Dynamics of the Memory - The Netherlands in the Second World War

The research programme Dynamics of the Memory - The Netherlands in the Second World War is an independent research line within the NWO thematic programme Cultural Dynamics.

The programme addresses the question as to how the memory of the Second World War has developed and shall possibly develop and which position material and immaterial remains should have within this. The programme is a joint-venture between NWO Division for the Humanities and the following institutes and funds: Kamp Westerbork, the Gevangenismuseum (Prison Museum), the Jewish Historical Museum, Kamp Amersfoort, Kamp Vught, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (War Victims and Memories Unit), the Ministry of Justice (National Agency of Correctional Institutions), the Mondriaan (Research) Foundation, SNS Reaal Fonds, the Province of North Brabant and the Rothschild Foundation Europe.

A total of six research projects have been formulated for which proposals can be submitted (see under What can be applied for).

Who can apply

Proposals can be submitted by senior researchers employed at Dutch institutions for scientific education and research and senior researchers at an institute recognised by NWO.

What can be applied for

Only applications that elaborate one of the research projects stated below can be submitted:

1. Memory and revival: the Jewish community in the Netherlands 1945-2010 (initiative Jewish Historical Museum)
2. The future of the war heritage (initiative Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport)
3. The Hollandsche Schouwburg (initiative Jewish Historical Museum)
4. Places of terror: an international study about museumification, authenticity and enscening (initiative Kamp Westerbork and Kamp Vught)
5. Imprisoned during the German occupation (initiative National Prison Museum and Ministry of Justice, National Agency of Correctional Institutions)
6. The Dutch camps as disputable places (initiative Kamp Vught, Kamp Westerbork and Kamp Amersfoort)

The description of the research projects in the call for proposals (Section 3.2) is binding for writing the proposals. The descriptions of the projects state whether the project is for postdocs and/or PhDs, the size of the budget and the duration of the appointment.

When can be applied

Closing date for the submission of proposals was 15 September 2009, 12.00 hours CET.

Extra Information

The call is solely for full proposals. After the deadline the proposals can no longer be improved or expanded.

Criteria

The proposals should elaborate on one of the formulated research projects as described in Section 3.2 of the call for proposals.

The absolute assessment criteria for the proposals are:

Scientific quality:

• clarity of the research question
• suitability of the approach/methodology
• feasibility of the research proposal, including quality of the research group, the infrastructure and the work plan

Relevance:

• social and cultural relevance
• knowledge dissemination

For the relative assessment the degree to which the proposal provides a convincing elaboration of the research projects, as described in Section 3.2 of the call for proposals, plays an important role.

Procedure

Only proposals that provide an elaboration of one of the 6 research projects, as described in Section 3.2 of the call for proposals may be submitted.

The proposals shall be assessed by an independent evaluation committee. The evaluation committee shall give the submitters of the proposals the opportunity to respond to the provisional assessment. The evaluation committee shall prioritise the proposals according to their likelihood of being funded, based on the quality of the submissions and any written response received. The starting point for this is the extent to which the proposal provides a convincing elaboration of the research projects as described in Section 3.2.

The evaluation committee shall issue a recommendation to the Cultural Dynamics theme committee, who shall be responsible for the final decision.

After the grants have been awarded, a supervisory committee shall be appointed for each project whose members shall include the initiators of the project concerned.

Committees

The membership of the evaluation committee shall be announced at a later stage.

The membership of the Cultural Dynamics programme committee is stated on the website of the programme www.nwo.nl/cultureledynamiek (in Dutch).

Budget

A total sum of € 1,105,385 is available for 6 projects.

Financiers

NWO Division for the Humanities 

Contacts

• Mw. dr. E.O. Gerritsen
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 08 21, e-mail: e.gerritsen@nwo.nl