RESEARCH

Despite the growing academic interest in the history of freemasonry and western esotericism, there are little funds available to students and scholars for active research into these subjects. University funds are limited as a result of cut backs and academic funds are usually reserved for full time research projects. For most subsidiaries, such as cultural funds, the history of freemasonry is still an unknown subject, not prioritized or even excluded from support.
Professional research involves both material and travel costs, so lack of funding means that opportunities are missed. This is why the OVN aims to make research grants available to students, PhD-students and senior scholars. 
However, due to the limited accessibility of relevant collections, a stop on grant applications has been issued during the corona pandemic.

Previously awarded research grants

- a French academic for travel and accomodation, in order to research 18th century masonic rituals in the Kloss-library in the collection of the Cultural Masonic Center ‘Prins Frederik’ in The Hague;

- a Dutch academic for travel and accomodation, in order to research the relationship between freemasonry and music in the 18th and 19th centuries in the collections of several European institutes;

- a Dutch student for providing an overview of publishers of masonic books in the 18th century;

- a team of two Scandinavian researchers for travel and accomodation in order to research the collection of the Cultural Masonic Center ‘Prins Frederik’ in The Hague;

- a Dutch academic for research into the relationship between freemasonry and art history, based on the collection of the Cultural Masonic Center ‘Prins Frederik’ in The Hague;

- a Dutch academic, rewarded a second grant for travel and accomodation, in order to further research the relationship between freemasonry and music in the 18th and 19th centuries in the collections of several European institutes;

- a Dutch student for making an inventory of the historical archive of the Dutch Federation of the International Order of Co-Masonry ‘Le Droit Humain’.