Call for Fellows | PoNJA Wiki Initiative (PWI) 2

Following the successful conclusion of the first round of our collaborative PoNJA Wikipedia Initiative (PWI) in 2021, Asia Art Archive in America (AAA-A) and PoNJA-GenKon are pleased to announce an open call for Fellowship applications for the second phase of this initiative.

AAA-A and PoNJA-GenKon call for emerging scholars to apply for ten PWI 2 Fellowship positions. Each Fellow will receive a $2,500 honorarium for a fifteen month commitment to this initiative. Payment will be made in two installments upon the publication of five 1000-plus-word articles on Wikipedia.

Duties of PWI 2 Fellows are as follows:

  • Responsible for researching, editing, and writing multiple entries on English Wikipedia for artists / collectives / movements from a curated list of suggested Japanese and Korean topics provided by the PWI Editorial Committee.
  • Responsible for publishing 10 new or significantly updated articles throughout the course of the Fellowship, each with a minimum of 1000 words.

The PWI Editorial Committee will select ten Fellows based on the following criteria:

General requirements:

  • Graduate or PhD students. New graduates (with bachelor/master/doctoral degrees) within three years may also apply, although priority will be given to current students
  • Major in Art History, Japan Studies, Korean Studies, 20th Century Studies, and/or Asian Studies
  • Japanese and/or Korean language is a plus, but not necessary
  • Extensive research and writing skills

Undergraduate Fellowship:

  • Senior level Undergraduate students are invited to apply for the PWI Undergraduate Fellowship, which has the same goals and general application requirements as the Full PWI Fellowship, but differs in the duties required and resulting honorarium.
  • Undergraduate Fellows would be responsible for researching, editing, and writing 3-4 Wikipedia entries throughout the first six months of PWI 2 in 2022.
  • Undergraduate Fellows will receive a $750-$1000 honorarium payment on completion and approval of these entries.

Interested applicants should submit the following materials to be considered:

  • Name / e-mail address / Current location or  postal address
  • Student status (Graduate / PhD / Post-grad)
  • A 250-word statement of intent
  • A short (max 500 words) sample text of the Lead Section of a Wikipedia article on an artist / group / movement of their choice that is not currently on English Wikipedia. (Note: you don’t have to create an actual Wikipedia entry; just send us a “mock” entry). See here for a list of the new or majorly expanded articles published by PWI 1 Fellows for examples of the format and content of approved articles.

Please send your application materials to MailPonja@gmail.com. The PWI 2 Fellowship application deadline is February 25, 2022.  Further background information on this project is available here and please contact MailPonja@gmail.com with any questions prior to applying.

Images: book covers of Japanese Art After 1945: Scream Against the Sky (1994); Korean Art from 1953: Collision, Innovation, Interaction (2020)