Postgraduates

The Society is committed to the support of postgraduate students working in all fields of French studies. Through our activities, we aim to build a strong postgraduate community and to promote postgraduate research by facilitating exchange between researchers at all stages of study.

Tunnel of the Petite Ceinture. EllenCherryCharles/wikimedia
Tunnel of the Petite Ceinture. EllenCherryCharles/wikimedia

There is an annual programme of SFS events in which postgraduate participation is encouraged. At our annual conference, we arrange a regular session devoted to postgraduate skills training, and postgraduates can get more involved in the conference by presenting a poster or giving a flash presentation. Travel grants are also available to support PG attendance. Further information about PG activities at the 2019 conference is available here.

We also run our own postgraduate conference and sponsor French studies events organised by and for postgraduate students throughout the year. The R. Gapper Postgraduate Essay Prize is awarded annually as a means of recognising and rewarding the excellent work being done by French studies postgraduates. An elected postgraduate representative sits on the Executive Committee and is closely involved with the organisation of events as well as with the work of the French Studies Bulletin. The Society is always keen to hear from its postgraduate members; if you have any comments and suggestions please send them to Melissa Pawelski, our current Postgraduate Officer.

Thinking of joining us?

Benefits of joining the Society as a postgraduate include:

  • A greatly reduced rate for the annual French Studies conference
  • Access to funding for the organisation of your own conferences and events
  • Access to funding to cover conference attendance and other research expenses
  • Four issues per year of French Studies: a Quarterly Review
  • Four issues per year of French Studies: a Quarterly Bulletin

Postgraduate members join at the preferential rate of £27.50, or £25 if paying by standing order (the usual membership fee is £55/£50). Go here to join!

Events

Annual Conference

A cash prize of £100 will be awarded for the best postgraduate poster at our annual conference.

Postgraduate Conference

The Society organises an annual one-day postgraduate conference at the IMLR, London. Please visit the link above to explore details of forthcoming and past conferences.

French Studies Bulletin Postgraduate Bulletin Board

French Studies Bulletin would love to hear about any newly-awarded doctorates or postgraduate events.

Please let us know now of any new doctorates awarded in French/Francophone studies from an institution in the UK or Ireland. Send details of your doctorate (form here) by email with the header ‘FSB PhDs’ to Melissa Pawelski (m.pawelski@warwick.ac.uk).

To advertise a postgraduate event, please send information to the SFS Publicity Officer, Dr Jennifer Rushworth (j.rushworth@ucl.ac.uk) no later than 6 months before the closing date for calls for papers.

To report on a postgraduate event, please include the following information in a Word document, formatted in FSB style, and send to the Assistant Editor of FSB, Steven Wilson (steven.wilson@qub.ac.uk) also copied to the Editor, Dr Kevin Inston (k.inston@ucl.ac.uk): title of event; venue and date; organisers; speakers and format; funding (if applicable) and a short synopsis (in no more than 250 words). Reports should conclude with ‘Report written by X (affiliation or email address) and Y (affiliation or email address)’.

Please do send awards and reports ASAP for publication in the next issue!

SFS resources and activities of interest to postgraduate students

R. Gapper Postgraduate Essay Prize awarded annually by the Society for an essay in English or French of fewer than 6,000 words

Grants in support of postgraduate conferences

SFS research support funding is also available to postgraduate members