AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award at the British Library and UCL
Title: Literary Translation: Genre, Process and Collaboration. The Work of Michael Meyer
Vacancy Information
UCL Department / Division: School of European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS)
Duration of Studentship: 3 years full-time (or part-time equivalent)
Stipend: £15,726 per annum including London allowance. Additionally the British Library will provide up to £1000 per annum to cover travel and related research costs.
A fully-funded three-year PhD studentship awarded by the AHRC as part of its Collaborative Doctoral Partnership scheme is available. The student will be supervised by a member of staff from the British Library’s curatorial team and by Dr Judith Beniston and Dr Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen in the School of European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS) at University College London (UCL). The studentship will commence on 1 October 2013 (a later start date may be negotiable in exceptional circumstances).
Studentship Description
Literary Translation: Genre, Process and Collaboration. The Work of Michael Meyer
This project, which spans the fields of Scandinavian Literature, Theatre Studies and Translation Studies, focuses on the Archive of Michael Meyer. Meyer (1921-2000) was a playwright and translator, particularly acclaimed for his translations of the work of Henrik Ibsen, through which he is credited with establishing Ibsen as a master in the English-speaking world and, more generally, with raising the standards of modern literary translation. Focusing primarily on Meyer’s engagement with Ibsen, the thesis will examine questions prompted by the process of translation, the complex collaborative nature of translating for the theatre, developments in the history of translation theory and practice, and questions of cultural reception.
The Michael Meyer Archive is a recent major acquisition at the British Library. Material relevant to this project includes drafts and proofs of Meyer’s translations of Ibsen, Strindberg and other Scandinavian writers; drafts of books, plays, talks and articles; theatre programmes and press cuttings; Meyer’s correspondence with his agent, and with publishers and theatre companies; correspondence with major literary and theatrical figures. Materials in the Archive are predominantly in English.
The
project includes making the collection available to users through cataloguing,
dealing with outside enquiries about the archive and promoting engagement
through associated publicity. During the three years of the award, the
postholder will be expected to spend the equivalent of at least six months
working on the Meyer archive at the British Library. Training and
support in cataloguing, in public engagement work, and in developing relevant Norwegian language
skills and research methodologies will be provided, according to the student’s
areas of expertise.
As is the norm with PhDs in the Humanities, the student appointed will shape the project’s focus, historical parameters and methodologies, under the guidance of the supervisors, according to the student’s disciplinary expertise, and within the remit set by the funder.
Research Environment
The British Library is one of the world’s leading research libraries and holds over 150 million items within its collections. The English and Drama Department collections comprise manuscripts and archives relating to major British writers across poetry, prose and drama, as well as corporate archives (such as those of publishers and literary agents), printed literary sources and drama and literature recordings. In recent years the Library has developed a very strong reputation in the field of literary translation and enjoys excellent relations with the British Centre for Literary Translation, with the Translators Association, the European Commission Translation Office in the UK, as well as with academics in the field of translation studies, professional translators and publishers. Recent and forthcoming events include a conference on Literary Translators (2011) and a seminar on creative writing and translation (May 2014), organised in collaboration with the Open University.
The English and Drama Department currently hosts a number of postgraduate collaborative doctoral students working subjects ranging from the Royal Literary Fund and World War I to the future of letter-writing. In addition the Library has set up a forum for collaborative doctoral students working across the organisation. Its first public event was recently held to promote further engagement with curators and other Library staff, and to provide a framework for peer support. The successful candidate will be encouraged to join this supportive research community at the British Library.
The successful candidate will also become part of a thriving and dynamic postgraduate research community within the Department of Scandinavian Studies, the graduate programme in Translation Studies, and the Centre for Intercultural Studies at UCL. In particular, the holder of this new studentship will work closely with doctoral students engaged in externally-funded UCL Impact PhD projects in Swedish-English and Danish-English translation, who also have a public engagement remit. The UCL Library is home to an outstanding Scandinavian collection, and there are regular opportunities to participate in research seminars and symposia in Scandinavian literature, culture and translation, as well as public engagement events.
Person Specification
Essential criteria:
- A First or an Upper Second Class degree, or equivalent, in a discipline relevant to the research project
- Excellent standard of written and spoken English
- Substantial interest in archival research
- Willingness to participate actively in the broader intellectual communities of UCL and the British Library
Desirable criteria:
- A Masters-level qualification in a discipline relevant to the research project
- Up-to-date knowledge of the British theatre scene and translation industry
- A working knowledge of a Scandinavian language
- Experience of event organization and/or publicity work
- Experience of arranging and cataloguing archival collections and an awareness of issues relating to contemporary archives
- Experience of maintaining websites, blogs, or other social networking platforms
Eligibility
Due to funding restrictions this
position is only open to UK/EU citizens. Non-UK citizens may find it helpful to consult the AHRC's Student Funding Guide, which explains which categories of non-UK citizens may be eligible for the maintenance award (stipend).
How to apply
Applications should be emailed by 5pm on Friday 5 July 2013 to Ms Karin Charles (k.charles@ucl.ac.uk). Applicants should supply the following documents in Word or pdf format as email attachments:
1. A covering letter outlining the applicant’s suitability for the studentship
2. A research proposal detailing how the applicant would approach the PhD project, within the parameters outlined under ‘Studentship description’, above (maximum 2 pages A4)
3. A curriculum vitae
4. The names and contact details of three referees, at least two of whom must be academic referees
Incomplete applications, and applications from candidates who do not meet the essential criteria indicated in the Person Specification, will not be considered.
Informal enquiries are welcome, and may be addressed to Dr Judith Beniston (email j.beniston@ucl.ac.uk) or Dr Claire Thomson (email claire.thomson@ucl.ac.uk).
Deadlines
Closing date for applications: 5pm on Friday 5 July 2013
Interview date: It is expected that interviews will be held in the week beginning 15 July 2013.
Studentship Start Date: 1 October 2013
Contact names
Dr Judith Beniston | Department of German | tel: +44 (0)20 7679 3099 | email: j.beniston@ucl.ac.uk
Dr Claire Thomson | Department of Scandinavian Studies | tel: +44 (0)20 7679 7176 | email: claire.thomson@ucl.ac.uk
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