From: "Anthony Koliha" <[log in to unmask]>
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS- Teaching Islam in Eurasia, SSRC Summer Institutes
Invitation to Nominate Participants for SSRC Series of Summer Institutes on
"Teaching Islam In Eurasia," Beginning in Kazan, Russia, June 20, 2005.
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the Social Science Research Council's Eurasia Program, I would
like to invite you to nominate junior faculty from institutes of higher
education throughout the Eurasia region, and particularly from Kyrgyzstan,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tadjikistan, and Russia's region of Tatarstan, to
participate as fellows in a series of summer institutes on "Teaching Islam
in Eurasia." With funding from the Open Society Institute's Higher
Education Support Program (HESP), the SSRC Eurasia Program plans to organize
a series of three summer institutes, which will explore, through
inter-disciplinary perspectives, the conceptual, methodological and
pedagogical challenges in teaching about Islam in Eurasia, as religion, as
cultural identity and as socio-political movements. These institutes (to be
held in the summers of 2005, 2006, 2007) and complementary inter-session
activities will address institutional development, curricular resources and
student needs. The institutes will not only provide a forum and catalyst
for the sharing of expertise among individual teachers across Russia and
Central Asia, but they will also further local and international networking
opportunities and the sharing of both research and teaching methods among
all participants and their institutions.
The first two-week Summer Institute will be held on June 20-July 3, 2005 at
the Institute of Oriental Studies at Kazan State University in Kazan,
Russia. Leading faculty from the United States, Europe and Eurasia will
participate as lecturers, discussants and mentors; however, all participants
will be expected to actively share their knowledge with one another, playing
increasingly active roles as the program progresses.
The SSRC is looking for approximately 20 junior faculty members to take part
in this three-year project. Candidates should currently hold teaching
positions at institutions of higher education in the Eurasia region,
preferably in one of the above-listed countries. We are looking for
individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences in teaching Islam
and/or about Islam. Applicants should hold an advanced degree (Ph.D.) or
equivalent as conforms to the standards of their home institutions, and they
may be from social science or humanities departments at state or private
universities, from departments or centers of Oriental Studies, or from
Islamic institutes or universities. Their institutions should have a current
or planned commitment to developing courses or programs focused on Islam in
the Eurasian context.
We rely on your help in identifying strong candidates to profit from this
important opportunity. Candidates should not only exhibit strong teaching
and research skills and experience, but they should also possess the promise
and ability to successfully institute future change within their home
institutions as a result of their participation in the summer institutes.
Candidates should be proficient in English (though some exceptions may be
made for individuals on a case by case basis). Most lectures and
presentations at the Summer Institute will be presented in English; however
written versions of major lectures will be translated into Russian and
distributed in advance. Interpreters will also be available to help with
translations between Russian and English when necessary.
If you would like to recommend one or more individuals to participate in the
"Teaching Islam in Eurasia" Summer Institutes, please send us a brief e-mail
with the full name, contact information, and institutional affiliation of
the individual/s that you are recommending so that we may follow-up with
them and encourage them to apply. Due to time constraints, we hope to
receive the bulk of the applications by April 28, 2005.
Please feel free to contact the Eurasia Program staff with any questions or
comments you may have regarding this program. We thank you in advance for
your time and attention. You may direct your responses to Anthony Koliha,
assistant director of the Eurasia Program, at [log in to unmask] or by phone at
(212) 377-2700 ext. 459.
Sincerely,
SSRC Eurasia Program Staff
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