RESEARCH NETWORK DEDICATED

TO THE HISTORY OF THE MONASTIC ECONOMY

GRANTING OF RESEARCH ALLOWANCES

The Center for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS) (www.cas,bg) and the Center for Governance and Culture
in Europe (GCE) at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in the University of St. Gallen
(www.gce.unisg.ch) have established a NETWORK of scholars from Southeastern and Western
Europe devoted to the history of monastic economy. The goal of the NETWORK is to nurture research
in this field in a comparative perspective and in view of the longue durée relevance of the monastic
tradition for economic culture. The NETWORK supports the creation of a scholarly community by
fostering intellectual debates, facilitating contacts and mobility, and bringing together academics from
different thematic and institutional backgrounds. Its first workshop was organized and hosted by CAS
on November 10-12, 2017.

This Call is addressed to candidates willing to join the NETWORK. Part of its budget (2017-2019) is
allocated to the granting on a competitive basis of RESEARCH ALLOWANCES.
Research tools eligible for funding include:
 Single (up to one month) or multiple (totaling up to one month) research stays abroad or in the
home country (including travel costs, accommodation, per-diem)
 Organization of small seminars
 Invitation of eminent scholars in the field for guest lectures
 Handling of archival materials, images and databases
 Monastic case studies (research visits to specific monasteries; interviews…)
 Conference/Workshop attendance (participation fees; travel costs…)
 Other (proposed by the applicant)
Publication costs are not eligible.

The relevant areas of research include, but are not limited to, topics such as: Economic activities of the
monasteries; Monastic economy and market (capitalist) rationality; Relations with the State (including
confiscations of monastic assets); Flow of financial funds in the monastic economy; Wealth
management; Governance; Economy of the Holy Mountain (Mt. Athos) and other monastic sanctuaries.
The time frame covers medieval, pre-modern and modern history as well as current trends in a longue
durée historical perspective. The geographical coverage comprises the Orthodox realm in South-
Eastern Europe (Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, FYRO Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia,
the institution of the Constantinople Patriarchate) and the Catholic/Protestant domain in the Western
Balkans (Croatia, Slovenia) and Western Europe.

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Candidates soliciting support may apply for particular tool(s) which is/are explicitly related to a broader
project or an already structured academic initiative in the field of monastic economy. The application in
English should contain an estimation of the costs and a working plan. Single project’s funding cannot
exceed 3 000 euro per year.1 Continuation of funding is possible pending a new application.

The selection procedure, to be organized by CAS, includes anonymous reviews by two senior scholars
invited by the Centre and a member of CAS’ academic staff. It is based on three core criteria: scientific
excellence; relevance of the proposal; qualification of the candidate. The appropriateness of the budget
is also evaluated.

There are no deadlines for the submission of applications. The consecutive evaluation sessions start:
February 1, 2018; July 1, 2018; January 1, 2019; July 1, 2019. The selected projects are announced
within a month.

The spending of the Research allowances is subject to strict accountability. Upon approval of the
application, the grantee signs a contract with CAS. He/She is liable to present a report about his/her
research activities (in English or in French) including, as well, the original documents testifying the
incurred expenses. The support received from the NETWORK should be mentioned in the relevant
publications.

Academic coordinator of the NETWORK: For contacts:

Associate Professor Roumen Avramov Dimiter Dimov

Permanent Fellow Centre for Advanced Study Sofia
Centre for Advanced Study Sofia dimov@cas.bg

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The annual funding allocated to Research allowances amounts to 10 000 euros.
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 APPLICATION FORM
for Research Allowances

1. Name:

2. Citizenship(s):

3. Date and place of birth:

4. Affiliation:

5. Mailing address:

6. E-mail:

7. Tel. (with country and local area codes):

8. Education (in reverse chronological order; including PhD)

Institution and location Major field of study Dates of Name of degree or Date received/
attendance diploma (in original Expected
(month and language and English
year) translation)
From To

9. Short CV (attached separately)

10. Research fields (completed and ongoing):

11. Knowledge of languages (Rate yourself Excellent, Good or Fair):

LANGUAGE READING WRITING SPEAKING

12. List of publications (If necessary, give also English translations.)

13. Title of the project:

14. Outline of the research tools to be funded, presented in the conceptual context of the project (up to
1 500 words):

15. Prospective dates and work plan:

16. Draft budget for the proposed Research allowances (by items):