Call for talks: Doctoral Research in Catalan Studies. Challenges, Questions and Solutions in the UK & Ireland. A Workshop Day for Postgraduate Students

When: Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 5:00 PM -
Where: Queen Mary University of London, in person, Mile End Campus

There is a long Anglophone tradition of research in Catalan Studies, but doctoral study in the field still comes with a unique set of challenges. Is a Phd on a Catalan author, artist or historical period part of Hispanic Studies or does it constitute an independent area of study? Does doctoral study on Catalan mean a student is uniquely isolated? How many specialists can a given British, Irish or North-American university be expected to provide? Is language an inevitable barrier? We welcome talks by postgraduate students and academics covering any aspect of doctoral work in Catalan Studies.

The meeting is not designed for the presentation of research papers, but for the discussion of practical and theoretical issues arising from studying for a Phd in English on a Catalan topic. There will be time to exchange views with fellow students from the UK and Ireland and gain advice from a variety of experienced academics. Possible areas for consideration include:

- Working in isolation or in groups
- Financial assistance
- Linguistic challenges
- Contacts abroad and the UK
- The role of supervisors
- Archives and libraries in the UK, Ireland and Els Països Catalans
- Catalan within Hispanic Studies (help or hindrance)
- Starting to publish research

Rather than formal papers, we welcome talks based on personal experience. All presentations should last between 10 and 20 minutes. We would be delighted to hear from Phd supervisors as well as postgraduates in the field. The main language of communication for the conference will be English, so as to enable the widest possible access in the UK.

We will be offering a number of bursaries to enable speakers to travel to and stay in London for one night free of charge.

Deadline for submission of proposals: 19 April 2024; notification of acceptance: 26 April 2024.

Guidelines for submission of proposals: word count 60-100 words.

For the submission of proposals, inquiries and further information, contact: Professor John London j.london@qmul.ac.uk ; Centre for Catalan Studies, Queen Mary University of London