3 - 6 December 2008

Chancellors, University of Manchester

With generous support from the ESRC's Researcher Development Initiative, 12 funded places will be offered on an intensive residential course.  The course is designed to raise the quality and analytical rigour of doctoral dissertations in economic and social history; improve the communication skills of postgraduates; widen their approach to their subjects; and encourage them to form networks with established scholars and fellow students in their areas of expertise.

The course is open to 12 graduate students who are currently engaged in work on a doctoral thesis on any topic in economic and social history, whether the period be modern, early modern or medieval.  Preference will be given to students who will be in their 2nd or 3rd year of study in November 2008 (FTE); this excludes course work.  The Society expects to recruit five academics (with recognised expertise in the field) to act as tutors on the course.  The academic course leader is Dr Tim Leunig (London School of Economics).  Previous academic participants have included: Professor Jane Humphries (Oxford) and Professor Jim Tomlinson (Dundee).

Each student will:

• present a pre-circulated 3,000-word chapter (drawing on a section of their thesis) to the full group in a 70-minute session;
• provide a one-page synopsis of the thesis setting out how the chapter fits in;
• read other students' papers before the course;
• act as respondent on one paper and provide the author with written comments;
• chair a session.

Apart from the plenary sessions, there will be workshops dealing with research methods. There will also be a number of opportunities for informal discussion between participants as all are expected to be resident for the full duration of the course, i.e. from Wednesday evening to Saturday lunchtime.  Student questionnaires will be circulated at the end of the course for evaluation, reflection and a report to the Economic History Society and the ESRC.

The venue is Chancellors, the residential conference centre of the University of Manchester, Fallowfield, Manchester.

Students are expected to apply to their departments for their travel costs.  Other costs, including all accommodation (in private ensuite rooms) and meals, will be met by the grant provided by the ESRC.

An application form can be downloaded or is available from Maureen Galbraith.

The deadline for applications is: 4 August 2008.

Other important dates:

1 September 2008: notification to candidates of the outcome of their application.

20 October 2008: submission of synopses and papers for circulation.

17 November 2008: receipt of papers.