UNESCO Links Cultural Diversity to Human Rights

© UNESCO

On 31 March, 2015, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova took part in a round table on the theme “Human Rights and the Protection of Cultural Diversity,” held at the University of Geneva, with the participation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UNESCO Special Envoy for Intercultural Dialogue, Metin Arditi and author, psychoanalyst and university professor, Julia Kristeva.

Bokova emphasized that “cultural diversity is an expression of human rights – the persecution of minorities, religious and ethnic, and the looting and pillage of cultural heritage are part of a deliberate global strategy to eradicate history and memory, the identities and the existence of these peoples and communities, and, through them, the cultural diversity that is our common heritage.”

Arditi highlighted that “the destruction of cultural heritage is but a symptom of the destruction of the Other,” noting that “the West is living through an unprecedented intellectual crisis – we need to restore the humanities at the heart of our societies, as the cradle of ideas and intellectuals for the future. Universities have a historic responsibility here, to prepare society for its own transformation and to help people understand and live together.”

All speakers stressed the importance of teaching about religions through the humanities, as areas of knowledge and understanding, as well as debate and discussion — “in order for beliefs to not become the sole possession of fanatics and extremists.”

The General-Director concluded on the key role of education for global citizenship, as promoted by UNESCO, including education for human rights as the mainstay, stressing the need for cultural literacy and development of intercultural competences to make the most of contemporary multicultural societies and the challenges of living together.

See the original article for further details.

CFP Conference on Chinese Media and Chinese Civilization (Wuhan)

Call for Submissions
The Ninth International Conference on Chinese Media and Chinese Civilization:
The Image of China & Chinese Communication
August 2015, Wuhan, China

With intensified global communication and cultural exchange, China is paying more and more attention to having a voice in the world arena as it grows to become a world power. While China is molding its own image, it is making greater efforts in building its soft power and expanding its communication capacity.  Such efforts can be seen from the  national image video shown at Times Square, the internationally acclaimed TV documentary “A Bite of China”, and various platforms built by China’s Xinhua News Agency, CCTV and other national media. Considering the imbalances in global communication, China’s efforts to expand its capacity for international communication will contribute to building a more equitable and healthy new information and communication order in the world. To build a world with diversified voices, Chinese media professionals and communication scholars in and outside of China should not only closely monitor China’s process in building and communicating its image from historical, theoretical and practical perspectives, but also offer meaningful analysis and reflections of such a process within the context of globalization.

It is against such a backdrop that the Association of Journalism History (China), the School of Journalism and Communication of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (China), and the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information of Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) will jointly hold the Ninth Conference on Chinese Media and Chinese Civilization. Since its launch in 1995, this conference series has been held eight times in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, receiving wide support from communication scholars and students in and outside of China. To mark the 20th anniversary of this conference series, the ninth conference will be hosted again by the School of Journalism and Communication of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, which was a co-founder of this conference series and the host of its first conference in 1995. We hereby invite communication scholars and media professionals from China and abroad to attend the conference to share your research findings and views about the theme of this conference.

Submissions should be relevant but not limited to the following topics:
1.       China’s national image building as a rising power
2.       History, theory and practice of China’s international communication
3.       Public diplomacy and national public relations
4.       Cultural industry and China’s national image communication
5.       Overseas Chinese media and China’s national image building
6.       Mainstream media and China’s national image communication
7.       Media system, ethnics, laws and China’s national image communication
8.       History and reality of Chinese Civilization
9.       Chinese communication and the Chinese identity
10.    Culture and politics of China’s national image communication
11.    New media and China’s national image communication
12.    and other topics related to the conference theme.

Venue:
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China

Schedule:
Registration: 19 August, 2015
Conference: 20-21 August, 2015

Conference Fee:
600 RMB for registration (exempted for students)

Deadlines and Important Dates
Application reply deadline: 20 April, 2015
Abstract submission deadline: 30 April, 2015
Full paper submission deadline:  30 May, 2015

Paper acceptance notification and invitation letter to be issued  20 June, 2015

Submission of Full Papers
The length of full papers must not exceed 10,000 Chinese characters.
The paper can be written in either Chinese or English. Conference presentation should be in Chinese.
All papers should be in Word format.
All submissions should include author’s name, affiliation, and contact information.

