Deadline: April 15, 2021
Applications for the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) Global Academy 2021-2022 are now open. The MESA Global Academy is an interdisciplinary initiative of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) designed to sustain essential research collaborations and knowledge production among MENA-focused academics by providing competitive scholarships to displaced scholars from the MENA region currently located in North America.
The Global Academy will award up to 12 scholars in the field of Middle East Studies a $5,000 grant to further their research and collaboration with MENA-focused scholars in North America. The Global Academy will support up to six scholars working in the area of governance, accountability, and the rule of law, and six scholars working on fairness and economic equality. The Global Academy conceives of these two areas in interdisciplinary terms, and invites scholars to apply from the humanities and social sciences, from comparative literature, history, and Islamic studies to political science, anthropology, economics, and beyond.
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.
Award
- The $5,000 award covers both travel and research expenses, with travel funds contingent on the reinstitution of in-person events.
Eligibility
- Open to Middle East Studies scholars from the MENA region who are currently displaced in North America.
- Applicants should be holding a PhD or equivalent in a field in the social sciences or humanities (graduate students will not be considered);
- The primary institutional affiliation was in the MENA region prior to displacement; and
- A publication record indicating scholarly productivity (in English, French, a native MENA language, or principal research language of the field).
Application
The deadline for applications is April 15, 2021. You may reach out to Mimi Kirk, Program Manager, at [email protected] with any questions about the Global Academy or technical difficulties with the application process.
For more information, visit MESA Academy.
