Call for Applications
MESA Global Academy
Scholarships for Displaced Scholars from the Middle East & North Africa
2021-2022 Academic Year
Deadline: 15 April 2021
Click Here to Apply
The MESA Global Academy is excited to announce a call for applications for 2021-2022 scholarships for displaced scholars from the Middle East currently located in North America. The Global Academy will award up to 12 scholars in the field of Middle East Studies $5,000 grants to further their research and collaboration with MENA-focused scholars in North America. The Global Academy will support up to six scholars working on governance, accountability, and the rule of law, and six scholars working on fairness and economic equality; these two areas are conceived of in interdisciplinary terms, and scholars are invited to apply from the humanities and social sciences, from comparative literature, history, and Islamic studies to political science, anthropology, economics, and beyond. Applications are due 15 April 2021. To learn more about this opportunity and apply, click here.
Eligibility
The MESA Global Academy is offering competitive scholarships to Middle East Studies scholars from the MENA region who are currently displaced in North America. Eligibility criteria for the scholarships include: 1) holding a PhD or equivalent in a field in the social sciences or humanities (graduate students will not be considered); 2) the primary institutional affiliation was in the MENA region prior to displacement; and 3) a publication record indicating scholarly productivity (in English, French, a native MENA language, or principal research language of the field).
Areas of Focus
Governance, Accountability, and the Rule of Law
This research cluster focuses on the potential for rule of law enhancement and governance reform in the MENA region following the Arab uprisings. Topics connected to this thematic cluster include, but are not limited to: judicial independence; designing anti-corruption reforms; decentralization and increased participation; equity and inclusiveness in public service delivery; impartial law enforcement; and transparency and accountability promotion within the administrative state.
Fairness and Economic Equality
This research cluster focuses on the demands for socio-economic justice emanating from a region that is marked by an unprecedented degree of socio-economic inequality, a youth bulge, and high levels of unemployment. Topics to be addressed in this cluster include, but are not limited to: socio-economic demands in the region and increasing present-day inequalities; constitutional protections for socio-economic rights; preventive health services; inter-generational poverty; labor markets; education and social mobility; youth employment; food and water insecurity; environmentally sustainable social development; expanding access to basic services; trends in public expenditure for infrastructure investment; and the relationship between sustainable development goals and social justice.
Expectations
Global Academy scholars will be required to attend a number of research workshops hosted by partner universities in their area of focus. Each must present their own research at one workshop and serve as a discussant at another; other engagements are welcome and encouraged. The scholars will also be required to attend four professional development workshops. In addition, scholars will be sponsored to attend and participate in at least one MESA Annual Meeting (currently scheduled for October 2021 and December 2022). The $5,000 award covers both travel and research expenses, with travel funds contingent on the reinstitution of in-person events.