Type of Funding
Frequency
Description
The Institute for the Study of Human Rights (ISHR) at Columbia University invites applications for the Alliance for Historical Dialogue and Accountability (AHDA) Fellowship Program for Fall 2020, from post-doctoral students, ABD (all but dissertation) students and practitioners of historical dialogue and accountability in conflict, post-conflict and post-dictatorial societies. The in-residence fellowship will last about 4 months, from late August to mid-December 2020. This fellowship focuses on applied research and capacity building and is not meant for the writing of the dissertation or other extensive research projects.
The fellowship is based at Columbia University in New York City and fellows are required to be in residence in New York City. Fellows will hone practical skills in fundraising, advocacy and leadership; develop a deeper understanding of and engagement with the past; and foster relationships with their peers and with international and non-profit organizations based in New York and Washington, D.C.
When the fellows are in residence at Columbia, they attend a series of 2-hour sessions with scholars and other experts in historical dialogue. Seminars are supplemented by workshops where they are trained in skills important to the work of historical dialogue, and important to implementing a successful project.
Fellows will travel to Washington, D.C. to take advantage of the networking and advocacy opportunities available there. Fellows meet in groups and individually with relevant organizations, foundations, museums, universities and government agencies.
Fellows will design a project that addresses some aspect of a history of gross human rights violations in their society, country and/or region. Projects can be in the form of films, publications, curricula, reports, meetings, or proceedings. Fellows undertake these projects with the aim of implementing them when they return to their home communities.
Benefits
Both fully funded and partially funded fellowships are available. Fellows reside at the International House with international and US students and participate in a range of social learning and cultural activities organized by International House and Columbia University. They will audit 1 to 2 courses at Columbia University, attending classes at the School of International and Public Affairs, the Law School, The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Social Work, Teachers College and Barnard College.
Full funding covers programmatic costs, living/travel expenses and includes a small monthly stipend. Partial funding covers only a portion of these costs. In cases where Columbia University is unable to provide full funding, it will work with fellows to try to identify additional financial support.
Eligibility
Applicants can be from anywhere in the world and could be lawyers, journalists, teachers, social workers, community organizers, artists, scholars and other human rights activists working on issues related to dealing with the past such as: transitional justice, historical dialogue, memory studies, historical justice, oral history, history education.
Participants are selected on the basis of their previous work experience in work that deals with the past, their commitment to the human rights field, and demonstrated ability to pursue graduate-level studies. Full-time students will not be considered. Applicants who are mid-career and hold full or part-time jobs pursuing their advocacy efforts are preferred.
Applicants must work in the country and/or region where they live. Fluency in English is required. Fellows must commit to returning to the organization they are from, upon completion of the Program. Those who are not affiliated with an institution may still apply.
Application
Applications are to be done online by 31 January 2020.
