Religion, Spirituality, and Democratic Renewal Fellowship — Due April 6th

Social Science Research Council (USA)

The Religion, Spirituality, and Democratic Renewal (RSDR) Fellowship of the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) aims to bring knowledge of the place of religion and spirituality into scholarly and public conversations about renewing democracy in the United States. These fellowships are offered by the SSRC Program on Religion and the Public Sphere with the support and partnership of the Fetzer Institute.

Applications are due April 6, 2021, 5:00 p.m. US Eastern time. Apply online at apply.ssrc.org.

The fellowships offer research support over a period of up to 12 months to doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy and to postdoctoral researchers within five years of their PhD. Doctoral candidates will receive up to $15,000 and postdoctoral researchers up to $18,000 toward research-related expenses. Applications are welcome from scholars at either of these career stages from any country around the world.

Details at: Religion, Spirituality, and Democratic Renewal Fellowship | Social Science Research Council (SSRC) | Brooklyn, NY, USA

Funding: Jack Shand Research Grants for the social-scientific study of religion

Now Accepting Shand Research Grant Applications

A generous bequest from Jack Shand, a long–term member of Society for the Scientific Study of Religion until his death in 2001, has made it possible for SSSR to offer Jack Shand Research Grants to support research in the social scientific study of religion.

For 2021, SSSR Council allocated $45,000 to this program. As part of our commitment to racial equality, 2021 Jack Shand Research Funds will support projects on racial, ethnic, and religious minority groups. While individual grants do not ordinarily exceed $5000, it is possible to make a special request for more, to be considered at the committee’s discretion. Applicants must have finished the Ph.D. degree and must be members of SSSR. In the case of co–authored requests, one author must be a member. Intellectual merit is the criterion by which proposals will be evaluated.

Individuals are expected to use the Jack Shand award for expenses connected with their research. SSSR prioritizes applications that support direct research expenses. Shand Award funding is transferred to the principle investigator’s university unless other arrangements are made. Please note that SSSR does not allow for any indirect cost recovery.

All applications must be submitted via the online submission form, which is accessible through the link at the top of this page. Applications emailed to the committee chair or executive office will not be accepted. A Shand Research Grant application must include a project proposal (up to 4 pages, single-spaced), budget (expenses with descriptions/justifications), and the principle investigator’s curriculum vitae in PDF format. The deadline is May 1, 2021.

Funding decisions will be made by August 1, 2021.
More information: sssreligion.org/awards-grants/jack-shand-research-grants/

RFP: Religion, Spirituality, & Democratic Renewal Fellowships

The Religion, Spirituality, and Democratic Renewal (RSDR) Fellowship of the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), with the support of the Fetzer Institute, aims to bring knowledge of the place of religion and spirituality into scholarly and public conversations about renewing democracy in the United States.

These fellowships offer research support over a period of up to 12 months to doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy and to postdoctoral researchers within five years of their PhD.

We welcome proposals on all aspects and dimensions of religion and spirituality in its relation to democracy from across all fields in the social sciences, humanities, and theology.

Applications are due April 6, 2021. More information on the fellowship, eligibility, and application process is available on the Program’s website.

https://www.ssrc.org/fellowships/view/religion-spirituality-and-democratic-renewal-fellowship/

Funding Opportunity: Research on Muslim Women’s Experiences of Maternity Care

About MWNUK

Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWNUK) is a small charity (no.1155092) that works to improve social justice and equality for Muslim women and girls. We find out about their experiences through research and helpline enquiries. We identify policy and practice gaps and use this information to influence political decision makers and inform our community campaigns. We also develop resources and train women, so they are better aware of their rights. 

About the Research

MWNUK has secured funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to undertake research into Muslim women’s experiences of maternity care in England.

Research Aim

The aim of this research is to develop an in-depth understanding of the experiences of Muslim women who have accessed maternity care in the last five years in England. The main objective when analysing their experiences is to find out whether the women felt they were subjected to discriminatory attitudes and behaviours, what this looked like to them and how they felt it impacted on their health care (e.g. whether it could be contributing to increased maternal mortality and morbidity) so that lessons can be learned to mitigate existing inequalities.  

