To stimulate new and diverse lines of discourse about the Middle East and Africa, ASMEA’s Research Grants Program will support research on topics that deserved greater attention.

2016 Research Grants Program Subject Areas

To stimulate new and diverse lines of discourse about the Middle East and Africa, ASMEA’s Research Grants Program seeks to support research on topics that deserve greater attention. The topic areas and sub-topics listed below are intended as a guide for potential participants in the program and constitute the types of subjects that ASMEA intends to support. An applicant may submit a proposal on any topic as long as it is directly relevant to the five broad areas outlined below, and constitutes new and original research.

Applicants with questions about the topic areas or about the program in general may contact us at info@asmeascholars.org.

Modes of Governance

• Repression, corruption, and regime maintenance.
• The façade of democracy and potential progress.
• Secret police, indoctrination and ethnic cleansing.
• Economic stagnation and prospects for progress

The Plight of Women and Minorities

• Gains or setbacks for women in the modern period.
• Changing relationships between Umma and Dhimmi.
• The slave trade in North Africa and the Gulf.
• Middle East Christians, Alevis, Berbers, Kurds, and Yazidis.

Jihad and Terrorism 

• Sunni vs. Shia- conflicting visions and cooperative efforts.
• Religious roots and interpretations.
• Regional conflicts and coping strategies.

Faith

• Changing expressions of Muslim faith.
• Who are the reformers?
• Apostasy and conversions out of Islam.
• Faith practice by religions minorities in the face of Islamism.

Defying Tradition- Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n’ Roll

• Limits on personal freedom- tradition, faith, and cultural norms.
• Enforced compliance- vice police, penal codes, honor killings.
• The impact of pornography and drug consumption.
• LGBT practice and identity. 

Research Grants Program

The Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa is pleased to offer research grants of up to $2500 to qualified professors and students engaged in the study of the Middle East and Africa. 

Guidelines:

• Applicants must be engaged in ongoing study of the Middle East or Africa and be enrolled in a Ph.D. program (with M.A. complete), or; serve in a post-doc capacity, or; serve as a visiting/assistant/associate/full professor teaching two or more courses per semester at an accredited institution.
• Applicants may be affiliated with any academic discipline. First time and junior grant applicants are preferred but each application will be judged on its merits.
• Applications must be accompanied by a paper proposal that represents new and un-published research and is relevant to the qualifying research areas designated by ASMEA. Research topic areas can be found here https://asmea.nonprofitcms.org/c/conferences/4/pages/topics
• Applicants must submit a brief letter of reference from their department chair. Students also must submit proof of enrollment and expected graduation date.
• Applications will be accepted only from ASMEA members and via the ASMEA website. To join ASMEA, click here http://www.asmeascholars.org/membership/membership-overview/
• Successful applicants will be required to present their research at the Ninth Annual ASMEA Conference on October 27-29, 2016 in Washington, D.C. and provide ASMEA the right of first refusal for potential publication in the peer-reviewed Journal of the Middle East and Africa.
• Applicants may use grants to cover any costs associated with conducting research for the specified proposal.
• All research and writing must be completed by the deadline for final papers on December 9, 2016. Projects that go into 2017 will not be considered.
• Applicants may apply to more than one ASMEA grant program in 2016. However, only one grant will be awarded per successful applicant.

The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2016.

If you have questions, you may refer to our FAQs page https://asmea.nonprofitcms.org/c/conferences/4/pages/faqs or contact us at info@asmeascholars.org or 202-429-8860. 

This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

https://asmea.nonprofitcms.org/c/conferences/4/pages/topics