College of the Holy Cross | Graduate Studies

Suggestions for Applicants for Watson fellowship

Maurizio Vannicelli*
Department of Political Science
Summer 1987

1. A viable Watson proposal must be original, to the extent of bordering on the esoteric and the "far-fetched." In particular,

a) it must concern a research project, which requires field work in the applicant's country of interest; that is, it cannot be carried out in a good American research library. (Therefore, the
following methodological options should be considered: in-depth interviews, involvement in a
community, direct observation, etc.);

b) it should deal with a topic for which no extensive published scholarship is available. (Hence, it is advisable to select a topic which is currently relevant or--as they say--is "work in progress").

c) it should possibly have a comparative thrust, which can be done either by comparing two different manifestations of the same research topic within the same country or in different countries.

2. The project must be doable. The applicant should not select a topic, which would be arduous to carry out for political, methodological or linguistic reasons. To offer an extreme example, it would be counterproductive to choose a topic which would require interviews with terrorists or
other unapproachable individuals. Also, the applicant should not forget that he/she has only twelve months to conduct the research.

3. Ideally, the project should have a specific and relatively narrow focus. Hence, the applicant should avoid topics which address an entire country or a large theme (say, "the political situation in Gabon" or "the American influence on Spanish culture"); rather, the focus should be
on a particular aspect of a broader topic (say, "the impact of oil revenues on the modernization process in Gabon" or "the Americanization of Spanish contemporary music").

4. The project must have a poignant content. More precisely, the applicant should always keep in mind the following questions: What am I, as a student and as a young individual, going to learn from the project? In what ways will the experiences involved in carrying out the project
affect my personal and intellectual growth?

5. If possible, the project should address issues which imply social, economic or philosophical values. The critical question to be asked here is: In what ways will the project make me a better "citizen of the global village?"

6. The applicant must have intellectual qualifications- This does not mean that the applicant should be an expert on the subject, something which is unlikely also because the topic must be unusual, if not esoteric. on the other hand, the applicant must have an academic and/or personal
background which potentially qualifies him/her for the project. For example, if the topic is the study of changes in the Catholic Church in Holland, the applicant should have some familiarity with a) Dutch political history; b) with theology; and c) with the current debate on theological
issues within the Catholic Church. In many instances, a certain degree of fluency in the language of the applicant's country of interest is of vital importance to the success of the application.

7. If possible, the topic of the project must have a logical connection with the applicant's life history. In other words, there must be something in the applicant's background (extracurricular activities, internships, summer jobs, etc.) which justifies the choice of the topic. For instance, if the applicant wants to study the effects of malnutrition on the children of Lagos, it would be useful to have some experience with the SPUD program.

8. An enterprising applicant should demonstrate to have done some preparatory work. In particular, seek out faculty members at Holy Cross who have some expertise on the topic;
develop contact with individuals in the country(ies) of interest who might help you once you are there; contact embassies and cultural/information agencies of the country(ies) of interest in the United States, etc.

9. Although the proposal should not be a research paper, it must demonstrate that the candidate is familiar with the available literature on the subject. In fact, even the most esoteric subject can be at least explored in a good research library.

In summary, an effective proposal should have

a) a clearly and succinctly presented statement of purpose (What do I intend to research?)

b) a cogent working hypothesis (What hypothesis does my research hope to prove/disprove?)

c) A precisely outlined illustration of the research methodology (How do I plan to carry out my
research?)

d) a set of speculations on the relevance of the project (Why should my project be funded?)

e) a convincing proof of some background work (Have I explored what the library has to offer on the subject? Have I developed contacts with individuals and/or agencies that may help me in
carrying out the project?)

f) a thorough presentation of the applicant's personal, intellectual, and academic qualifications
(In what ways has what I have done thus far, in school and elsewhere, prepared me to carry out this project?)

g) a number of suggestions on the benefits to be derived from the project (How will my experiences abroad affect me as a future member of my society?)

Postscript: Since Professor Vannicelli prepared these suggestions for formulating a proposal, the Watson Foundation has expressed a strong interest in having more projects in the areas of science and business. Other areas are still welcome, but if you have an idea for a project
involving science or business you should definitely work it up. In general, projects should not be totally inward, focused exclusively on your psychic development. Projects should have a dimension, which suggests their value to society, the human community, understanding between
cultures, etc.
T.M.C. Lawler

* Maurizio Vannicelli was a faculty member in the Political Science Department at Holy Cross until his premature death.

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