Smith College Job Opening

Jane Wright Ketcham 1953 Professorship in Middle East Studies

The Program in Middle East Studies at Smith College invites applications from senior scholars to serve as the inaugural occupant of the Jane Wright Ketcham '53 Chair in Middle East Studies, beginning July 2015. This appointment will be at the associate or full professor level with tenure.

We seek a distinguished scholar of the Middle East with a focus on issues in the contemporary Arab world. Scholarly proficiency in Arabic is required; knowledge of other regional languages is desirable. Candidates for this appointment must have a track record of intellectual leadership in the field and a passion for undergraduate training.  Applications are encouraged from broadly trained scholars of the region, as well as those with comparative training in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Palestine, and/or Turkey.

The successful candidate will be a scholar-teacher trained in the history, economics, politics, societies, and/or cultures of the region, and will be able to teach across disciplines. We are especially interested in applicants whose specializations enhance the existing strengths of our Program in Middle East Studies (www.smith.edu/mes).

Submit applications online: http://apply.interfolio.com/26948 with a letter of application, a C.V., a statement of teaching and research, and three confidential letters of recommendation from fellow scholars of Middle Eastern Studies.

Review of applications begins December 1, 2014.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE WRITING WORKSHOP

Wednesday, October 29
10:00 am-11:00 am
1636 International Institute
School of Social Work Building

Tips for writing your statement of purpose for international fellowship funding applications.

Expert advice from a Sweetland writing professional:

• Formulating your research question
• Appealing to the selection committee
• Explaining why you need foreign language training
• Defining goals for overseas travel

Funding Opportunities Include:

• Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships
• International Institute Individual Fellowships
• Rackham International Research Award (RIRA)
• Grants from Area Studies Centers (please check individual Centers for opportunities)

University of Maryland Summer Language Institute

Arabic, Chinese, Persian

June 1 - August 5, 2015

Our program is open to all talented students of Arabic, Persian and Chinese (Incoming Freshmen, Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, Military, Working Professionals, etc). The average student attending will have made a serious, long term commitment to learning their target language, be prepared to study intensively for nine weeks, and be performing well academically at their home institution. Due to the intensive nature of the program, it will not be possible to take other courses or work during the program.

Program Highlights:

· One full academic year (12 credits) of language learning in one intensive summer;

· Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced instruction (and 4th year, content level in Persian);

· Language partners for additional support, one-on-one speaking practice, and tutoring;

· Varied and interesting hands-on cultural events and field trips and networking opportunities, making the most of our proximity to Washington, DC;

· More than 35 hours of in-language coursework, language partners, and cultural activities per week;

· Competitive scholarships available to help offset the cost of attendance.

Early Bird Application Deadline: March 2, 2015

Priority Application Deadline: March 20, 2015

**You must apply by the Priority Deadline to be considered for scholarships.

Additional information about our Summer Institutes can be found at our website: http://sllc.umd.edu/special-programs/summerinstitute.

Call for Papers: SYMPOSIA IRANICA

SECOND BIENNIAL IRANIAN STUDIES CONFERENCE

Hosted by the University of Cambridge, 8-9 April 2015

***Deadline: 15 November 2014***

Applications are warmly invited for papers that relate to any aspect of Iranian studies in any discipline within the humanities and social sciences. This includes but is by no means limited to: ancient through to contemporary history and historiography; anthropology; archaeology; cultural heritage and conservation; social and political theory; Diaspora studies; ecology and the environment; economics; historical geography; history of medicine; art and architecture history; education; international relations and political science; epigraphy, languages, literature, linguistics and philology; new media and communication studies; philosophy; religions and theology; classical studies; sociology; film studies and the performing arts.

Comparative themes and interdisciplinary approaches are also very welcome.

All proposals are subject to double blind peer review.

SUBMISSIONS

We welcome proposals from the following:

1. Postgraduate students (currently enrolled or graduating in 2014);

2. PhD students at any stage of their degree; and

3. Post-docs (subject to graduation within the last three years).

MORE INFORMATION

Established in 2012, Symposia Iranica inaugurated at the University of St Andrews with 99 speakers in 2013 as the first early career scholar-focused forum in the field. Our objectives are both to bring together students and early career scholars to celebrate, encourage and stimulate their interest and engagement with Iranian studies, and to deliver a rounded, academically and professionally enriching experience that will have a real impact on the thinking, output and career progression of our participants.

For details on the conference, see our website: symposia-iranica.com

To get updates directly to your newsfeed, follow us on: facebook.com/SymposiaIranica

For a virtual tour of Downing College, see: symposia-iranica.com/cambridge/

Last year’s brochure can be found here: symposia-iranica.com/first-biennial/

SPONSORS

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the British Institute of Persian Studies, the Soudavar Memorial Foundation, the Barakat Trust, Iran Heritage Foundation, the Shahnama Centre for Persian Studies, the Global Heritage Fund, the Magic of Persia Foundation, I.B.Tauris Publishers, Brill Publishers, and the University of Cambridge.

Job Opportunity: Assistant Professor, Pitzer College

Assistant Professor in Arabic Language and Culture 

(with a secondary specialization in French or another language preferred)

Pitzer College, a member of the Claremont Colleges, invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor in Arabic language and culture, with a secondary specialization in French or another language preferred, starting in Fall 2015. The successful candidate will teach a total of five courses per year, with an emphasis on colloquial Arabic. The position will be housed in Pitzer’s existing Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures field group. We seek candidates with a strong commitment to undergraduate education, experience teaching Arabic at all levels to undergraduates in North American universities. Evidence of an active scholarly agenda is essential. A Ph.D. by the time of appointment is expected.

