October 4, 2001 Fellowship in Islamic Studies Available

Application Deadline Is November 1

Press Contact: Audrey Fischer (202) 707-0022
Public Contact: Rockefeller Foundation, Scott MacDougall (212) 852-8457; Library of Congress, Office of Scholarly Programs (202) 707-3302

The Library of Congress announces the Library of Congress Rockefeller Fellowship in Islamic Studies, a postdoctoral fellowship supporting research in the humanities on globalization and Muslim society. Appointments are for five to 10 months of residence in Washington, D.C.

"We are pleased to be able to offer this opportunity for scholars to make use of the Library's unparalleled international collections in a rich variety of formats," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. "These holdings are a vital asset in furthering global understanding, and their availability and accessibility, coupled with the expertise provided by the Library's curators, create a rich resource for discovery and interpretation by scholars seeking to understand other nations."

"Globalization" is the term used to describe rapid economic, political, social, and technological changes that have spread across borders and increased the ability to communicate and trade across continents. These changes have generated new opportunities as well as concerns.

Generously funded by a four-year grant from the Rockefeller Foundation totaling $325,000, the Library of Congress Fellowship in Islamic Studies will offer two to four postdoctoral scholars each year the opportunity to conduct original research on the humanistic dimensions that have arisen in response to globalization and the impact in the Muslim world. The result of their scholarly research will deepen the public's knowledge of contemporary Muslim cultures, thought, and societies. The fellows will work within the new John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. The Center was established by a generous donation of $60 million from John Kluge, chairman of the James Madison Council, the Library's private sector advisory group.

The Center encourages humanistic and social science research that makes use of the Library's large and varied collections.

The Rockefeller Foundation was founded in 1913 with a mission of improving the lives and livelihoods of poor and excluded people throughout the world. The Foundation provides funding to programs that address challenges faced by poor people around the globe: food security, work, equitable access to quality health care and creative expression. A $25,000 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation supported a series of symposia on "Globalization and Muslim Societies" held at the Library in 2000- 2001.

Scholars interested in applying for a fellowship should contact the Office of Scholarly Programs, Library of Congress LJ 120, 101 Independence Avenue S.E., Washington, D.C. 20540-4860 by mail, by phone at (202) 707-3302, by e-mail to scholarly@loc.gov or by fax to (202) 707-3595. The application deadline is November 1.

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PR 01-144
2001-10-04
ISSN 0731-3527