Research Grants

Research Grants

ISHR awards six research grants annually. ISHR research grants support individuals engaged in advanced research related to the theory and practice of rhetoric in all periods and languages and the relationship of rhetoric to poetics, literary theory and criticism, philosophy, politics, religion, law, and other aspects of the socio-cultural context. Grants may not be used for research designed to further pedagogy in rhetorical speaking and writing.

Grants are designed to support research projects that may be completed within one year. Grants are for US$5000 (or the equivalent) and are delivered to recipients before mid-May. Grant recipients are expected to work full time on award projects for at least two months during the award year.

To encourage early-career membership, ISHR will seek to award one of its annual grants to a promising graduate student and/or post-doc.

The next deadline for applications will be 1 March 2025.

Eligibility

Independent scholars, graduate students, post-docs, and faculty at colleges and universities are eligible to apply provided they are: 1) members of ISHR in good standing at the time of their application (current officers of ISHR are ineligible); 2) within 10 years of having completed their terminal academic degrees.

An individual may submit only one application for a research grant in a given year. Also, recipients of ISHR grants are not eligible to apply again for the subsequent three years (e.g., a successful applicant in the 2021 grants competition is eligible to apply again in the 2025 competition).

Recipients of ISHR research grants may hold non-ISHR fellowships, grants, or other awards that support the same project during their award year, including sabbaticals and grants from their own institutions.

Application Preparation

After submitting the application form below, please send the other required items to grants@ishr-web.org as email attachments in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Latin, in Word.docx, Word.doc, rtf, txt, or pdf, using no smaller than 11-point type and margins of one inch (or 2.5 centimeters). Applications that are incomplete or which exceed page limits for individual elements will not be reviewed.

Complete applications consist of five elements:

  1. Application Form ( CLICK HERE to view the form, which does not open until January).
  2. Project Description (no more than three single-spaced pages—A4 or US Letter). The applicant should furnish a scholarly justification for the research proposed for support, explaining its purpose and significance, the materials to be investigated, the approach to be followed, the plan of work, and the expected outcome. If the research project proposed is part of a larger initiative, its relationship to the larger initiative should be specified. The applicant should indicate their level of competence in the languages or other research tools at stake in the research. Also, where relevant, the applicant should indicate what arrangements exist for their access to research materials and resources essential to the research proposed for support. Finally, the applicant should indicate how they plan to disseminate the results of the research (including the language(s) of dissemination).
  3. Research Bibliography (no more than one single-spaced page—A4 or US Letter). Primary and secondary sources germane to the project should be listed. Applicants may use the research bibliography to document works cited in the project description.
  4. Curriculum vitae (no more than two single-spaced pages—A4 or US Letter). The applicant's curriculum vitae should specify earned degrees, current and past academic appointments, and awards and honors. It should also list publications and presentations (full citations), and other professional accomplishments pertinent to the application.
  5. Two Reference Letters (submitted by email to ISHR—in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Latin—no later than 1 March). Applicants should secure referees and supply them with relevant materials. Reference letters should comment on the research project proposed for support and the applicant's qualification to undertake that research project. Reference letters should be sent as emails to the following address: grants@ishr-web.org. The subject line of the email should contain the word 'Reference' followed by the applicant's surname.

Application Review

The ISHR Grants Committee reviews applications for research grants using the following criteria: scholarly significance of the research, quality of the project description, promise of quality of the proposed research, and likelihood of project completion and dissemination of results. Deliberations of the ISHR Grants Committee are confidential and its decisions are final.

Announcement of Awards

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their applications in mid-April.

Award Reporting Requirement

Within 180 days of the conclusion of the award year, research grant recipients must briefly inform the ISHR Grants Committee, grants@ishr-web.org, of the results of research undertaken with Society support. Reports should fit on one single-spaced page and comment upon the research activities undertaken and how such activities have changed the recipient's understanding or approach to the subject matter.