Expertise desired in areas of contemporary relevance that could include, but are not limited to, Cinema and Media Studies, Language Pedagogy, Literature, Popular Culture, Second Language Acquisition, and Sociolinguistics. The position will be housed in Pitzer’s existing Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures field group.

The successful candidate‘s responsibilities in teaching and program development will include:

·         developing a standards-based communicative approach;

·         participating in curriculum design, materials development, and assessment of language proficiency;

·         designing and implementing an integrated community-based curricular component for Arabic language students;

·         student advising and service in college governance;`

·         developing upper-level courses in Arabic in the candidate’s area(s) of specialization.

Pitzer College has developed a regionally and nationally recognized community-based language learning approach that strengthens ties with neighboring communities and Study Abroad sites. Candidates whose interest and research connects to ethnographic methods, interdisciplinary work and the intersection of global/local issues and language might find the Los Angeles area and the connection with study abroad sites an attractive opportunity for their scholarship.

Pitzer College has a strong institutional commitment to diversity in all areas and strongly encourages candidates from underrepresented groups. We favor candidates who can contribute to the College’s distinctive educational objectives, which promote interdisciplinary perspectives, intercultural understanding, and concern with social responsibility and the ethical implications of knowledge and action. Pitzer College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. For the successful applicant with the relevant interests, affiliations are possible with the intercollegiate departments of Africana Studies, Asian American Studies, Chican@/Latin@ Studies, and/or the Intercollegiate Feminist Center for Teaching, Research, and Engagement.

To apply, please visit FacultyJobs@Pitzer to submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, selected evidence of excellence in teaching and research, statement of teaching philosophy, description of research, and a list of three persons who will provide letters of recommendation to Pitzer by the deadline. Additionally, candidates should include a separate statement that addresses how their cultural, experiential, and/or academic background contributes to the understanding of diversity at the College. The deadline for applying is October 31, 2014, or until the position is filled. Applications received before the deadline will be given preference. Candidates should indicate if they plan to attend the Modern Language Association conference in January, 2015, where preliminary interviews will be held.  Campus interviews will follow in mid to late February, 2015. Due to the high number of applications we receive, we ask that you please e-mail your questions to: ALC_Search@Pitzer.edu .

Pitzer College — a private, undergraduate, coeducational college of the liberal arts and sciences — is consistently ranked among the best such colleges in the country. Located in Claremont, California, a city about 35 miles east of Los Angeles, Pitzer is a member of The Claremont Colleges consortium and benefits from the shared resources of seven institutions.

MEI Leadership Development Internship

The Middle East Institute 

Now accepting applications for 

spring internship program, beginning in early January 2015.

MEI offers an array of internship opportunities that engage a wide range of professional interests and talents. On a given day, former Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford's research assistant might conduct open-source news analysis of extremist and moderate Syrian groups on Twitter and YouTube, while our Programs and Communications interns might organize and help host a panel to discuss cultural racketeering and antiquities theft in Egypt. With over 20 intern positions across 7 different departments, we have a variety of positions that attract a very diverse pool of interns.

Although our internships are unpaid, MEI works to ensure that its interns are compensated for their contributions. We offer free language classes, daily travel reimbursement, a year-long subscription to the Middle East Journal, and a series of talks, the Intern Development Series, exclusively dedicated to advancing our interns' professional lives and their knowledge of the region.

For more information, visit the MEI website.

Boren Scholarships and Fellowships 2015-2016

Applications for the 2015-2016 David L. Boren Scholarships and Fellowships are now available at www.borenawards.org. 

Boren Awards provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study in Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East, where they can add important international and language components to their educations.

Boren Scholars and Fellows represent a variety of academic backgrounds, but all are interested in studying less commonly taught languages, including but not limited to Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili. As part of the African Languages Initiative, Boren Award applicants have the opportunity to further their study of Akan/Twi, French, Portuguese, Swahili, Wolof, or Zulu. For a complete list of languages, visit our website.  

Undergraduate students can receive up to $20,000 for an academic year’s study abroad and graduate students up to $30,000 for language study and international research. In exchange for funding, recipients commit to working in the federal government for a minimum of one year.

National Application Deadlines

Boren Fellowship: January 27, 2015

Boren Scholarship: February 4, 2015*

(*The University of Michigan campus deadline is: January 14, 2015. Visit our website for information about your campus deadline and Boren campus representative.)

For more information about the Boren Awards, to register for one of our upcoming webinars, and to access the on-line application, please visit www.borenawards.org. You can also contact the Boren Awards staff at boren@iie.org or 1-800-618-NSEP with questions.

The Boren Awards are initiatives of the National Security Education Program (NSEP) and are administered by the Institute of International Education. 

Information Session, Clinton Fellowship for Service in India

The University of Michigan  Center for South Asian Studies (CSAS) will hold an information session with The American India Foundation's William J Clinton Fellowship for Service in India on October 20th, 2014, room 1644 School of Social Work Building, at 11:00 AM.

Come to learn more about this unique opportunity to catalyze social and economic change in India.  

The AIF Clinton Fellowship for Service provides a select group of young professionals from the USA and India the opportunity to work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and social enterprises for 10 months, in order to accelerate impact for marginalized and underprivileged communities in India.   

The info session will be your chance to interact with alumni and staff of the program, to learn more about the experience, and to give you an edge in the application process.  

Applications for service starting in September 2015 will be open November 1st, 2014.