CFP: 2019 Southern Conference on Slavic Studies (Mobile, AL)

Deadline for Submissions: January 15, 2019

CALL FOR PAPERS 
57th Annual Meeting 
Southern Conference on Slavic Studies
Mobile, AL
March 14-17, 2019
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS: January 15, 2019

The Fifty-Seventh Annual Meeting of the Southern Conference on Slavic Studies (SCSS) will be held at the Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa in Mobile, Alabama, March 14-17, 2019. The meeting will be hosted by the University of South Alabama. The SCSS is the largest of the regional Slavic and Eurasian Studies associations and its programs attract national and international scholarly participation. The purpose of SCSS is to promote scholarship, education, and in all other ways to advance scholarly interest in Russian, Soviet, and East European studies in the Southern region of the United States and nationwide. Membership in SCSS is open to all persons interested in furthering these goals.

The John Shelton Curtiss Lecture at the Friday Banquet will be given by Dr. Kate Brown, Professor of History at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Dr Brown is the author of numerous critically-acclaimed monographs, including A Biography of No Place (2004), Plutopia (2013), and Dispatches from Dystopia (2015).  Her banquet talk, derived from her forthcoming book, is titled “Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future.”

Papers from all humanities and social science disciplines are welcome, as is a focus on countries other than Russia/USSR. We encourage participation from scholars of all Slavic, East European, and Eurasian regions. Papers can be on any time period and any topic relevant to these regions. Continue reading →

Conference: Researching and Teaching the EU: Best Practices and Current Trends in EU Scholarship (U. of Illinois)

Date: November 9-10, 2018

Annual EU Studies Conference:
“Researching and Teaching the EU: Best Practices and Current Trends in EU Scholarship”

November 9-10, 2018

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Levis Faculty Center | 919 W Illinois St | Urbana, IL 61801 | [map]
Conference web page | Online registration


Registration deadline: Friday, October 12, 2018

Special pre-conference events:

NOVEMBER 9, 2018
17th Annual EU Day 

10:30 am: Annual EU Day Keynote Address: “State of the European Union”
to be delivered by the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States, his Excellency David O’Sullivan
preceded by a welcome reception (10:00 am) and followed by luncheon (12:00 pm)

3:00-4:30 pm: Roundtable: “Elections and US-EU Relations: A Comparative Look at the Elections to the US Congress and the European Parliament and Implications for Transatlantic Relations”

followed by reception (4:30 pm)

Featuring:
former Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Mr. Bob Van den Bos as one of the speakers

Continue reading →

Study Abroad: Alt Spring Break (American Home)

Deadline for Applications: November 15, 2018

Building on six years of successful experiences, the American Home in Vladimir, Russia, will again sponsor two Alternative Spring Break Programs in March 2019 (www.serendipity-russia.com/edex.html).

“…any expectations I could possibly have had were surpassed. …I participated in a culture without being a tourist…and spent [time] outside of my carefully constructed comfort zone. The experience was nothing short of changing my worldview.” (Vanderbilt University student)

The program includes community service, homestays, excursions to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, interaction with Russian university students who are studying English, and Russian language lessons.

 Participants do not have to speak Russian to join the program.

Links to pictures, participant blogs, and television news reports are below. They may give a sense of some of the things that students can do, see, and experience while participating in the Alternative Spring Break program.

VLADIMIR (March 2-10): Help several community organizations, including the Youth Health and Education Center, Karl Liebnicht Orphanage, Russian Orthodox Church, Handicapped Children’s Association “Light”, Vladimir Regional Veterans’ Home and others, while interacting with Russian university students and experiencing the delight and wonder of provincial Russia.

MUROM (March 9-17): Help university students at the Murom Institute (an affiliate of Vladimir State University) to improve their English language skills; prepare audio and video materials for their English language program. During the Soviet period Murom was a closed city. Today it remains isolated from traditional tourist routes. Foreign language faculty and students are eager for contact with native English speakers.

Blog:

http://theamericanhome.blogspot.com/2012/05/our-first-alternative-spring-break.html

Pictures:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151290800166290.1073741825.184076861289&type=1

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150585601736290.373606.184076861289&type=1

Russian Television Reports:

http://vladtv.ru/society/78658/

http://variant33.ru/ekspressnovosti1/22590_prikosnulis_k_nacional_nym_tradiciyam/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHSmJKk5QIQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQu_46YZPnw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Yx0VcoQ7w

Grad Program: M.A. in St. Petersburg (Euro Uni.)