Background to the Research

The deep inequalities in maternity care and outcomes in England are well documented. Black women are 4-5 times more likely to die during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period than White women, while for Asian women it is 2-3 times more likely to be the case. A number of factors may contribute to poorer care and outcomes for certain groups of women. These include biological factors (e.g. individual physiologies or specific underlying health conditions among women from racialised minorities); structural inequalities impacting on socio-economic status, levels of education and thus capacity to communicate effectively; poor maternity practices and discriminatory attitudes among health professionals; insecure migration status leading to delays in seeking help. All of these can increase the risk of complications and limit access to ante-natal care and information. However, all women regardless of their social background or location should receive equally high standards of care. 

In this research, we focus on women’s experiences of discrimination and bias because it is essential that service providers understand what this looks like so that bespoke training can be developed to challenge / change attitudes as opposed to generic equality, diversity and inclusion training.

Research Questions

When gathering in depth information from Muslim women, questions will be designed to elicit the following information:

  • If and how experiences vary according to differing ethnicities (with a focus on Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian and Black African and African-Caribbean backgrounds), educational levels, ages, language needs and migration status;
  • If and how experiences vary according to types of maternity care e.g. antenatal advice / care; care during birth; and post-natal advice / care;
  • Perceptions of how they are dealt with by and attitudes of different healthcare practitioners
  • The standard of care received;
  • Mental health impact of experiences i.e. how it made the women feel, including whether their experiences affected their further engagement with health service professionals;
  • Perceptions of physical health impacts including: complications, traumatic births; impact on mother and baby’s health

Research Time-Table

We estimate that this research will take approximately 6 months:

  • October 2020 – desk research on BAME women’s maternal health and analysis of the results of the online survey to be conducted by MWN among Muslim women who have accessed maternity care in England over the last 5 years
  • November 2020 – interview women
  • December 2020 /January 2021 – interview women
  • January / February 2021 – analysis of interview data
  • February / March 2021– first draft of report
  • April / May 2021 – final report

Research Location

Although MWNUK is based in Birmingham, the researcher will be expected to work from home and will conduct telephone or video interviews with women across England.

Applicant Profile

We invite suitably qualified individuals to apply such as those with research experience, preferably to PhD standard and who have experience of interviewing women from Black Asian Minority Ethnic backgrounds. The ability to speak a South Asian language (preferably Urdu or Punjabi) is desirable. The post is open to women only, as it is an occupational requirement that the post be held by a woman (Schedule 9, Part 1, Paragraph 1, Equality Act 2010).

Application Time-Table

  • Deadlines for Applications: 12 noon Monday 28th September 2020
  • Interviews: Week beginning 5th October 2020

Remuneration and Scope of Work to be Covered

The researcher will be self-employed and will be paid £12,600 for the research and report which will include:

  • Analysing an online survey on Muslim women’s maternity experiences
  • Contacting women and arranging about 35 interviews
  • Analysing the interviews
  • Writing a draft followed by a final report

Note:  Although MWN will identify the women to be interviewed, the researcher may be required to provide some support to identify women for the research.

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter explaining why you are interested in carrying out this research, strengths you can bring to this piece of work and experience you have of working with and conducting research about women from racialised minorities. Cover letters should be a maximum of 3 sides of A4. Please send these to contact@mwnuk.co.uk.  By 12 noon  Monday 28th September 2020.

ICSOR Newsletter Posted

The recent Newsletter of the International Center for the Sociology of Religion has been posted on the organization’s website.  http://www.icsor.it/

Available in both English and Italian, the newsletter contains information about:

  • The ECSOR International Grant Program for 2020
  • An announcement about the School for Advanced Training in the Sociology of Religion (SAFSOR), which will be held later this autumn.
  • Two scholarships available to young researchers at the Summer School on Religions in San Cimignano.
  • Reports on this year’s grant program and last year’s SAFSOR.
  • Much other information.

Bourse postdoctorale – Fonds Gérard-Dion – Concours 2017 /Postdoctoral Fellowship – Fonds Gérard-Dion – 2017 edition

Le Fonds Gérard-Dion <http://www.fonds-gerard-dion.org>, consacré à la
recherche portant sur les faits religieux, invite la participation à son
concours annuel de la bourse postdoctorale. D’une durée de 12mois, la
bourse s’adresse notamment à une personne provenant de l’extérieur et
détentrice depuis moins de trois ans d’un doctorat d’une université
reconnue au Canada ou à l’étranger. Les qualités recherchées sont
l’aptitude au développement d’un projet de recherche comparée (autre pays /
Canada , Canada / Québec) et le désir de se constituer chercheur ou
chercheuse en résidence de l’Université Laval (Québec, Canada).

