The Project on Middle East Political Science is delighted to announce a call for proposals for Fall 2012 POMEPS Travel – Research – Engagement grants. The competition is open to academic political scientists at any career stage, from graduate students to senior faculty from any institution, and is not restricted to U.S. citizens or residents. Awards of up to $3000 will be offered to support research travel to the broader Middle East. The research should be in support of an ongoing academic research project. Grant recipients are required to submit at least one article based on their research to POMEPS for possible publication on Foreign Policy’s Middle East Channel. The proposed travel should take place before December 31, 2012.

Applications should include:

• Current CV

• Research proposal including:
• Location of travel
• Travel schedule
• Description of project/research plan
• Budget estimate

• Proposed Middle East Channel article topics

Interested candidates should submit proposals to me_casey@gwu.edu before the deadline of July 1, 2012 at 11:59 pm.

Jordan, Forever on the Brink

POMEPS Briefing 11 – May 9, 2012

The sudden, unprecedented resignation by Jordan’s Prime Minister Awn Khasawnah last week threw a sudden spotlight on the ongoing shortcomings of political reform in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The deficient new election law rolled out last month, like every step the king has taken over the last year and a half, did too little, too late to respond to the concerns of Jordanian citizens. Limited reforms have done little to stem a rising tide of protest across the towns of the south, a deeply struggling economy, loud complaints of corruption, and an intensifying edge of political anger. Add in the potential impact of the ongoing crisis in Syria or of a new escalation in the West Bank, and concerns for Jordan’s political future seem merited.

Veteran observers of the region can be excused for rolling their eyes ever so slightly at reports of instability in Jordan, of course. The kingdom has seemed on the political brink virtually constantly for many decades, its stability always questioned and the monarchy’s command doubted (often, admittedly, by me). And yet the Hashemite monarchy has survived. Warnings about political crisis in Jordan therefore sound just enough like boys crying wolf or Chicken Littles shouting about falling skies. That long history of frustrated protest and successfully navigated challenges should caution anyone predicting a real explosion. But it would be equally wrong to dismiss the signs of a rapidly escalating political crisis to which the palace seems unable or unwilling to respond.

This post previews a new POMEPS Briefing, “Jordan, Forever on the Brink,” which collects 20 articles from the last three years explaining the nature of the kingdom’s political crisis, the shortcomings of its attempted reforms, and the current political state of play.

Click here for full article Foreign Policy’s Middle East Channel.

                                                                                         Marc Lynch, Director of POMEPS May 7, 2012

Bassam Haddad is Director of the Middle East Studies Program and teaches in the Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University. He discussed his new book, “Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience.”

Breaking Bahrain

POMEPS Briefing 10 – April 26, 2012

The decision to hold a Formula One race on Bahrain focused international attention on the embattled country. More than one year after a Saudi-backed crackdown cleared away a massive popular protest movement, Bahrain’s politics are locked in a grim stalemate. The release of a searing report by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Cherif Bassiouni, established beyond reasonable doubt the wide array of violations of human rights committed by the regime. Little has been done in practice to hold those responsible accountable, or to begin serious political reforms which might bridge the widening political and social divides in the kingdom. This POMEPS Briefing surveys Bahrain’s political stalemate, how it got to this point, and what the future might hold.

                                                                                                                  Marc Lynch, Director of POMEPS, April 26, 2012

Bassam Haddad is Director of the Middle East Studies Program and teaches in the Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University. He discussed his new book, “Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience.”

Bassam Haddad is director of the Middle East Studies Program and professor in the Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University. He discussed his new book, “Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience.” Haddad began his talk by looking at the state-business relationship in a comparative perspective, first focusing on the structural backgrounds of the current events unfolding in Syria. He described how in his book, he takes seriously the claim that we can no longer accept culturalist answers and arguments to explain authoritarian resilience. He emphasized his use of the term resiliency, as opposed to a question of authoritarian permanency. One of the greatest sources of this resiliency has been the informal economic business networks that began in the 1950s and 1960s and initially sparked Haddad’s interest.

These early networks had to do primarily with informal and foreign capital. Syria, like Egypt, was not largely influenced by Western countries and institutions. According to Haddad, Syrian informal actors, including state officials and big business, hijacked the process of economic liberalization in the 1980s and 1990s in order to enrich themselves at the expense of three different factors: the average Syrian consumer, the health and product base of the economy, and the medium-term development potential of Syria. Offering structural context, he described a number of “independent variables” that brought about this shift. First, was a legacy of social mistrust between the regime and the business community, where the regime is made up largely of rural minorities and the business community is largely urban and Sunni. Secondly, is the continuous inflow of external rent from oil and aid. He defines “rent” in this sense as a form of income that does not derive from productive activity. After the demise of the United Arab Republic (UAR) and the rise of the Baathists, the regime underwent a shift by aligning with business communities along with a minimal level of distributive policies. The third variable, was the influence of external and domestic institutions and social forces (i.e. an independent judiciary, the media). The fourth variable, was the legacy of mistrust that prevented the state from formally incorporating the business community.

