Presentation from the AHRC Translating Cultures development workshop July 2012

1. Welcome to the
AHRC Translating
Cultures Development
Workshop
Museum of London
July 12th 2012

2. 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

3. 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

4. Background & Introduction to AHRC Themes
&
Translating Cultures
Dr Ian Lyne (Associate Director, AHRC)
Adam Walker (Strategy and Development Manager, AHRC)

5. 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)

6. AHRC Themes
• Science in Culture
• Digital Transformations
• Care for the Future
• Translating Cultures
• Connected Communities
(with other RCs)

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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?

12. 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?

13. 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?

14. 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

15. 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

16. Other Possible Activity
• Highlight notices
• Exploratory / Development awards
• Partnership activity
• International work
• Supplementary projects

17. 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