Project description
How gifted children become celebrities
While some children can exhibit exceptional talents and display uncommon abilities at a young age, Western society holds a strong fascination for child prodigies. This remarkable giftedness often influences parental expectations and educational standards. Developmental psychology primarily delves into the study of this subject, but research remains ahistorical, while historical research on prodigies has predominantly focused on specific case studies. How did we arrive at the portrayal of today’s child prodigies as renowned celebrities? The EU funded ChildPro project aims to elucidate and comprehend the cultural phenomenon of giftedness. Specifically, it will delve into the history of child prodigies in 19th and early 20th century France, with particular emphasis on Paris. This project will make a valuable contribution to the history of science.
Objective
Although there is no scholarly agreement on how to define “giftedness”, there is a consensus on why it is important: understanding giftedness, and especially, gifted children, means understanding human potential and development. Conceptions of giftedness affect education and parenting, and can create unrealistic expectations in adults and children. Child prodigies manifest an extreme form of giftedness. Research on giftedness is chiefly developed within psychology, and remains quite ahistorical. Meanwhile, historical research on prodigies focused on case studies, failing to account for today’s interest in gifted children.
This project aims to go beyond these two approaches. It will explore how the history of child prodigies can help to explain the current fascination with giftedness. To do so, it will examine child prodigies in cultural and scientific settings (such as the theatre and the laboratory) in 19th and early 20th century France, mainly Paris. The project will address child prodigies as a cultural phenomenon that: a) influenced the western scientific interest in giftedness, and b) built a long-lasting entertainment culture around gifted children. The study will build upon past and current psychological research on giftedness, and contribute to fields such as the history of science, and childhood and celebrity studies.
With my postdoctoral experience in an ERC project, and with a promising track record, I am prepared to move a step further. The MSCA will help me improve my skills in teaching and project management. In addition, I will be able to provide a historical background to a socially sensitive and timely topic. Overall, it will solidify my career, preparing me to apply for funding and academic positions to reach independence.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- humanities history and archaeology history
- social sciences psychology
- humanities arts performing arts dramaturgy
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2017
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75794 Paris
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.