CMES: Sultan

Center for Middle Eastern Studies

ARAB STUDIES AT BERKELEY

THE SULTAN PROGRAM

The Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of California, Berkeley is proud to announce the annual competition of the Sultan Program in Arab Studies, made possible through a generous endowment from the Sultan bin AbdulAziz Al-Saud Charity Foundation. The Sultan Program supports teaching, research, and public outreach on topics related to the Arab and Arab-Islamic world, with the over-arching goal of promoting a deeper understanding of this important region at U.C. Berkeley and beyond. Holders of the visiting professorship/lectureship, post-doctoral fellowship, and graduate fellowship are expected to participate in the meetings of the Sultan Working Group, which are held on the initiation of the program Chair. The Sultan Program in Arab Studies is intended to serve U.C. Berkeley faculty and students as well as visiting scholars from other institutions.

The Sultan Program in Arab Studies encompasses the social sciences, humanities, and professional fields, with a special emphasis on integrating insights into the Arab world from the following disciplines: anthropology, sociology, architecture, history, literature, political science, and urban studies.

Sultan Program Poster

Program Components

The Sultan Program in Arab Studies currently offers grants in the following categories:

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1. The Visiting Professorship/Lectureship

The Sultan Visiting Professor/Lecturer will engage in teaching and research in a department at U.C. Berkeley appropriate to his/her area of expertise. S/he will deliver a public lecture as part of the CMES Interdisciplinary Lecture Series. The lectureship is available for one semester, which in special circumstances may be extended to a full academic year. The appointment, rank, and salary of the visiting professor will be decided by the host department in consultation with the CMES.

Letters of nomination for this position are accepted from the Chairs of departments and of professional schools of U.C. Berkeley only, and must precede the application materials of individual candidates.

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2. The Post-Doctoral Fellowship
The Sultan Post-Doctoral Fellow engages in research related to the theme of Arab Studies, and will deliver a public lecture as part of the CMES Interdisciplinary Lecture Series. S/he is hosted by the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. The fellowship is available for one semester, and will provide a stipend of $15,000/semester. In exceptional circumstances, it will be available for a full year.
Applications are accepted from scholars who have received their Ph.D. within the last 5 years (or will receive them prior to holding the position) and have not yet held a tenure-track position.

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3. The Graduate Fellowship
Students conducting research on topics related to Arab Studies at the dissertation stage are welcome to apply. Fellowships may be used for travel, fieldwork, and/or dissertation writing. While the fellowship is primarily intended for students who have advanced to candidacy, advanced pre-dissertation work may be accepted under exceptional circumstances. The maximum Graduate Fellowship stipend is $15,000/year. Note that most awards are below this level.
Applications are accepted from currently-enrolled U.C. Berkeley graduate students only.

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4. The Undergraduate Scholarship Fund
Undergraduates working on projects and theses related to Arab Studies are welcome to apply. Scholarships may be used to support research or conference travel, overseas or summer Arabic language study, and/or internships. The maximum undergraduate scholarship is $2,000. Note that most awards are below this level.
Applications are accepted from currently-enrolled U.C. Berkeley undergraduate students only.

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5. Other Scholarly Initiatives
The Sultan Program accepts proposals for conferences, workshops, multi-media projects, web-sites, public radio and television projects, and collaborative and public outreach activities related to the Arab world. Proposals may be submitted at any time and will be considered at the discretion of the Sultan Program Committee. The maximum grant in this category is $5,000.00.
Proposals are accepted from U.C. Berkeley faculty and students only.

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AFFILIATED FACULTY
As’ad AbuKhalil, Middle Eastern Studies; Nezar AlSayyad, Architecture & Planning; George Bisharat, Law; Beshara Doumani, History; Samera Esmeir, Rhetoric; Mia Fuller, Italian Studies; Emily Gottreich, Middle Eastern Studies; Charles Hirschkind, Anthropology; Margaret Larkin, Arabic Literature; James Monroe, Comparative Literature; Laura Nader, Anthropology; Stefania Pondolfo, Anthropology; Saba Mahmood, Anthropology
To Apply

Applications in all categories are due February 1st at 5:00PM for the following academic year. (Funds will be available as of July 1st.) Applications must be submitted in hard copy and must be received on or before the due date. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Please submit a concise proposal including all of the following: 1) Application form; 2) a one-page executive summary; 3) a detailed project narrative not to exceed six double-spaced pages outlining all proposed activities during grant term and their relevance to Arab Studies. Please specify the program category to which you are applying; 4) a current C.V.; 5) a complete project budget clearly indicating the amount of funding requested from the Sultan Program. Please put your name on every page of your application.

1. Individuals interested in the Visiting Professorship/Lectureship must seek the sponsorship of, and correspond directly with, an appropriate department other than the CMES.

2. Applicants for the Post-Doctorate Fellowships must include two letters of recommendation, including one from their advisor.

3. Applicants for the Graduate and Undergraduate Fellowship must include one letter of recommendation from their advisor.

Recipients of all grants in the Sultan Program in Arab Studies must provide a short report within three months after the conclusion of grant term.

Send your application or nomination to:

Professor Nezar AlSayyad
Chair, Center for Middle Eastern Studies
340 Stephens Hall, #2314
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-2314

For additional information about the Sultan Program, please contact the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at (510) 642-8208 or cmes@berkeley.edu.