Funding Announcements

Request for Applications: Summer Research in Middle East North Africa Region

Middle East Studies and the Office of Global Affairs invite current UConn undergraduate and graduate students to apply for 2023 summer research money for travel to the Middle East and North Africa region. Undergraduate applicants must plan to be part of an accredited academic program (see Experiential Global Learning). Graduate students may conduct research as part of an MA thesis or PhD dissertation, enroll in a language program, or develop a necessary research skill. Applications that are consistent with a goal (or goals) of UConn’s Abrahamic Programs will receive preference. See https://abrahamicprograms.uconn.edu/about/ for more details.

Students may be awarded up to $3000. The application deadline is Friday, February 24, 2023, at 11:59 pm. Awardees will be notified by March 24, 2023. The money must be used and reimbursement requests submitted by August 31, 2023. Relevant US State Department travel restrictions and covid restrictions apply.

Applicants should email a resume (or CV), budget, and unofficial transcript to Prof. Jeremy Pressman, the Director of Middle East Studies. Applicants must also fill out the application at: https://forms.gle/xPiRL1rkS8PTQJZQ6

Call for Applications: 2020 APSA MENA Fellows

The American Political Science Association (APSA) is pleased to announce a Call for Applications from early-career scholars who would like to participate in the 2020 MENA Workshop. The program is an opportunity to network with colleagues from across the Arab MENA region and advance research on security and international relations of the region. The deadline for applications is Saturday March 14, 2020.

The workshop will be held from May 29 to June 4, 2020 in partnership with the faculty of Law, Economics and Social Sciences-Souissi (FSJES) at Mohammed V University in Rabat. The organizers will cover participation costs (including travel, lodging, and materials) for up to 20 qualified applicants. Following the workshop, a select group of fellows will be invited to present their research at the September 2020 APSA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

This opportunity is intended for PhD students and post-doctoral fellows who are citizens of countries in the Arab MENA region, especially those who are currently based at universities or research institutes in the region. Non-citizens of Arab MENA countries who are currently based at universities or research institutes in the Arab MENA region may also apply. The program is open to scholars in political science and other social science disciplines undertaking research related to the workshop theme. Scholars should apply with a manuscript or research project in progress that they will present at the workshop. Professional fluency in English is required.

The 2020 MENA Workshop will be led by Samer Abboud (Villanova University, USA), Zaynab El Bernoussi (Al Akhawayn University, Morocco), Omar Dahi (Hampshire College, USA), and Salim Hmimnat (Mohamed V University, Morocco). Together with selected workshop fellows, the co-leaders aim to engage academic and policy debates about security and international relations of the MENA region and consider alternative understandings of insecurity that focus on the research projects of scholars within the region. In particular, the workshop will be theoretically grounded in critical approaches to Security Studies and International Relations, with discussions structured around two central themes: Insecurity will be framed through the question of what makes people insecure, rather than what makes them secure. Discussions of securitization will reflect on how new patterns of securitization are emerging in the region. By widening the agents of securitization beyond the state, this approach highlights how private companies, social movements, political parties, and even municipalities, are implicated in contemporary securitization in the MENA region. The workshop will also include opportunities for research presentation and feedback as well as sessions on professional development topics. Following their participation in the full program, alumni will receive 3 years’ membership to APSA and will be eligible to apply for small research grants.

Applications should be submitted via the online form: https://apsa.wufoo.com/forms/2020-mena-workshop-application-form.

For more information about the APSA MENA project, visit web.apsanet.org/mena or e-mail us at menaworkshops@apsanet.org.

Apply Now:2020-2021 MEI Research Fellowships at Harvard Kennedy School

Applications Now Open for 2020-2021 Middle East Initiative Research Fellowships 

Deadline: Wednesday, January 15, 11:59 PM EST

Learn more and apply.

The Middle East Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School is now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 Middle East Initiative Research Fellowship Program. The application deadline is January 15, 2020 at 11:59 PM EST.

