Translating Cultures Theme – Dr Ian Lyne and Adam Walker, AHRC

Welcome to the

AHRC Translating Cultures Development

Workshop

Museum of London

July 12th 2012

Timetable for the day Morning Session, 10:30 – 12:15: Background and Context

1) Welcome & introduction from the Chair: Professor Catherine Davies

2) Background & introduction to AHRC themes & Translating Cultures:

Dr Ian Lyne & Adam Walker (AHRC)

3) Keynote Address: ‘Ignorance is Darker than the Night’

Professor Graham Furniss

4) Welcome & thoughts from the Translating Cultures Leadership Fellow:

Professor Charles Forsdick

5) Translating Cultures: Policy & Partnerships Perspective,

Dr Abby Day

6) Questions

Timetable for the day Lunch & Networking, 12:15 – 13:15

Afternoon Session, 13:30 – 16:00: Exploring the theme

1) Welcome back & plans for the afternoon sessions

2) Breakout sessions

3) Feedback & panel session with Translating Cultures Advisory

Group

4) Next steps, summing up & final questions

5) End & networking

Background & Introduction to AHRC Themes &

Translating Cultures

Dr Ian Lyne (Associate Director, AHRC)

Adam Walker (Strategy and Development Manager, AHRC)

AHRC Themes: Background

• ‘Future Directions’ consultation with

researchers (Feb-May 2009)

• Further consultation with key partners

& Subject Associations & via HEI visits

• Themes shaped and refined by Theme

Advisory Groups (on-going process)

• Science in Culture

• Digital Transformations

• Care for the Future

• Translating Cultures

• Connected Communities(with other RCs)

AHRC Themes

Why Themes?

• Identifying high level issues that demand responses beyond individual disciplines

• Giving focus, but with flexibility, to enable research-generated connective concepts and ideas to emerge

• To foster research diversity, richness and coherence around important contemporary issues

• To help form collaborative partnerships beyond academia in a more coordinated way

• To strengthen research communities and capacity

What do we want Themes to achieve?

• To support the development of research capabilities in emerging research areas

• To support high quality cutting edge research, creativity, innovation and intellectual leadership

• To stimulate boundary-crossing collaborations and partnerships

• To develop new pathways and narratives for the impact of arts and humanities research

Ongoing support for Themes: 2012-15 and beyond

• Themes represent a long-term investment in the intellectual landscape - in this Delivery Plan and beyond

• Themes are diverse in nature - different funding and support patterns appropriate over future years

• Theme-relevant proposals are welcomed in all AHRC funding schemes – the Themes can help link up and build on proposals

• The Theme Leadership Fellow and Advisory Group will play a key role in helping to shape and unify the rich diversity of research questions encompassed by a Theme

Translating Cultures• Need for understanding & communication across diverse cultures

• Role of ‘translation’, in its broadest sense, in transmission & sharing of

languages, values, beliefs, histories & narratives

• Addressing issues including: cultural exchange & diplomacy,

multiculturalism, tolerance, identities & migration, youth / on-line

language & identity

• Promoting work across languages, disciplines & sectors

Strategic Question 1

How can research into languages and cultures anywhere

in the world and at any time:

Contribute effectively to key public policy concerns such as

security, economic growth, migration and the environment

by informing the work of policy makers and public, private &

third sector organisations?

Strategic Question 2

How can research into languages and cultures anywhere

in the world and at any time:

Develop our understanding of issues and interactions such

as youth culture, popular culture, inter-generational relations

and diasporic culture and of written, oral and performing

cultures, both from a historical perspective and in the more

contemporary context of digital media and communications?

Strategic Question 3

How can research into languages and cultures anywhere

in the world and at any time:

Help to develop knowledge and understanding of the process and nature of translation and interpretation across cultures, dialects and sectors?

Activity to Date • Appointment of Advisory Group

• Appointment of theme Fellow

• Highlight notices in Networking & Fellowships: 22 and 29 awards made

• Research Development call:

– 30k FEC, 6 months

– Networking / collaborative activity – 2 ROs, 1 non-RO

– Responding to 1 of the strategic questions

Theme Large Grants • £1m - £2m fec, up to 5 years, 2 – 4 awards

• Timetable:

– Autumn 2012: call for outline proposals

– Jan 2013: closing date for outline proposals

– Late March 2013: notification of outcomes

– May 2013: deadline for full proposals

– August 2013: outcomes announced

– Oct 2013 – April 2014: project commencement

• Nature of large grants

– Ambitious, transformative projects

– Collaborative: across institutions, disciplines, sectors & internationally

– Building research capabilities

Other Possible Activity

• Highlight notices

• Exploratory / Development awards

• Partnership activity

• International work

• Supplementary projects

Timetable for the day Morning Session, 10:30 – 12:15: Background and Context

1) Welcome & introduction: Professor Catherine Davies

2) Background & introduction to AHRC themes & Translating Cultures: Dr

Ian Lyne & Adam Walker

3) Keynote Address: ‘Ignorance is Darker than the Night’ Professor

Graham Furniss

4) Welcome & thoughts from the Translating Cultures Leadership Fellow:

Professor Charles Forsdick

5) Translating Cultures: Policy & Partnerships Perspective: Dr Abby Day

6) Questions