Crossings
A Summer School on
Human Mobilities and Its Consequences Across the Mediterranean, 1400-2022
Rabat, 22 May – 26 May 2023
NIMAR, Netherlands Institute Morocco

Please consult the full call document here: RABAT-Summer-School-2023

Description of the Training School
COST-Action PIMO (People in Motion: Entangled Histories of Displacement Across the
Mediterranean (1492-1923)), WG 4– People, convenes a summer school between May 22 and May
26, 2023, at the NIMAR (The Netherlands Institute in Morocco), in Rabat, Morocco.
The Netherlands Institute in Morocco (NIMAR) is part of the Faculty of Humanities of Leiden
University. NIMAR offers educational programs and promotes scientific research in the field of
Islam, languages and culture, migration, identity and heritage and urban studies.
Due to its strategic geographic location, Morocco constitutes a bridge between Europe and Africa.
Its long-lasting economic, religious, cultural and political relations to both sides of the
Mediterranean, and the variety of cross-border mobilities in past and present, make Rabat a perfect
fit to accommodate the Crossings conference.

This summer school provides training for young career scholars (PhD’s and Postdoctoral
candidates) in two specific areas: establishment and development of a career in academia and translation of academic skills into a broad (global) labour market. In order to fulfil these two goals,
this summer school offers tailor coaching sessions on the following activities:

1) Academic Activities
a. How to set up and develop a research project (PhD, Postdoctoral project, Grant)
i. Applied to individual projects
ii. Work within the cohort
b. Academic Publishing
c. Networking
2) Labour Market Skills
a. How to translate PhD and Postdoctoral skills into Labour Market requirements
b. Activities in the broad labour market (some practical examples)
i. Public History
ii. Addressing global societal challenges

We are looking for participants that may be interested in global questions regarding mobility and
migration, with particular emphasis to the Mediterranean or in comparative perspective with the
Mediterranean for the period between the 15th and the 21st century. We are looking for young
researchers that are willing and able to bridge the historiographical gap between Western and Global
South historiographies and approaches. The six core areas of discussion and intervention are:
Migration and Trafficking; Conflict (institutional, political etc); Slavery and Labour
Exploitation; Culture and Religion; Identities; Memory and Heritage.

The summer school is organized in a 5-day activity planning. Day 1 through 3 will privilege
discussions and the development of practical tools to address the challenges of writing a PhD
dissertation and/or Postdoctoral outputs, fulfil the demands of an academic career planning and the
adaptation of such skills into the global labour market, and develop a creative project, with
practitioners, regarding public history. Days 4 and 5, members of the summer school are invited to
attend and participate as junior speakers at the conference Crossings organized within the same
COST-Action PIMO scheme.

By the end of the summer school, participants will have produced the following outputs:
1) Research proposal and plan for individual research – supervision towards publishable
version for open access publication in peer reviewed journal
2) Provide and receive feedback within a cohort
3) Produce a creative piece of public history in joint venture with practitioners – to be possibly
used in curriculum vitae portfolio for future job applications
4) Presentation at scientific conference (if academically viable, supervision towards submission
for academic publication with papers of senior participants)
If this coaching/traineeship approach fits your goals and aids your future intellectual development,
we are looking for your application.

Applications follow the schedule below:
December 12, 2022: send your cv, concept of PhD dissertation and/or Postdoctoral project and
motivation letter to Cátia Antunes (c.a.p.antunes@hum.leidenuniv.nl).

December 20, 2022: selection and communication to applicants.

February 15, 2023: developed concept of PhD dissertation and/or postdoctoral project (clear
instructions for the formatting of this document will be advanced upon
selection on December 5)

March 15, 2023: proposal (abstract c. 1000 words) for presentation at conference

Crossings Summer school: May 22-24, 2023, NIMAR, Rabat, Morocco/

Conf. Crossings: May 24-26, 2023, NIMAR, Rabat, Morocco

Conditions of application
The applicants must be engaged in an official research program as a MPhil, Ph.D. Candidate or an
Early Career Investigator (ECI, 3 years between the date of the Ph.D./doctorate and the date of
application) employed by or affiliated to an institution, organization, or legal entity within its remit a
clear association with performing research.

Eligible Applicants must be based in PIMo Full Members / PIMo Cooperating Member or come
from Approved COST Near-Neighbor Country (NNC) Institutions (the list of the NNCs is available
here: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA18140/#tabs|Name:parties).

The application process is brief and uncomplicated. PIMo membership is required for the participants to claim reimbursement of their expenses according to COST rules (see below).

Deadline for Applications 12 December 2022
Deadline Selection 20 December 2022
All application documents should be submitted directly to
Cátia Antunes (c.a.p.antunes@hum.leidenuniv.nl)

Application documents:
An application should include:
1. A motivation letter (max 200 words)
2. CV
3. Description of future or present Ph.D. and postdoctoral project (max 1000 words)
Selection criteria:
The selection committee will evaluate the applications following the next criteria:
• the connection of the applicant’s research project to the research scope of the PIMo project
(20%);
• the quality of the applicant’s CV (20%);
• the applicant’s motivation to participate (30%);
• the applicant’s project (30%);

The selection committee will prepare a ranking list of applicants. Please note that the committee will
strive for a reasonable gender and nationality balance concerning trainee participation. If an applicant
declines or fails to confirm, their places will be allocated to the next candidate on the list.

Selection committee:
Giovanni Tarantino (University of Florence, PIMo Action Chair)
Cátia Antunes (Leiden University)
Léon Buskens (NIMAR)
Nadia Bouras (Leiden University)
Bob Mutsaerts (Student/Prospective Research Representative)
Marta Bucholc (University of Warsaw)

Expenses will be reimbursed in line with relevant COST rules.
To be eligible for the reimbursement, each participant will be required to sign the School attendance
list daily. For details, please consult the COST Vademecum
(https://www.cost.eu/wpcontent/uploads/2020/06/Vademecum-V8-1-May-20202.pdf) as well as
the COST guidelines on travel reimbursement rules (https://www.cost.eu/wpcontent/uploads/2020/05/Travel-Reimbursement-Rules-.pdf).

All participants will be required to register for an e-COST profile at https://eservices.cost.eu – each
participant must add their bank details to their e-COST profile before receiving their e-COST
invitation.

Neither the COST Association nor the local organizer of the Training school can be considered the
applicant’s employer. The applicants must make their arrangements for all provisions relating to visa,
personal security, health, taxation, social security, and pension matters.
Please note that PIMo STSM (Short Term Scientific Mission) Grants cannot be used to fund the
participation in a Training School.

Accommodation and Board:

The organizers will assist the participants in finding suitable accommodation and board options. The
participants will be obliged to make their hotel reservations, travel arrangements, and meals. We
strongly suggest the participants make travel arrangements and hotel bookings with a cancellation
option and purchase cancellation insurance.

Inquiries: Please send your inquiries to Cátia Antunes (c.a.p.antunes@hum.leidenuniv.nl)

COVID-19 Prevention Guidance: The PIMo Training School will be organized following the public health regulations of the Government of Morocco. The participants are obliged to inform themselves about possible COVID19 restrictions for entering and staying in Morocco and returning to their home countries.