OARS funding Political Science

In response to the White House and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) call to action for evidence-based reforms across the federal government, the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy is launching a competition for low-cost randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that seek to build valid, actionable evidence about "what works" in U.S. social spending. This is designed as a high-visibility, three-year initiative, whose purpose is to demonstrate the feasibility and value of low-cost RCTs to a wide policy and philanthropic audience. In its first year, the competition will select and fund three low-cost RCTs that meet the criteria for policy importance and other factors described in the application packet. We will also be co-sponsoring a workshop on low-cost RCTs with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in mid-2014 in Washington DC, aimed at exploring wider government and philanthropic use of such studies with leading researchers, and officials of the White House and OMB, federal agencies, Congress, philanthropic foundations, state/local government, and other organizations that help shape social spending.

The directorates for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) invite investigators to submit proposals that address the need to develop new and deeper understandings of privacy in today's networked world. Our interest spans both disciplinary and interdisciplinary research in an array of SBE sciences. Proposals for workshops to explore novel and interdisciplinary SBE and SBE/CISE approaches to privacy are also welcome. Below are some examples of the types of topics that SBE scientists or teams of SBE and CISE scientists could conceivably propose under this Dear Colleague Letter. The list is not exhaustive and is meant to suggest the broad spectrum of possibilities for research in this area. Topics might include, but are by no means limited to the following: The social and psychological functions of privacy The relationship between technical and psychological conceptualizations of privacy and trust Factors encouraging attention or inattention to privacy, including the role of technology The psychological or social consequences of privacy violations, especially those involving technology Institutional engagement with privacy-invading technologies, including adaptation to, utilization and avoidance The contextual nature of privacy and understanding what constitutes privacy or privacy violations in different social, political, cultural or technical contexts Privacy issues and impacts across different levels of analysis (e.g., the individual, dyad, group, organization, sector, or societal level) and with different kinds of technologies

One of the oldest foundations in the United States, the Russell Sage Foundation was established by  Margaret Olivia Sage in 1907 for "the improvement of social and living conditions in the United States." In pursuit of that mission, the foundation now dedicates itself to strengthening the methods, data, knowledge, and theoretical core of the social sciences as a means of diagnosing social problems and improving social policies. The foundation's program on Social Inequality supports research on the social, economic, political, and labor market consequences of rising economic inequality in the United States. The program seeks Letters of Inquiry for investigator-initiated research projects that will broaden  understanding of the causes and consequences of rising economic inequalities. Priority will be given to projects that use innovative data or methodologies to address important questions related to inequality.

The Research Group "Alternatives to Democracy? The Social Order of Dictatorships" examines the question how dictatorial regimes - despite their inherent destructivity and repressive violence - create new orders of the political and the social that appeal to populations at large. The cases of pre-War Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union under Nikita Khrushchev, and Spain during the Franco era will serve as fields of inquiry to address the following questions: Which are the pre-conditions that give rise to dictatorships? When are they seen as an appealing way out of political, social, and economic disruption? How are dictatorial regimes able to generate legitimacy? What kind of stability do they create on the backdrop of crisis, insecurity, and disorder? Essential Duties & Responsibilities: We expect successful candidates to conduct extensive archival research in one of the countries under consideration. Each successful applicant will closely co-operate with the team of organizers of the Research Group: Brigit Aschmann (Chair of Modern European and Spanish History), Jörg Baberowski (Chair of Russian and Soviet History) and Michael Wildt (Chair of German History). Successful applicants are expected to write and defend a dissertation. In their research, they are asked to address and discuss conceptual questions of comparative history, including the comparison of modern dictatorial regimes.

This fall, OARS will host a series of brown-bag workshops on navigating the NSF proposal process.  Workshops will be held select Tuesdays from noon to 1:00pm in Pearson 208.  You are welcome to attend any or all of the sessions.  Click through for dates and registration information.