Deadline for Applications: October 30, 2018

European University in St. Petersburg is currently offering two MA programs in English. Many courses on various subjects are offered, in addition to Russian language courses.

–          IMARES (Russian and Eurasian Studies) focuses on Russian and Eurasian History, Politics, Culture and Arts. A full list of IMARES courses with their brief descriptions can be found here.

–          ENERPO (Energy Politics in Eurasia) is the other MA program. It provides a deep understanding of the Eurasian and global oil and gas affairs, markets and trends. A full list of ENERPO courses is available here.

Eligibility: BA degree. No prior knowledge of Russian is needed.

Study Abroad: Summer Fellowship on Holocaust (Auschwitz Jewish Center)

Deadline for Applications: January 14, 2019

The Auschwitz Jewish Center Fellows Program is now accepting applications for its Summer Fellowship. Since 2000, the AJC Fellows Program has provided a unique educational opportunity for graduate students and seniors to learn about the Holocaust in situ in the context of Poland’s history and Jewish heritage. Through travel in Poland for three weeks, during which time Fellows visit Krakow, Warsaw, Lódź, Treblinka, and Oświęcim (Auschwitz), Fellows gain not only knowledge of the Holocaust sites they visit, but also an understanding of the legacy of the Holocaust in Poland, its effects on collective memory, and complexities surrounding such categories as victim, bystander, and perpetrator. All program costs, except travel to the program’s start in New York, are covered.
Faculty participation is available through the Faculty Fellows Program.  
The Auschwitz Jewish Center Fellows Program will run from June 23 – July 15, 2019. The application is due on January 14, 2019. 
Candidates of all religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
If you have any questions, contact AJC@mjhnyc.org. 

Grad. Program: Summer Program in Public Policy (Archer Center)

Deadline for Applications: November 5, 2018

Live, Learn, and Intern in Washington, D.C, earning UT Austin credit! The Archer Center’s summer Graduate Program in Public Policy allows graduate students from all disciplines interested in policy and public service the opportunity to intern in Washington, D.C., while learning about the federal policymaking process as it pertains to their own academic and career goals. Open to students pursuing graduate or medical degrees across The University of Texas System, the program offers unparalleled opportunities to work, learn and network in the nation’s capital. Please visit the Archer Center website at www.archercenter.org or contact archeradmissions@utsystem.edu to learn more.

The Summer 2019 Graduate Program in Public Policy online application deadline is Monday, November 5, 2018 at 11:59 PM CST.

Continue reading →

Funding: Scholarships for Language Immersion (American Councils)

Deadline for Applications: October 15, 2018

There are many scholarships and fellowships available to help students pursue intensive language study in Russia, Eurasia, the Balkans, and Indonesia with American Councils next semester:

  • Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Fellowships: Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Fulbright-Hays fellowships are available to undergraduate juniors and seniors, graduate students, and US K-12 teachers pursuing advanced overseas Russian or Persian language study on American Councils’ Advanced Russian Language & Area Studies Program in Moscow or Eurasian Regional Language Program in Dushanbe. Granted on the basis of financial need and academic merit, awards are made in the amount of $7,000 for semester programs.
  • Title VIII Fellowships for Overseas Language Study: Funded by the U.S. Department of State, Title VIII fellowships are available to students enrolled in or intending to enroll in graduate study in a field relevant to U.S. policy regarding Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Fellowships are awarded on the basis of financial need and academic merit and may cover as much as 75% of total program costs on any of the following programs:

o   Advanced Russian Language & Area Studies Program (RLASP)
Offered in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladimir, and Almaty, RLASP combines intensive language instruction with a wide range of extracurricular activities, including internships and community service, regional field study excursions, meetings with conversation partners, and discussion groups with local students.

o   Eurasian Regional Language Program (ERLP)

Providing immersion in 18 Eurasian languages across 9 countries in the region, ERLP offers highly-individualized instruction, homestays, specially designed cultural programs, and expert logistical support to participants studying the languages of Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova.

o   Balkan Language Initiative (BLI)

Combining personalized academic programming in Albanian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, and Serbian with structured overseas immersion, BLI enables participants to make rapid gains in language proficiency and cultural knowledge while living and studying in Southeast Europe.