Pour plus ample information : www.fonds-gerard-dion.org
<http://www.fonds-gerard-dion.org/prog_aide_recherche.aspx>

*Date limite de dépôt des candidatures :  17 mars 2017. *

 

Dedicated to research on religion, ‘Fonds Gerard-Dion’
<http://www.fonds-gerard-dion.org/> currently invites applications for its
annual post-doctoral Fellowship. Eligible candidates to this twelve-month
fellowship must have obtained a PhD within the past three years from any
internationally recognized university.  Relevant qualifications are
interest in developing research project (comparative, Canada / Québec ) and
the desire to be an in-residence researcher at Université Laval in Québec
city, Canada.

For more information :   www.fonds-gerard-dion.org
<http://www.fonds-gerard-dion.org/prog_aide_recherche.aspx>

*Deadline: March 17th, 2017.*

Åbo Akademi Doctoral Training Network for Minority Research (MinRes) VERY SHORT NOTICE!

The Åbo Akademi Doctoral Training Network for Minority Research (MinRes) is a new network in in the Faculty of Arts, Psychology and Theology. It is based on cooperation between the disciplines psychology, theology (systematic theology and ethics), and religious studies at Åbo Akademi University.

The ambition of the doctoral network is to create a much needed cross-disciplinary network for PhD students to conduct research related specifically to understanding the current nature, conditions, and effects of devaluating attitudes and relations towards minorities. This can include themes such as the current polarization of values and populist anti-minority speech; institutional, cultural and public models of accepted identities and logics of surveillance; religious and/or ideological frameworks as motivational structures in relating to and understanding minorities; verbal or physical violence against minorities; effects of negative attitudes and violence on e.g. subjective well-being; means to prevent radicalization and decrease associated violence; and novel alternative public strategies that better foster and guarantee the protection of minorities. These themes are, however, preliminary and will be defined definitively in the initiations process of the network and through recruitment of doctoral students in order to establish a coherent and dynamic doctoral network.

In this network doctoral students will pursue their projects as a team and under the supervision of Prof. Peter Nynäs (religious studies), Prof. Mikael Lindfelt (theology) and Prof. Pekka Santtila (psychology.). The Åbo Akademi University Minority Research profile that is currently developed will provide an additional important resource for the network.

For additional information about the positions and work tasks applicants are encouraged to contact Prof. and network director Peter Nynäs, peter.nynas@abo.fi, Prof. Mikael Lindfelt, mikael.lindfelt@abo.fi, or Prof. Pekka Santtila, pekka.santtila@abo.fi.

More information: http://www.abo.fi/forskning/doctoralnetworkminres

Offre de Bourse d’Etude Française

Offre de Bourse d’Etude Française

Afin de promouvoir les compétences des ressources humaines des pays en développement, et de favoriser la compréhension et l’amitié entre les nations et le peuple Français, la Commission Nationale Française (CNF) pour l’UNESCO en accord avec la Chaire UNESCO offre un certain nombre de bourses pour l’année académique 2013/2014. Cette offre est réservée à de jeunes diplômés ayant effectué des études brillantes ressortissant des états membres le l’UNESCO.

Au total 100 (cent) Bourses sont mises à la disposition. Elles sont destinées en premier lieu aux étudiants qui souhaitent effectuer un séjour de recherche après la fin de leurs études, et non à ceux qui désirent obtenir un premier diplôme universitaire en France.

Un formulaire de présélection a été conçu en PDF et mise à la disposition de tous les candidats. Les candidats doivent impérativement faire une demande auprès de notre secrétariat et imprimer 2 exemplaires pour constituer le dossier. De plus amples informations (conditions requises, hautes écoles spécialisées, etc.) sont disponibles auprès du Secrétariat d’Etat Français à l’Education (SEFE) au courriel :
secretariatefe@ymail.com
Secrétariat d’Etat Français à l’Education (SEFE)

Call for Grant Applications and Study: Aarhus University

For those interested in pursuing study or research with the following
research groups at the Department of Culture and Society, Aarhus University:
1. Center for Contemporary Religion (CCR)
http://teo.au.dk/en/csr/intro/
2. Religion, Cognition and Culture Research Unit (RCC):
http://teo.au.dk/en/research/current/cognition/
Grant applications
AUFF, the Aarhus University Research Foundation invites interested
Master or PhD students to apply for grants to be awarded during the
first half of 2012.
http://www.au.dk/en/facultiesdepartmentsetc/otherunits/tilknyt/auff/