The Middle East Initiative Research Fellowship Program, part of the Emirates Leadership Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School, offers one-year fellowships for researchers at the pre-doctoral, postdoctoral, and junior faculty level for research related to Middle Eastern governance and public policy. All fellowships carry a stipend. Eligible candidates include advanced doctoral candidates, recent recipients of a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, and untenured faculty members. Applicants for pre-doctoral fellowships must have passed general examinations, advanced to candidacy, received dissertation prospectus approval, and concluded all necessary fieldwork for the dissertation by the time of application. The strong expectation is that pre-doctoral fellows will defend their dissertations at the end of their residency with us. We welcome applications from political scientists, historians, economists, sociologists, and other social scientists. We also encourage applications from women, minorities, and citizens of all countries.

Priority will be given to applications pursuing one of these six primary areas of focus:

  • Improving Governance: Promoting the inclusivity, accountability, responsiveness, and efficiency of governing institutions and empowering the region’s citizens.
  • Building Peace: Addressing the sources of domestic and interstate conflict and generating durable political settlements.
  • Revitalizing the State: Improving the capacity of state institutions and reforming social service delivery systems, with a special emphasis on health, education, and social protection.
  • Broadening Financial and Labor Markets: Working to ensure that financial and labor markets in the Middle East are open, competitive, and inclusive.
  • Governing Technology: Assessing how governments in the Middle East adapt to and integrate technological changes such as the growth of cyberspace, automation, and artificial intelligence, as well as how these advances in technology have shaped governance.
  • Adapting to Environmental Challenges: Exploring how the governments of the region can cope and are coping with the challenges of water scarcity and climate change.

This program is made possible through funding from the Emirates Leadership Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School. All application materials must be submitted in PDF format through the official application portal. For more information regarding the program and application process, please visit: www.belfercenter.org/fellowship/middle-east-initiative

Please submit inquiries to Julia Martin, Assistant Director of the Middle East Initiative, by e-mail at Julia_Martin@hks.harvard.edu.

Boren Awards: Language Study and Research in the Middle East & North Africa

The application for the 2018 Boren Awards is now open at www.borenawards.org! Application deadline is February 8 for undergraduate students and January 30 for graduate students.
 
Boren Awards fund U.S. undergraduate and graduate language study and research abroad in world regions critical to U.S. national interests (including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East). Boren Awards promote longer‐term linguistic and cultural immersion overseas, and are available to applicants in most fields of study.
 
Boren Awards will give preference to applicants planning to study in a number of countries in North Africa and the Middle East, including  Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Preference is also given to students who are willing to study abroad for longer periods of time, and those who are highly motivated to work in the federal government following graduation.
 
The Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 for undergraduate students for language‐focused study abroad.
 
The Boren Fellowships provide up to $30,000 for graduate students to fund language study, graduate‐level research, and academic internships abroad.
 
Webinars on aspects of the Boren Awards, including special regional initiatives and components of the application are scheduled throughout the 2017‐2018 academic year. Sign up today at www.borenawards.org/webinars.html. Additional information on preferred countries, languages, and fields of study can be found at www.borenawards.org.
 
Applicants are encouraged to contact their Boren Awards campus representatives, listed in a directory on the website, for institution‐specific guidance. They may also contact Boren Awards staff directly at 1‐800‐618‐NSEP or boren@iie.org.

 

Israel Academic Travel Awards 2017

Deadline: April 3, 2017

Global Affairs, Judaic Studies, and Middle East Studies are pleased to announce a competition for travel awards for academic study in Israel in the summer of 2017. The deadline for application is April 3, 2017. The competition is open to UConn undergraduate and graduate students.  Awards of $1500 may be used to defray expenses such as airfare and registration costs. Awardees will submit a written summary of their travel experience by September 15, 2017.  Please go to judaicstudies.uconn.edu for application details.
This program is not open to current seniors graduating in May 2017, or to incoming students. Summer is defined according to the UConn calendar (end of May through end of August).

Questions? Contact judaicstudies@uconn.edu.
Download flyer.

