SSRC DISSERTATION WORKSHOPS

[Sibelan E S Forrester]

Governance in Eurasia:
Historical and Contemporary Approaches
March 5-7, 2004 University of Texas, Austin
The Eurasia Program of the Social Science Research Council invites
applications for a three-day dissertation workshop focusing on the
topic of governance, broadly conceived, to be held in March 2004 at
the University of Texas, Austin. Graduate students from social
science disciplines and the related humanities who are at any stage
of the dissertation process (from proposal to write-up), and whose
projects examine Eurasia, are eligible to apply. While applications
from all fields are welcome, we look for those that are most grounded
in, or that invite comparative perspectives on social science theory
and methodology.

While the term "governance" often has been confined to political and
economic frames, this workshop aims to recognize and cultivate the
interdisciplinarity required to recognize and understand interactions
between states, individuals, social institutions, and economic actors
in both contemporary and historical perspective. We encourage a broad
conceptualization of governance that includes but is not limited to:

state society relations (political change, economic change, human
health and welfare)
relations among and between families, kinship groups, social and
economic networks (formal and informal), and non-governmental
institutions
systems of cultural production and social order
We particularly invite applications that link governance issues to
local, regional and transnational/international processes.

Ten graduate students and five faculty discussants will attend the
2004 workshop.Participants convene for three days of intensive and
critical discussion of the students' dissertation projects, alongside
larger theoretical and methodological issues. The SSRC covers all
transportation, accommodation, and related expenses for participants.

Applicants should submit the following material by 12 December 2003
in order to be eligible:

a five page, double-spaced summary of the dissertation project
highlighting its relationship to the objectives of the workshop
one letter of academic recommendation from the applicant's primary advisor
curriculum vitae
If selected, participants will be required to submit a 15-25 page
dissertation chapter or writing sample. Selected participants will
receive detailed information as to the requirements for the writing
sample, which will be due by February 20th, 2004. The five page
applications statements, writing samples and CV's will be circulated
among all conference participants.

To be eligible, applicants must be US citizens or permanent
residents, currently enrolled in an accredited PhD program, and
working at some stage on their dissertation projects. The deadline
for receipt of applications is December 12, 2003. Decisions regarding
final participants will be announced by January 20th, 2004.

Funding is provided by the United States Department of State, Program
for Research and Training for Eastern Europe and the Independent
States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII).

Please address all inquiries and correspondence, including applications to:
Eurasia Program
Social Science Research Council
810 Seventh Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 377-2700
Fax: (212) 377-2727
E-Mail: <mailto:eurasia at ssrc.org>Eurasia at ssrc.org
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Social Science Research Council and Princeton University
Russia/Eurasia in World Context: A Dialogue with Middle East Studies
Princeton University April 2-4, 2004

The Eurasia Program of the Social Science Research Council, in
partnership with Princeton University's Institute for International
and Regional Studies (PIIRS) and its Russian Studies Program, invites
applications for a three-day dissertation workshop that transgresses
area studies boundaries. Scholarship addressing world regions, such
as Russia/Eurasia, has had productive if sometimes contentious
interactions across the disciplines, but an equally important
challenge for area studies is to engage in dialogue across geographic
boundaries.

This workshop encourages Russia/Eurasia dissertation projects, on any
topic, to cross the physical and perhaps intellectual borders of the
field, especially southwards. What can Russian/Eurasian studies learn
from Middle Eastern Studies? How does Russia/Eurasia look in light of
Middle Eastern Studies? Do we find overlap in research agendas,
frameworks and conceptualization, lessons and pitfalls? How can we
sharpen our analyses and develop new questions?

Are interpretive categories-empire, nation, state, society, gender,
modernism, modernity, authoritarianism, democracy-used similarly or
differently in Middle Eastern versus Russian/Eurasian studies?

What transnational issues-water resources, oil, environment, health,
disease, governance, private corporations, terrorism, corruption,
economic development, trade, IT, diaspora, cultural exchange-do, or
do not link Russia/Eurasia with other regions, especially the Middle
East?

The Middle East is perhaps the world region most frequently cast in
cultural and religious terms. How and in what specific ways are
culture and religion treated with respect to Russia/Eurasia?

The Middle East is often thought to be the most politicized area of
scholarship, more so than Soviet Studies during the cold war. In what
ways are politics, inside and outside the region, related to the
production of knowledge about Russia/Eurasia? What is the relation
between knowledge produced inside and outside the region?

Graduate students from social science disciplines and related
humanities who are at any stage of the dissertation (proposal to
write-up) are eligible to apply. Applicants whose primary research is
in Russian/ Eurasian studies are not expected to have expertise in
Middle Eastern Studies; doctoral researchers in Middle Eastern
Studies whose work reaches out to Russian/Eurasian areas and themes
in any way are encouraged to apply.

Ten graduate students and five faculty discussants will attend the
2004 workshop. Participants convene for three days of intensive and
critical discussion of the students' dissertation projects, alongside
larger theoretical and methodological issues. The SSRC and Princeton
University cover all transportation, accommodation, and related
expenses for participants.

Based on the success of this first workshop, SSRC and Princeton
envision continuing with additional workshops to promote dialogues
between Russia/Eurasia and East Asian Studies as well as European
Studies. Participation in multiple workshops would be possible.

Applicants should submit the following material by 12 December 2003
in order to be eligible.
A five page, double spaced summary of the dissertation project
One letter of academic recommendation from the applicant's primary advisor
Curriculum Vitae
If selected, participants will be required to submit a 15-25 page
dissertation chapter or writing sample. Selected participants will
receive detailed information as to the requirements for the writing
sample, which will be due by February 20, 2004. The five page
application statements, writing samples and CVs will be circulated
among all conference participants.

To be eligible, applicants must be US citizens or permanent
residents, currently enrolled in an accredited PhD program, and
working (at any stage) on their dissertation projects. The deadline
for receipt of applications is December 12, 2003. Decisions regarding
final participants will be announced by January 20, 2004.

Please address all inquiries and correspondence, including applications to:

Eurasia Program
Social Science Research Council
810 Seventh Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 377-2700
Fax: (212) 377-2727
E-mail: <mailto:eurasia at ssrc.org>Eurasia at ssrc.org
Funding is provided by the United States Department of State, Program
for Research and Training for Eastern Europe and the Independent
States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII) and by the Princeton
University Institute for International and Regional Studies (PIIRS),
as well as the University's Shelby Cullom Davis Center for Historical
Studies.

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