Contact Information
Submissions should be emailed to the following contacts before deadline.
For submissions from China:
Xiuqing Yang
School of Journalism and Communication
Huazhong University of Science and Technology

For submissions from overseas:
Xiaodong Yang
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
Nanyang Technological University

For queries:
Haijiang Tang
School of Journalism and Communication
Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Miami University job ad

Miami University invites applications for Professor and Chair of a new Department of Global and Intercultural Studies.  The new unit will develop new curricular, research and public outreach initiatives in global and intercultural studies, as well as incorporate established undergraduate majors and minors in American Studies, Asian/Asian American Studies, Black World Studies, East Asian Studies, European Area Studies, International Studies, Jewish Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. The appointment start date is negotiable and may be as early as August 2015.

Specific duties and responsibilities include: teaching in area of expertise, leading new curriculum development and implementation; recruitment and professional development of faculty (including promotion and tenure recommendations); leading the development of governance and administration policies for the new unit; recommendations to the Dean for faculty teaching and workload assignments, and for faculty and unclassified staff merit-based salary increases; budget oversight; hiring and supervision of staff; management of departmental office operations; communication of University and College policies and practices to the department; representation of the department to the College, University, and broader publics.

Candidates should have a teaching and scholarly record commensurate with the appointment of a full professor and demonstrated administrative experience to lead the development of this new interdisciplinary department. We seek a leader with strong creative and collaborative skills, and a vision to develop new initiatives that may include new majors, graduate certificates or programs, and research institutes.  Candidates should have a Ph.D. and be nationally/internationally recognized scholars and excellent teachers in at least one of the following areas: global studies, transregional or transnational studies, area studies, identity studies, social equity, gender and sexuality studies. We seek a leader with a strong commitment to diversity, who will foster innovative teaching methods that promote engaged learning in the 21st century; a commitment to teaching undergraduate courses at all levels; and innovative scholarly and public outreach activities. Submit a letter of interest and curriculum vitae online.   Three letters of recommendation are required; should be sent directly to Associate Dean Renée Baernstein. Direct queries about the search to the search committee co-chairs: Prof. LuMing Mao or Associate Dean Renée Baernstein. Review of applications will begin on April 10, 2015 and continues until position is filled.  Miami University, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with smoke- and tobacco-free campuses, is committed to a multicultural environment and strongly encourages applications from minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities. Miami’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report with information on campus crime, fires, and safety is available online. Hard copy available upon request. Employment will require a criminal background check according to University guidelines.

EIUC Venice School of Human Rights (Venice)

European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC) is ready to accept applications for the Venice School of Human Rights which will take place in Venice, Lido from 26 June to 4 July 2015. Candidatures will be accepted until 17 May 2015. The topic is “(Dis)Integration through Human Rights: Citizens, Courts, Communities”.

Since 2010 EIUC’s Venice School of Human Rights studies today’s challenges in the field of human rights examining their reasons and possible solutions to deploy. In 5 years more than 500 participants from all over the world have attended the Venice School in the beautiful surrounding of the Monastery of San Nicolò at the Lido of Venice.

The 2015 Venice School is structured in the following three thematic clusters, which will be chosen by the participants when applying:
*Business and Human Rights, 
*Human Rights and New Technologies and 
*Human Rights and Gender Issues.

This year the Venice School for Human Rights will be opened by two prestigious lecturers:
Maria Virginia Bras Gomes, member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Senior Social Policy Adviser in the Ministry of Solidarity and Social Security of Portugal.

Albie Sachs, South African activist and former judge on the Constitutional Court of South Africa under appointment by Nelson Mandela

Furthermore its international faculty includes prestigious lectures in human rights such as Stefano Rodotà, former President of the Italian Data Protection Commission and of the European Group on Data Protection and Emilio De Capitani, Executive Director of the Fundamental Rights European Experts Group. See full list of lecturers here.

The Venice School is designed for postgraduates from all areas of the social sciences and humanities and for practitioners who want to address the topics proposed from a multi-disciplinary approach that will be useful in further engagements in their respective field of work. The lectures will be held in English.

CFP RE-DO Conference on Culture’s Role in Sustainable Futures (Aarhus)

RE-DO, a conference on sustainability and culture’s role in sustainable futures takes place from 28-31 October 2015 in Aarhus, Denmark at MOMU (Moesgaard Museum – a splendid new museum in the middle of the woods around Aarhus).

RE-DO is the second of a series of conferences organised by Aarhus University in cooperation with Aarhus 2017 (Aarhus Capital of Culture in 2017). Cradle-to-cradle thinking and circular economies form a substantial part of the region’s “re-think economy” strategy, while renewable energy and fossil-free-zones are part of conference co-organizers´ – Energy Academy (Samsø) – agenda for a sustainable future.

It is within this setting that the RE-DO Conference, organized jointly between Aarhus University and Aarhus 2017 takes an interdisciplinary approach to the challenge of creating sustainable futures. The conference invites academics, practitioners, artists and activists to take part in the dialogue about sustainable cultures.