The Botstiber Institute for Austrian-American Studies (BIAAS) seeks grant proposals for projects aimed at promoting an understanding of the historic relationship between the United States and Austria in the fields of history, politics, economics, law and cultural studies. Grants may include support for related lectures, seminars, workshops, conferences, and documentaries. Grants for salary replacement will not be considered. Grants will not exceed $25,000 unless a compelling case is made for a larger grant. Grant applications must be submitted by March 31, 2014. Applicants will be notified of the result of their application in July 2014. Grants will be distributed on or before September 1, 2014. A final report will be due within ninety days after the completion date of the award period.

The Fellowship Program for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan is a joint activity of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC) and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Awards support research on modern Japanese society and political economy, Japan's international relations, and U.S.-Japan relations. The program encourages innovative research that puts these subjects in wider regional and global contexts and is comparative and contemporary in nature. Research should contribute to scholarly knowledge or to the general public's understanding of issues of concern to Japan and the United States. Appropriate disciplines for the research include anthropology, economics, geography, history, international relations, linguistics, political science, psychology, public administration, and sociology. Awards usually result in articles, monographs, books, digital materials, archaeological site reports, translations, editions, or other scholarly resources.

The National Science Foundation is announcing its intentions to build upon the success of previous Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGERs) in the area supported by the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program (see solicitation 13-578: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2013/nsf13578/nsf13578.htm) and to accept additional EAGER proposals that encourage novel interdisciplinary research resulting from new collaborations between one or more Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) researchers and one or more Social, Behavioral and Economic Science (SBE) researchers. (Research teams with a history of collaborating together should instead submit directly to the SaTC solicitation.) The proposed research should fit both the Trustworthy Computing (TWC) and the Social, Behavioral and Economic (SBE) Sciences perspectives within the SaTC solicitation.

Recognizing disciplinary differences and priorities, NSF's investment in research and development in undergraduate STEM education encompasses a range of approaches. These approaches include: experiential learning, assessment/metrics of learning and practice, scholarships, foundational education research, professional development/institutional change, formal and informal learning environments, and undergraduate disciplinary research. Both individually and integrated in a range of combinations, these approaches can lead to outcomes including: developing the STEM and STEM-related workforce, advancing science, broadening participation in STEM, educating a STEM-literate populace, improving K-12 STEM education, encouraging life-long learning, and building capacity in higher education.

The Foundation has instituted two research grant programs to assist scholars doing research at the George Bush Presidential Library. The Peter and Edith O'Donnell Research Grant supports research in any field, but it must make use of the holdings of the George Bush Presidential Library. The Korea Grant Program focuses on Asia, particularly Korea, and the research also must make use of the holdings of the George Bush Presidential Library. The Korea Grant Program is made possible through an endowment from the Korea Foundation. Awards for both grants range from $500 to $2,500. Information and applications for these grant programs can be received from the Foundation office, or simply by clicking on the following links. The Scowcroft Institute also offers Scowcroft Faculty Research Grants ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 to Bush School and other Texas A&M faculty doing policy-relevant research on various aspects of international affairs.

The National Science Foundation's Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS), Division of Social and Economic Sciences (SES), National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), and the SBE Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (SMA) award grants to doctoral students to improve the quality of dissertation research. These grants provide funds for items not normally available through the student's university. Additionally, these grants allow doctoral students to undertake significant data-gathering projects and to conduct field research in settings away from their campus that would not otherwise be possible. Proposals are judged on the basis of their scientific merit, including the theoretical importance of the research question and the appropriateness of the proposed data and methodology to be used in addressing the question. In an effort to improve the quality of dissertation research, many programs in both BCS and SES, the Research on Science and Technology Surveys and Statistics program within NCSES, and the Science of Science and Innovation Policy program in SMA accept doctoral dissertation improvement grant proposals. Requirements vary across programs, so proposers are advised to consult the relevant program's webpage for specific information and contact the program director if necessary.

