Short-term Research Grants
a) Description
IIIT invites applications for short-term research grants for Fall 2017. Maximum amount for short-term research grant is $2,500. These grants are meant to support research and writing by individual scholars. Grants could include funding for travel, research support, publication and dissemination of results. Grants must be distributed during Fall 2017 semester, and before December 31, 2017. If intended for travel, grants will be disbursed in the form of reimbursement after the grant holder completes travel and submits all receipts to IIIT for reimbursement. Academic nature of the project should follow the IIIT policies and guidelines for individual grant applications.
b) Areas of research
IIIT is specifically looking for proposals in the following area:
Reform of Education – Theoretical works, case studies, ‘success’ stories, and other issues related to reform of all levels of education in Muslim states and societies; case studies on lessons learned from reform of education in non-Muslim states and societies; reform of curriculum and pedagogical practices.
In addition, proposals may be submitted in any of the categories mentioned below. However, please note that these proposals may not receive the same level of priority.
- Epistemology and decolonization of knowledge – Methodologies of integrating revealed knowledge (al-wahy) and human/social sciences; Revelation as a source of knowledge; reason and revelation; decolonization of knowledge and its impact on education; integration of knowledge as decolonization; research methods in Islamic studies/thought.
- Renewal of Islamic Thought – Theoretical/methodological studies that would bring new awareness of crucial issues related to the renewal of Islamic thought; developing theologies and methodologies to deal with major issues of our time (New Atheism, violence, gender and sexuality, environment, social and political organization, secularism); study of reform movements, their successes and failures; Qur’anic and Prophetic methodologies of societal reform; legal and constitutional reforms in Muslim societies: new directions in Islamic social, political, and/or economic thought.
- New Methodologies in the Study of the Qur’an and Sunnah (‘Ulum al-Qur’an and ‘Ulum al-Hadith) – Studies in modern logic, linguistics, and other areas that may yield new insights into the approaches to the Qur’an and Sunnah; textual criticism in hadith (naqd mutun al-hadith); new approaches to the tafsir; objectives (Maqasid) of the Qur’an; new directions in the study of the Qur’an and Hadith.
- Maqasid al-Shari‘ah, Ethics and Public Policy – The maqasidi discourse and its relationship with usul al-fiqh; how can the maqasidi approaches inform ethical considerations, public policy making and/or implementation?; what new insights into public policy making could be obtained by using the maqasidi theories and approaches?; uses and limits of the maqasidi discourses.
- Islamic philosophy, spirituality and literary criticism – Rethinking and reappropriation of Islamic philosophy; tazkiyah al-nafs; psychospiritual studies; technologies of the self; literature, literary criticism, and cultural production.
- Social science studies – Priority is given to studies that integrate Islamic epistemologies with contemporary social sciences, or social studies that improve our understanding of various issues related to Muslim communities in the US and abroad.
c) Grant recipient’s obligations
Grant recipient will acknowledge IIIT’s support when she/he produces a publishable outcome or presents research at academic venues. In some instances, grant award may be contingent on the applicant’s agreement to publish research outcome with IIIT (as a book, a monograph, an occasional paper, or in AJISS). IIIT may invite grant recipient to present her/his work at the Institute. Completed papers should be sent to IIIT for archival purposes, within three months after end of the grant period.
d) Deadline for applications
The deadline for IIIT short-term research grants application is Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. The application should be received latest by 11:59pm ET on Sept. 15.
e) Eligibility
The applicant must have their PhD degree in hand and be a resident of the U.S. or Canada.
e) How to apply?
Full application contains the following:
- Completed application form (available here)
- Proposal (not longer than 2 pages, Times New Roman 12-point font, single-spaced), which includes: description of the project, timeline for completion, proposed outcome(s).
- Bibliography (not longer than 2 pages)
- Academic CV (max.5 pages)
- Sample of published work (a chapter from the book, an article, dissertation chapter etc.)
- IRB approval letter (if applicable)
All items related to the application should be combined into a single PDF file. Shortlisted candidates may be interviewed via phone.
Completed application should be emailed to submissions@iiit.org. All related inquiries should be emailed to Saulat Pervez, Executive Assistant to Director of Research and Academic Programs, at saulat@iiit.org.