Theme and background
RE-DO indicates that sustainability has been, is and has to become something we do as part of our everyday practices and living in order to matter. In this sense we view cultural sustainability not just as an add-on to environmental agendas, but as the very precondition for their long-term success.

Sustainability is already put to practice in every-day life, in citizen-based initiatives against food waste, in enterprising initiatives to avoid depopulation of outskirt regions, in integration initiatives targeting minority groups, immigrants and political refugees, and in all sorts of “green” initiatives in which citizens show care for biodiversity and wildlife conservation issues. Moreover, cultural sustainability may also serve as a productive focal point for rethinking policies and practices in traditional public sectors such as healthcare, education, children and elder care.

The form of the conference
The conference aims at facilitating new dialogues between academics and practitioners in which knowledge-sharing, learning and development is at the center. As much as presenting answers and worked-through solutions, the conference aims at asking questions and stimulating discussion and reflection. Therefore the participation is open to a broad category of people, including international guests.

Confirmed keynote speakers
Nick Shepherd, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Nancy Duxbury Carreiro, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Noortje Marres, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
Joel Outtes, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Proposal deadline
First, read the call for proposals. Then, papers and panels should be submitted to impact2017@au.dk before June 1. 2015. Authors will be notified of acceptance or non-acceptance before July 1. 2015.

Key Concept #58: BELF by Anne Kankaanranta and Leena Louhiala-Salminen

Key Concepts in ICDThe next issue of Key Concepts in intercultural Dialogue is now available. This is KC58: English as Business Lingua Franca (BELF) by Anne Kankaanranta and Leena Louhiala-Salminen. As always, all Key Concepts are available as free PDFs; just click on the thumbnail to download. Lists organized  chronologically by publication date and number, alphabetically by concept in English, and by languages into which they have been translated, are available, as is a page of acknowledgments with the names of all authors, translators, and reviewers.

Key Concept #58: BELF by Kankaanranta & Louhiala-Salminen

Kankaanranta, A., &  Louhiala-Salminen, L. (2015). English as business lingua franca (BELF). Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, 58. Available from: https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/key-concept-belf.pdf

The Center for Intercultural Dialogue publishes a series of short briefs describing Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue. Different people, working in different countries and disciplines, use different vocabulary to describe their interests, yet these terms overlap. Our goal is to provide some of the assumptions and history attached to each concept for those unfamiliar with it. As there are other concepts you would like to see included, send an email to the series editor, Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz. If there are concepts you would like to prepare, provide a brief explanation of why you think the concept is central to the study of intercultural dialogue, and why you are the obvious person to write up that concept.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

CFP ICA Nordic Regional Conference (Copenhagen)

CALL FOR EXTENDED ABSTRACTS
The 2015 International Communication Association Nordic Regional Conference will take place 11-13 October 2015 at the Copenhagen Business School. The theme, Responsible Communication and Governance, reflects the communication field’s and the Nordic region’s research expertise in areas such as corporate social responsibility, sustainability, governance, and communication. The conference is sponsored by:
” Copenhagen Business School’s (CBS) Dept. of Intercultural Communication and Management (ICM)
” NordiCom (Nordic Information Centre for Media and Communication Research)
” University of Southern Denmark
” University of Oslo’s Dept. of Media and Communication
” DEMICOM at Mid Sweden University
” Arhus University’s Dept. of Business Communication
” Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
” Jiao Tong University School of Media and Design
” The Susan Bulkely Butler Center for Leadership Excellence at Purdue University

General theme: Responsible Communication and Governance
The goal of the ICA Regional Conference is to stimulate reflection on and discussion about how responsibility is organized and communicated across a variety of contexts and settings, including social, political, intercultural, corporate, health, and interpersonal communication, amongst other contexts. In particular, the conference focuses on how responsibility emerges in communication, how it shapes and is shaped by social and organizational practices, and how it develops as a social and political ideal at the intersection between governance, talk, and action.

The theme reflects the communication field’s ongoing commitment to examine, critique and shape the shifting roles and responsibilities that we face in regional and global contexts. We welcome extended abstracts for paper and panel submissions that discuss how responsibility is informed and shaped by communication and governance practices either within a particular context or setting (e.g., an organization, the media, a country, a political party) or as it plays out in various processes such as:
” Meaning and sense making
” Talk and action
” Policy making
” Power and control
” Materiality
” Transnational movements
” Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility
” Internet policies and infrastructures
” Freedom of information and privacy
” Crowdsourcing and open access to information
” Grassroots organizing
” Environmental sustainability
” Engaged scholarship

Keynote speakers will be:
” Professor Linda Putnam, U of California, Santa Barbara
” Professor Lilie Chouliaraki, London School of Economics
” Professor Mette Morsing, Copenhagen Business School

Eligibility:
You do not need to be an ICA member to submit an abstract for the conference.

