Announcement of Research Support: From a Democratic Breakthrough to Challenges of Consolidation
• Applications are due on October 20
• Selections will be made by October 31
• Grants will be awarded in the amounts of $2,000 to $6,000
• At the conclusion of the research period, grantees may apply to participate in a two-part conference in Los Angeles and in Yerevan planned for May 2020.
• Grantees conducting research in the region may take advantage of accommodations at the USC Tacori Center in Armenia.
ABOUT
This call aims to provide an opportunity for original academic and policy research that will address Armenia’s political transformation. In the Spring of 2018, the world watched as large-scale peaceful protests combined with acts of civil disobedience overthrew Armenia’s autocratic regime in what came to be known as the Velvet Revolution. Free of influence from outside forces, this democratic transition has altered the regional fabric. Unlike previous movements in the post-Soviet space and the Middle East, it was not geopolitically polarizing. The movement was decentralized and disciplined, and nonviolent tactics were applied with consistency and determination. The Armenian transition, driven by non elites and built on decades of civic activism, unfolded through the country’s institutions rather than against them. Following the formation of a new government, Armenia’s institutions have begun the processes of reforms, moving from the streets to institution-building.
The month-long transformation itself, as well as the period that followed, are of interest to those pursuing democratization and civic empowerment everywhere in the world.
THE GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THIS CALL ARE TO EXAMINE:
• The interests, institutions, socio-economic conditions, values, identities, and regional as well as global security conditions that shaped the context and primed the groundwork of the movement
• The strategies and events that facilitated the Velvet Revolution
• The challenges of democratic consolidation
THE INSTITUTE WELCOMES PROPOSALS FROM PH.D. STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:
• Fabrics of the Transition
• Civic Culture and Social Change
• Economy
• Governance
• Institutions
• Foreign Policy and Regional Integration
HOW TO APPLY
The Institute welcomes proposals for research that will address any aspect of the listed topics. Grants will cover new and ongoing research. Applications, in English, should be submitted as a single document (Word or PDF) that includes:
• A proposal narrative of no more than 1,000 words which outlines the rationale for the project, research question(s) and plan, research methodology, theoretical framework(s), and expected outcomes.
• A detailed one-page budget indicating the items for which the applicant is seeking funding. The budget should only list direct research expenses, such as the cost of hiring a transcriber, purchasing computer software, transportation, including travel to the region, etc. It should not include stipends.
• Curriculum Vitae of no more than 10 pages.
SEND THE APPLICATION TO [email protected] BY OCTOBER 20.
DUE BY FEBRUARY 25, 2020
Grant recipients are expected to submit a 1,000 word progress report by February, 25, 2020. The report should include:
• Description of data / material collection process and outline of research methods
• Timeline for completion of the project
• Challenges and difficulties
DUE BY APRIL 19, 2020
Grant recipients are expected to complete and submit a 1,000 word FINAL report by APRIL 19, 2020. The report should include:
• Summary of findings
• Challenges and difficulties
• Conference/publication prospects
This project is made possible by the USC Institute of Armenian Studies, in partnership with the Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.