  • Dan E. Davidson Fellowships: Established in honor of American Councils’ founder and President Emeritus, the Dan E. Davidson Fellowships support highly qualified and deserving individuals who demonstrate a dedication to successful international collaboration and the development of greater mutual understanding between the U.S. and countries around the world. Fellowships of up to $6,000 for Spring 2019 semester study will be awarded for use on American Councils intensive language programs including the Advanced Russian Language & Area Studies Program, Eurasian Regional Language Program, Balkan Language Initiative, and Indonesian Overseas Program.

  • Need-Based and Diversity Scholarships: Committed to improving access to international education for groups traditionally underrepresented in study abroad, American Councils offers scholarships of $500 to $2,500 to support applicants from diverse academic, cultural, and academic backgrounds. These scholarships are available to participants on all AC Study Abroad programs.

More information about each of the funding opportunities above is available on the American Councils financial aid webpage.

The deadline to apply to all Spring 2019 American Councils programs and financial aid on the AC Study Abroad website is October 15, 2018. Please direct any questions regarding financial aid or the application process to the AC Study Abroad team at outbound@americancouncils.org.

Study Abroad: Language Immersion (American Councils)

Deadline for Applications: October 15, 2018

American Councils Study Abroad is now accepting applications for Spring 2019 intensive language immersion programs. Applications are due by October 15, 2018.

Advanced Russian Language and Area Studies Program (RLASP)

RLASP offers participants the unique opportunity to study Russian language and area studies in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladimir or Almaty, while pursuing volunteer opportunities, internships, and cultural interests in an overseas immersion setting. (Language prerequisite: two semesters of Russian)

*American Councils is pleased to offer special funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education (Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad) for advanced students of Russian participating in the program in Moscow.)

Eurasian Regional Language Program (ERLP)

The Program provides participants intensive individualized instruction in the languages of Eurasia. Participants may choose from a wide range of regional languages, including: Armenian, Azeri, Bashkir, Buryat, Chechen, Dari, Georgian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Pashto, Persian, Romanian, Tajiki, Tatar, Turkish, Ukrainian, Uzbek, and Yakut. (Language prerequisite: two semesters of the target language or a related language)

*American Councils is pleased to offer special funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education (Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad) for advanced students of Persian participating in the program in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.)

Balkan Language Initiative (BLI)

The American Councils Balkan Language Initiative provides graduate students, advanced undergraduates, working professionals, and scholars intensive individualized instruction in the languages of the Balkans. Participants may choose to study one of 5 regional languages including: Albanian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, and Serbian. (Language prerequisite: two semesters of the target language or a related language)

Indonesian Overseas Program (IOP)

Open to students of all proficiency levels, the Indonesia Overseas Program is an intensive semester- or academic year-long overseas immersion program in Malang, Indonesia. It offers students the opportunity to gain new cultural knowledge and language competency while experiencing the vibrant everyday life and rich traditions of Indonesia. No prior knowledge of Indonesian is required.

ALL PROGRAMS OFFER…

  • Comprehensive pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C. as well as on-site orientation in each host city;
  • Expert faculty and classrooms of only 2 to 6 participants to maximize individual attention to each learner’s needs;
  • 15-20 hours per week of in-class target language instruction in grammar, phonetics, conversation, culture and area studies;
  • Housing with carefully-vetted host families;
  • U.S. academic credit administered through Bryn Mawr College;
  • Conversation partners who assist U.S. students with language learning;
  • Creative excursions that go beyond typical tourist destinations and offer students new insights into the host country life and culture.

Students admitted to American Councils programs are eligible to receive financial support from a wide range of sources, including the U.S. Department of State (Title VIII), U.S. Department of Education (Fulbright-Hays), Boren, FLAS, Gilman, and the American Councils Study Abroad Scholarship Fund.

Of particular note among the scholarships offered is the Dan Davidson Fellowship. This fellowship  supports highly qualified and deserving individuals who would otherwise not have the opportunity to build the skills that allow them to operate, negotiate, and establish ties in countries critical to U.S. economic, political, and social interests through language study and area studies coursework. Awards range up to $6,000 for semester study.

APPLICATION & QUESTIONS

Prospective applicants should check the program website for more information and to access the online application. The application deadline for these programs and fellowships is October 15, 2018. Please do not hesitate to reach out either by phone (202-833-7522) or by email with any questions regarding the programs or the application process.