Mentorship

One of the primary challenges faced by students and scholars of colour pursuing work in early modern cultural and historical studies in the UK is the lack of access to inclusive support systems and knowledge bases that are necessary for navigating academic and professional life.

The EMSoC Mentoring Scheme in partnership with the Society for Renaissance Studies is one way that the network hopes to address this challenge. We are now inviting applications from graduate students and scholars at various career levels to join the second phase of our scheme as either a ‘Mentee’ or a ‘Mentor’. The mentoring scheme will continue to foster productive relationships that will see scholars of diverse backgrounds receiving the necessary guidance and care that will allow them to thrive in their research work. It is our hope that the EMSoC and SRS Mentoring Scheme will help to ensure that Early Modern studies and related disciplines in the UK will retain scholars of colours and from underrepresented backgrounds, and help to produce the transformations that are urgently needed in academic and cultural institutions across the UK.

We recommend that mentors and mentees meet for three 40–45-minute meetings over the course of a calendar year with some form of brief written or verbal feedback. Sessions can occur online or in person. Meetings can be target-driven, such as the mentor offering support for a mentee who is preparing an article for publication and/or offer pastoral guidance. The mentor and the mentee will determine the parameters of the mentorship and the mentor will be required to attend one training session.

This scheme particularly welcomes diverse applicants regardless of their background. Applications from scholars of colour and candidates currently under-represented in academic posts are strongly encouraged. The mentoring scheme also welcomes applications from candidates who have a disability or long-term health conditions. We can provide documents in large print, audio and other formats when required.

The mentoring scheme ran for the first time in 2023. Many thanks to Shani Bans, Hanh Bui, Hannah Crawforth, Nour El Gazzaz, Wendy Lennon, Hassana Moosa and Masuda Qureshi for their work in devising and developing this scheme. In 2024-2025, the scheme will be led by Hanh Bui and Lydia Valentine for EMSoC and Jane Grogan and Rachel Willie for SRS.

Please use the links below to find the relevant application forms and FAQs.