Extended Abstract Submission:
” Abstracts: Abstracts will be subject to masked competitive review. Authors’ names and affiliations should be submitted in a separate document with full contact information. Extended Abstracts should not exceed 1,200 words, excluding references, tables, figures, and/or appendices.
” Panel Submissions: We will also consider proposals for full panel sessions- in this case please include a brief panel description along with three paper abstracts. Authors’ names and full contact information should be included in the panel submission. Panel proposals should not exceed 1,200 words, excluding title page with contact information, references, tables, figures, and/or appendices.
” “Research Escalator” Papers: Research Escalator Papers are in an extended panel session, which provides an opportunity for less experienced researchers to discuss and get feedback from more veteran scholars about a paper-in-progress (with the goal of making the paper ready for submission to a conference or journal). Those interested in the Research Escalator session should submit an extended abstract (2-3 double-spaced pages, plus references); if accepted, participants are expected to send the full paper to the scholar(s) assigned to their paper no later than 6 weeks before the convention. Anyone can submit an abstract for the Research Escalator session; however, we especially encourage graduate students and/or people inexperienced with the journal publishing process to submit. On the first page of the extended abstract, please make a note: CONSIDER FOR RESEARCH ESCALATOR SESSION. Please contact Sanne Frandsen for additional information.
” Submission: Please send abstracts attached as a .doc, .docx, of pdf file . The deadline for submissions is 1 May 2015.
” Abstract Decision Notifications: Decision notification will occur by 1 June 2015. If your paper is accepted for presentation at the 2015 ICA Nordic Regional Conference in Copenhagen, you will be notified and must then register for the conference and pay the conference fee. Payment of the conference fee confirms your intent to participate in this ICA Regional Conference. Submission of your abstract does not enroll you as an ICA member, or automatically register you for the conference itself.

Conference Language and Equipment for Presentations:
Conference presentations will be in English. Audiovisual equipment for presentations will be provided.

Location:
Copenhagen Business School campus. All events, with the exception of one dinner will occur on campus. Hotel, transportation, and local attraction information is available on the website.

Schedule:
The conference will begin Sunday, 11 October at 15:00 and end with lunch on Tuesday, 13 October. A more detailed schedule will be posted on the website as soon as the submissions are finalized.

Registration Costs:
Registration: DKK 2,500 (approx. EUR 330)
Student registration: DKK 1,500 (aprox. EUR 200)

The registration fees include all breakfasts, lunches, receptions, and special dinner at Carlsberg including beer menu with other beverages available.

This event is organized by the Department of Intercultural Communication and Management, in cooperation with the International Communication Association and regional and international co-organizers and co-sponsors listed on the website.

For further information please contact Robyn Remke.

Internet Policy Research Methods in the MENA region

Call for Applications: Internet Policy in the MENA Region: Research Methods for Advocates
September 1-4, Kadir Has University, Istanbul
Application Deadline:  May 15, 2015

As activists and researchers around the world endeavor to influence internet policymaking processes and raise awareness about the importance of protecting the open internet, the need for relevant, advanced internet policy research methods among advocates is brought into stark relief. This need is particularly great in the broader MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, where observers are witnessing increasing levels of government control online, inadequate legislation supportive of a robust and secure cyberspace, as well as increasingly sophisticated security risks to journalists, researchers, and activists. These issues are further complicated by the political, economic, and cultural dynamics that are specific to the region.

Recognizing the importance of advocacy and policy efforts that make use of methodologically rigorous and contextually appropriate research as well as the need for a deeper engagement with the local environments that shape internet policy issues, the Annenberg School for Communication‘s  Internet Policy Observatory has teamed up with Citizen Lab, ASL19,  Ranking Digital Rights, and Kadir Has University‘s New Media Department to develop an Internet Policy Research Methods Workshop. This program will bring together young scholars and activists working in digital rights and the internet policy space in an intensive four day practicum that provides a survey of both qualitative and quantitative, online and offline research methods with the goal of enhancing and advancing their advocacy efforts.

The Internet Policy Research Methods program seeks applications from activists, advocates and those working at NGOs, and early career researchers working and studying in the Middle East and North Africa. Prospective applicants should have a particular area of interest related to internet governance and policymaking, censorship, surveillance, internet access, political engagement online, protection of human rights online, or corporate governance in the ICT sector. Applicants will be asked to bring a specific research question to the program to be developed and operationalized through trainings and one-on-one mentorship with top researchers and experts from around the world.

