Getting to ‘Faith on the Air: a religious educational broadcasting history, c.1922’: a bidding story Research Project funded by The Leverhulme Trust Professor Stephen Parker, Professor of the History of Religion and Education

What’s the project about? -Reconstructing the history of religious educational broadcasting, as a strand of school and religious broadcasting, at the BBC and beyond – radio, TV and the digital era; -Documentary and oral history, broadcasts and related publications; -Interactions with history of religious education; -Contemporary place of religious education and religious broadcasting

What’s being funded? -It’s a three-year project -0.2 of the PI’s time for three years -An RA post for three years – researching and writing with the PI -A PhD studentship – a related but separate topic on collective worship -Expenses of an Advisory Group -Travel and research expenses -Consumables etc.

How the project developed and where the idea came from -A brainwave in 2003, which led to (self- funded) archival work and a related paper; -A British Academy Small Grant application (unsuccessful – 2012); -A British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship (not submitted); -Further (self-funded research).

In the beginning was the egg, no not a chicken, an egg! -Self-funded research (covering expenses) but using some of my 20 days RSA time (and my own time); -Research carried out alongside other related projects; -Networking, building reputation and profile; -Not giving up on the idea, and finding allies who support you in this;

Why Leverhulme? The funding gave enough scope to carry out the necessary research (duration, hours of work anticipated, budget); Offered the opportunity to share the load and build capacity; The project resonated with the funder’s values

Designing the proposal The need to be clear what it you want to achieve and why the project is important; Clear about the scope of project; Hypotheses you want to test; Being able to frame the project in lay and academic terms: the ‘so-what-ness’ is really important; Choosing your referees carefully; Who’s doing what? Why the RA; why a studentship; Know the existing field; publish within it.

What a difference a grant makes… No publicity is bad publicity Contact from religious broadcasters interested in the project A book proposal invited by two publishers/series’ editors Generating inspiration; being a guinea pig Success breeds success – has been my observation

How have the media and religious education together negotiated and represented social and religious change across 80 years?