This in essence yielded a form of “embedded autonomy.” According to Haddad, business was primarily dominated by urban Sunni communities. This changed in 1963 under the UAR and the rise of socialist forces, which lowered the role of Sunni business deciders in favor of “socialist development” that included land reforms and nationalization. When Hafez al-Assad came to power in 1970, the system changed once again. Haddad described an interview that he held with a Syrian official, during which he stated that the regime will never tolerate a strong private sector, despite realities that suggested otherwise.

Haddad’s research focused on state-centered approaches with a network-centered form/unit of analysis. He described his intention of using network analysis and class analysis reflected in the form of a pyramidal structure. At the top, with a three way tie was the Syrian bureaucracy (an active part of the network), the regime/military (a passive part), and capital entrepreneurs. In the second tier were the Baath party, the regime elite, the military, and the public. In the third tier, were the private sector, the governing public sector, and the chambers of commerce. In the empirical findings of his research was a real complexity and ambiguity of the concept of the private sector, where the plurality of private assets are owned or controlled by state officials. Another empirical finding was the legacy of mistrust that continues to persist and has shaped the strategies of both the regime and business actors alike, as partners. This legacy persists because of the pattern of recruitment that reinforces the relationship between the regime and the business sector. Likewise, he asserted that economic liberalization in Syria has essentially reproduced the winners of prior arrangements as a strategy of maintaining a qualitative edge. Yet, he reiterated that these new winners remain divided and on the margins. New opportunities that have emerged since 1986 have reflected the interests of entrenched economic networks. In 1985, these networks were 34 percent private and 66 percent public (or part of the regime). By 1993, 65 percent were private while 35 percent were public. Haddad pointed out that the private sector is also a good percentage of the regime.

How wealth was created and new social strata were formed in the 1970s and 1980s is another contribution of his research. He described this phenomenon as a stepping stone into and an important facet of a larger project that he is currently working on, namely the formation of the new upper class in the Middle East and politically constituted social strata. He concluded with his main conceptual and methodological findings: the importance of network analysis, particularly regarding the question of agency; the implications of trust for institution and economic development; and lastly the potential of the synthesis of these areas to open a door to research that combines economic sociology with historical and even rational choice institutionalism.

Creative Learning will be accepting applications for the 2012 AUA Mosaic Fellowship program from January 9 to August 1, 2012. Click here to view a Q&A webinar presentation featuring AUA Program Officer Gideon Culman.

What is the AUA Mosaic Fellowship Program?

The AUA Mosaic Fellowship is a program that is increasing the number of Unofficial Ambassadors to the Muslim World who represent America in all its diversity. The program provides fellowships to support Americans volunteering with an AUA Directory-listed organization in a Muslim-majority country. Fellowships up to $5,000 can be used to cover program fees and/or travel.

Who Can Apply?

Creative Learning welcomes applications from American citizens who plan to volunteer for a week to a year in a Muslim-majority country. Successful applicants will convey their commitment and capacity to build people-to-people partnerships through volunteer service. Successful candidates will also have superior oral and written communication skills, demonstrating their ability to write or film captivating blog posts and give engaging public presentations about their volunteer experience. The AUA Mosaic Fellowship program is not open to Creative Learning employees, consultants, and family members.

What Does a Mosaic Fellowship Include?

An AUA Mosaic Fellowship includes up to $5,000 USD paid directly to an AUA Directory-listed volunteer-sending organization, designated travel agency, or airline.  Fellowship recipients partner with an assigned mentor who will support them to create a most impactful experience. Fellowship recipients also receive a flip camera and access to the AUA Blog as a platform to share their stories with sharp video and photos. Upon completion of their volunteer service, fellowhip recipients receive an AUA certificate of achievement.

What Are the Terms of Mosaic Fellowship Recipients?

Fellowship recipients will complete the agreed upon volunteer service and share their volunteer experience with the AUA Network through blogs, video, and photos. Fellowship recipients will communicate regularly with their mentor. After their return, fellowship recipients will make at least two presentations about their service so to raise awareness for building peace through people-to-people partnerships.

When are Fellowships Awarded?

Creative Learning will accept applications on a rolling basis throughout the stated application period. All applications will be reviewed within six weeks of their submission.

How will AUA select its Mosaic Fellowship Recipients?

Admission into the AUA Mosaic Fellowship Program is contingent upon acceptance into one of the AUA Directory-listed volunteer-sending organizations. Fellowship recipients will have already been accepted into an AUA Directory-listed organization or will intend to apply to one within the year. Program departure dates must be within the year that the annual Mosaic Fellowship is being offered. Fellowships are not eligible for use with volunteer programs that are currently suspended. Applicants should be aware that they will be required to submit documentation verifying their acceptance into an AUA Directory-listed organization prior to the disbursal of funds. A panel at Creative Learning that includes representatives of our leadership, staff, and Advisory Board will review applications and determine the number and size of fellowships awarded.