The Law & Social Sciences Program considers proposals that address social scientific studies of law and law-like systems of rules.  The program is inherently interdisciplinary and multi-methodological.  Successful proposals describe research that advances scientific theory and understanding of the connections between law or legal processes and human behavior.  Social scientific studies of law often approach law as dynamic, made in multiple arenas, with the participation of multiple actors.  Fields of study include many disciplines, and often address problems including though not limited to: Crime, Violence and Punishment Economic Issues Governance Legal Decisionmaking Legal Mobilization and Conceptions of Justice Litigation and the Legal Profession LSS provides the following modes of support: Standard Research Grants and Grants for Collaborative Research Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellowships Workshop and Conference Proposals

As part of NSF's Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21st Century Science and Engineering (CIF21) activity, the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE), the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), and the Office of Cyberinfrastructure seek to enable research communities to develop visions, teams, and capabilities dedicated to creating new, large-scale, next-generation data resources and relevant analytic techniques to advance fundamental research for the SBE and EHR areas of research.  Successful proposals will outline activities that will have significant impacts across multiple fields by enabling new types of data-intensive research.  Investigators should think broadly and create a vision that extends intellectually across multiple disciplines and that includes--but is not limited to--the SBE or EHR areas of research.

We are pleased to announce that the new OARS website is up and running (although the new Research Compliance and Undergraduate Research sections are still in development).   If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, we hope you will soon.  Once you've visited, we'd be grateful if you'd give us five minutes of your time to let us know how we're doing by completing a brief eight-question survey at https://miamioh.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_erhRsEFwwWVP6m1 Finally, don't forget to update any bookmarks you may have to material on our old website!

The Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies (HCTS) is an Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of Heidelberg. Building on the structures established by the Cluster of Excellence "Asia and Europe in a Global Context," it is open to scholars especially in the humanities and the social sciences. Founded in April 2013, the Institute assembles scholars from all over the world to engage in an interdisciplinary dialogue and to enhance their understanding of transcultural processes. The institute offers an M.A. and a Doctoral Programme in Transcultural Studies. In addition to five permanent fellows (the HCTS professorships in Transcultural Studies), a group of senior and junior fellows is invited each year to join the HCTS to pursue their own research and to engage in discussions with other fellows as well as graduate students around a common theme. Fellows can choose to be in residence in Heidelberg for a period ranging from between six months to two academic years.

These fellowships support long-term, unusually ambitious projects in the humanities and related social sciences. The ultimate goal of the project should be a major piece of scholarly work by the applicant. ACLS does not fund creative work (e.g., novels or films), textbooks, straightforward translation, or pedagogical projects.

EES offers summer research scholarships to scholars working on policy relevant projects on East Europe. While Southeast Europe remains a primary focus, projects on Central Europe and the Baltic states are again eligible. Projects should focus on fields in the social sciences and humanities including, but not limited to: Anthropology, History, Political Science, Slavic Languages and Literatures, and Sociology. All projects should aim to highlight their potential policy relevance.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research program develops and supports a new generation of creative health policy thinkers and researchers within the disciplines of economics, political science and sociology. Each year the program selects up to nine highly qualified individuals for two-year fellowships at one of three nationally prominent universities with the expectation that they will make important research contributions to future U.S. health policy.

The Board of Regents is seeking high quality, focused cooperative education and internship program proposals from Ohio institutions of higher education and their partners. This program has been funded  through one-time casino licensing fees; it is expected that the funds will be awarded to build systems to sustain co-ops and internships beyond the direct investment from the State and to ensure these workbased learning opportunities are relevant to the needs of students and businesses. Funds will be awarded to build the capability and capacity of programs to engage more students, more businesses,  and more faculty members in co-op and internship programs. The programs should address the talent needs of JobsOhio key industries.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows program provides the nation's most comprehensive fellowship experience at the nexus of health science, policy and politics in Washington, D.C. It is an outstanding opportunity for exceptional midcareer health professionals and behavioral and social scientists with an interest in health and health care policy promoting the health of the nation.  Fellows participate in the policy process at the federal level and use that leadership experience to improve health, health care and health policy.