8/1/2017 deadline for Fulbright US Scholar Program Competition

The 2018-19 Core Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program competition is now open and accepting applications for awards in the Middle East and North Africa. We invite you to consider applying for a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award, and also invite you to encourage your colleagues to be a part of this important international experience. Below you’ll find some ways you can get involved.

  • Consider applying to teach or research– Explore the Catalog of Awards (http://awards.cies.org) and contact us with any questions regarding specific opportunities. Highlights to the region include:

o   Oman: All Disciplines (8367-MU)

o   Jordan: All Disciplines (8358-JO)

o   Tunisia: All Disciplines (8372-TS)

o   Israel: Postdoctoral Fellowship (8357-IS)

 

  • Refer your U.S. colleagues to receive information about the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. IIE/CIES will contact all referrals, providing valuable information about the award offerings and application process. You can also list your colleagues’ primary discipline or preferred country, which will allow us to tailor our guidance.

 

Join us for an informational webinar on Wednesday, March 8 at 2:00 p.m. We’ll share an overview of opportunities throughout the Middle East and North Africa and offer a live Q&A.

 

Applicants must be U.S. citizens and the deadline for the 2018-19 competition is August 1, 2017. Please reach out with any questions or concerns; we’ll be glad to assist.

Israel Academic Travel Awards 2016

Israel Academic Travel Awards Flyer

Deadline: March 25, 2016

UConn Global Affairs, Judaic Studies, and Middle East Studies are pleased to announce a competition for four awards for academic study in Israel in the summer of 2016. The deadline for application is March 25, 2016. The competition is open to UConn undergraduate and graduate students.

Each award of $1500 may be used to defray expenses such as airfare and registration costs. Awardees will submit a written summary of their travel experience by September 15, 2016.

Please go to judaicstudies.uconn.edu for application details (coming soon). 

This program is not open to current seniors graduating in May 2016, or to incoming students. Summer is defined according to the UConn calendar (end of May through end of August).

Questions? Contact judaicstudies@uconn.edu.

Hanson Scholarship for International Internships: Due March 15

The UConn Individualized and Interdisciplinary Studies Program is now accepting applications for the 2015 Elizabeth C. Hanson Scholarship. The scholarship provides up to $1,500 in support of students who are pursuing an internship in an international setting or in an organization deeply engaged in international matters. Undergraduates interested in international relations, international political economy, critical global issues, and international culture and institutions are eligible to apply.

To be eligible to apply:

  • The applicant must be an undergraduate at UConn in good academic standing.
  • The applicant must be applying for, or hold an offer from, an internship with an organization deeply engaged in international matters.
  • The internship must entail at least 126 hours of work.
  • The applicant must enroll in an internship course of at least three credits prior to undertaking the work.
  • Internships done abroad must be approved by UConn Education Abroad. Your internship may be part of an existing study abroad program or you may petition to have your internship approved by Education Abroad.

Application Submission Deadline: March 15, 2016 at 5 pm in Rowe 403

For more information please visit the Hanson Scholarship page of the Individualized & Interdisciplinary Studies website or email iisp@uconn.edu.

For more information, contact: Krista Rogers at iisp@uconn.edu.

Israel Academic Travel Awards 2015

Israel-CollageMiddle East Studies, Global Affairs, and Judaic Studies are pleased to announce a competition for four awards for academic study in Israel in the summer of 2015.

Deadline for application is Monday, April 20, 2015 at 5 pm.

Eligibility: UConn undergraduate and graduate students.

Each award of $1500 may be used to defray expenses such as airfare and registration costs. Awardees will submit a written summary of their travel experience by September 15, 2015.

The following application materials should be emailed to judaicstudies@uconn.edu:


  • Name, contact information, and status at UConn, including major(s) or field of study
  • A resume or summary of activities
  • The name, dates, and cost of the academic program the student will attend in Israel. Please indicate whether you have applied and been accepted to the program. If not, indicate when you expect to hear from the program about your application.
  • A statement of up to 300 words as to why you want to attend the program and how it would help advance your academic interests.

This program is not open to current seniors graduating in May 2015, or to incoming students.  Summer is defined according to the UConn calendar (end of May through end of August).

Download poster with details.