How Do I Apply?

Please read the AUA Mosaic Fellowship Rules and Regulations and then complete and submit an AUA Mosaic Fellowship Application Form to OlgaK@creativelearning.org. If you have any further questions, please email GideonC@creativelearning.org.

The deadline for the 2012 scholarship is September 15th, 2012. The award for each scholarship is $1,000.

Go Overseas is proud to support international education through scholarships available to travelers participating in volunteer abroad programs. The scholarship is awarded based on the creativity and analytical thinking displayed through writing samples and/or video submissions.Further details are as follows:

• Volunteer abroad scholarships are awarded each academic year. The award for each scholarship is $1,000.
• Go Overseas will judge entries based on the following criteria: Creativity of writing sample, displayed analytical thinking, and passion for volunteering.
• The Go Volunteer Abroad Scholarship is open to participants in volunteer programs in the upcoming year. Recipients must be successfully accepted into a volunteer abroad program. The sole purpose of this award is to assist in the funding of participation in a volunteer abroad program.
• Outstanding scholarship submissions will be posted on the Go Overseas website. All recipients will be required to participate in a pre-departure and post-return interview.

Submit your application here to apply.

All scholarship related questions should be directed to VolunteerScholarship@GoOverseas.com

Open for applications, next deadline is May 31^st 2012. Apply Now

The British Council and the Social Science Research Council are pleased to announce the launch of Our Shared Past, a collaborative grants program to encourage new approaches to world history curriculum and curricular content design in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and North America.

Our Shared Past is premised on the notion that many of the categories used to frame and teach world history—civilizations, nations, religions, and regions—occlude as much as they reveal. Although there have been successful attempts at incorporating recent historical scholarship in world history writing, the core of world history instruction continues to be shaped by civilizational, national, and regional narratives that emphasize discrete civilizations and traditions frequently set at odds with one another at the expense of historical and material connections.

Our Shared Past grants will promote the development of international scholarly communities committed to analyzing history curriculum and reframing the teaching of world history through the identification of new scholarship and the development of new curricular content that illustrate shared cultural, economic, military, religious, social, and scientific networks and practices as well as shared global norms and values that inform world history and society. The project will encourage both the synthesis of existing scholarship on these topics and the exploration of concrete ways that this reframing can be successfully introduced into teaching curriculum in European, Middle Eastern, North African, or North American contexts.

Our Shared Past grants may support workshops that convene scholars and advisory boards as well as partnerships between regional educational organizations and advocates. Additionally, projects may use a grant to support public-facing events that allow for engagement with curriculum reform around world history.

A final report must be submitted in the form of a white paper that analyzes world history curriculum in a specific country or region and details proposed curriculum reforms. A supplementary report listing grant-related activities, audiences reached through those activities, and expenditures against the grant will also be required.

The British Council and the Social Science Research Council will award five grants of up to US$75,000. The grant period will span twelve months, from September 1, 2012, to August 31, 2013. This program is supported by Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Eligibility

Grants will be made to research teams or research centers on US university campuses, including, but not limited to, Title VI National Resource Centers. While research teams/consortia that include partner institutions from the United Kingdom and/or the Middle East/North Africa region are especially encouraged, the principal investigator must be based at a US university.

Funding Priorities

Funds are available to projects that will develop robust networks of faculty who possess the expertise to study existing world history curriculum (K–14, i.e., at pre-collegiate and collegiate levels) in a specific national or regional setting and who are positioned to propose alternative curriculum design based on that scholarship. Successful projects will make use of relevant distribution channels for all project deliverables.

Priority consideration will be given to applicants with a demonstrated ability to reform curriculum design and identify partner organizations/individuals that can help to put scholarly content or specific recommendations in the hands of educators and policymakers who can influence curriculum reform at national and local levels. In the case of public events, this may include identifying non-university partners who can successfully draw appropriate audiences to the theme as well as partners who will disseminate research findings strategically.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online through the Social Science Research Council application portal. No hard copies will be accepted.

All applications are due by May 31, 2012.

Additional Information and Questions

This Program is directed by Thomas Asher, Program Director at the Social Science Research Council, and Emmanuel Kattan, Program Manager at the British Council. For further information, please contact the program directly at osp@ssrc.org. For questions for the British Council please email Tim Rivera, Project Coordinator. You may also contact Emmanuel Kattan, Project Manager at the British Council.

Since 2007, the Kiva Fellows Program has offered over 400 individuals a rare opportunity to put their skills to work in support of global microfinance.  Applicants chosen for the program serve as Kiva’s eyes and ears on the ground, working directly with our microfinance institution (MFI) field partners in over 60 countries around the globe.  The Kiva Fellow is an unpaid, volunteer position designed to increase Kiva’s impact and to offer participants a unique insider experience.