth
Gender
Citizenship
University/institute
Faculty and Department
Academic position

Work address
Work telephone (including country and area codes)
Home address
Home telephone (including country and area codes)
Email address

Do you need a visa to enter Kyrgyzstan?  If YES, please enter full passport
details for visa invitation purposes

Are you able to participate in the first project summer school, from July
17th - August 6th 2006?

Are you able to participate in the project until its completion in 2009?