Targeted Research Areas Grants

Deadline: March 15, 2012

Purpose: This grant of up to $4000 total per annum (which may be split among more than one award) is intended to support specific projects by scholars working in areas important to ASTR's mission that are currently under-represented in its various activities. Such areas include, but are not limited to, the following: pre-1900 research and Asian, African, Latin American, and Middle Eastern theatre, dance, and performance. Translations of important theatre documents, including plays, will also be considered. This award is not intended to support curriculum development. Recipients are encouraged to submit their resulting work, if appropriate, to Theatre Survey and to liaise with the editors as the project develops.

Eligibility: Any independent, tenured, or untenured scholar who is currently a member of ASTR and holds a terminal degree, or any graduate student who is applying in support of a project that is not directly related to her/his dissertation. Rank and institutional affiliation are not considered. Applicants may not apply for a Targeted Research Area Grant and for a Research Fellowship for the same project in the same year.

Application: A complete application consists of:

• an abstract of 150 words;
• a 500-word description of the proposed project, outlining its nature, a research strategy, the current status of the project, and a rationale for the project in terms of its contribution to a specific targeted research area (this rationale should include an articulation of why the applicant feels his or her area of research is under-represented);
• a statement describing how the grant will be used and how the grant will help the project;
• a curriculum vitae, including information on academic training and foreign languages relevant to the area of research; and
• three letters of recommendation, at least one of which must come from a member of ASTR.

Send complete applications by e-mail to E.J. Westlake (chair) at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  All materials should be submitted electronically. Applications should be attached in Word format. Support letters may be e-mailed as attachments or may be included in the body of the message. Applicants are responsible for seeing that letters of recommendation are sent by the deadline.

Evaluation: Applications will be assessed by a committee consisting of E.J. Westlake (chair), Lisa Freeman, and Shane Vogel. Committee members will consider the merit of the project within the field of theatre/dance/performance studies and of the individual scholar's academic research endeavors.

Deadline: Applications must be received by March 15, 2012.

Notfication: All applicants will be informed by May 1, 2012.