The program will provide skill-building tutorials on the following topics:
– defining the problems and framing research questions
– conducting desk and archival research
– policy mapping
– questionnaire/interview design and techniques
– conducting surveys and public opinion research
– network measurement
– social network analysis
– data visualization
– maximizing influence: research dissemination and promotional strategies
– developing proposals for funding, creating actionable research agendas and evaluating project impact

We encourage individuals from the MENA region in the academic (early career), NGO, and public policy sectors to apply. The course will be conducted in English and applicants should have high proficiency in English in order to interact with experts, lecturers and other participants who will come from diverse backgrounds. Apply for the 2015 Summer Research Institute online. A limited pool of funding in the form of travel support is available and will be allocated based on the strength of the application, fit with the workshop, and demonstrated need. If you require funding support, please indicate as such in the online form.

For more information about the program, please contact Emad Khazraee.

Job ad Humboldt State University

Tenure Track Faculty Position at Humboldt State University
Vacancy Announcement
Starting August 2015
Job #7629

Humboldt State University is committed to achieving the goals of equal opportunity and endeavors to employ faculty and staff of the highest quality reflecting the ethnic and cultural diversity of the state

DESCRIPTION: Humboldt State University’s Department of Communication invites applications for an academic year tenure-track faculty position.

RANK, SALARY AND BENEFITS: Rank and salary are dependent on the appointee’s qualifications and experience. See the current California State University Salary Schedule for details.

Humboldt State University provides an excellent benefits package for faculty.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: An earned Ph.D., or equivalent terminal degree in Communication or related field from an accredited college or university is preferred at time of appointment. Applicants with considerable progress toward terminal degree completion by appointment date will be considered. Completion of the terminal degree is required prior to the start of the second probationary year.

The successful candidate should demonstrate the following:
– A passion for undergraduate teaching as evidenced by students’ evaluations and peer review;
– Commitment to and/or experience promoting and fostering a learning environment that is supportive of first-generation university students, veterans, and students from diverse backgrounds;
– Recent experience and/or interest in student-centered teaching and active learning pedagogy;
– Successful experience and/or interest in promoting, advising, and facilitating undergraduate research and conference participation;
– Proven capacity or potential to teach multiple, undergraduate Communication courses per semester;
– Evidence of scholarly capacity including current work in the field;
– Potential for effective teaching or teaching experience using a variety of methodologies and technologies;
– Ability to function collegially, to participate in governance, and to contribute relevant service; and
– Potential for leadership.

Preferred qualifications for this position include:
– Fluency in Spanish;
– Potential for departmental/ community leadership.

At the time of appointment, the successful candidate, if not a U.S. citizen, must have authorization from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to work in the United States. Evidence of degree(s) is required at time of hire.

PROFESSIONAL DUTIES: Responsibilities will include: instruction of upper division major courses, lower division major courses and general education courses; and professional non-teaching duties in the department. Instructional assignments may include: Communication Theory, Interpersonal Communication, Group Communication, Rhetorical Theory, Research Methods, Nonverbal Communication, Argumentation, Gender and Communication, Intercultural Communication, American Public Discourse, Organizational Communication, Social Media, Debate, Social Advocacy, Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Special Topics in Communication. Instructional assignments will be consistent with the programmatic needs of the department and students. The primary professional responsibilities of instructional faculty members are teaching; research, creative activity and scholarship; and service to the University, profession and to the community. These responsibilities include: advising students, participation in campus and system-wide committees, maintaining office hours, working collaboratively and productively with colleagues, and participation in traditional academic functions.

GENERAL INFORMATION: The Department of Communication is a growing major of 170 students at Humboldt State with a dedicated faculty and engaged student body. We have a single major where students receive a BA in Communication and two minor options: Communication and Social Advocacy. The Department of Communication houses the Debate and Forensics team and the Communication Club. We are located in the majestic redwoods near the Pacific Ocean in a rural county approximately 300 miles north of San Francisco.

APPLICATION: Qualified candidates should submit electronically the following materials:
– Letter of application;
– Curriculum vitae;
– Evidence of teaching effectiveness (student evaluation, portfolio, lesson plan, teaching video);
– At least one recent publication;
– Application for Academic Employment;
– Graduate transcripts (unofficial copies are sufficient for initial review); and
– Three recent letters of reference from professional colleagues.

Submission of the application materials should be sent via email as a single PDF document, in the order listed above. In letter of application, please refer to Job #7629.

Please direct any other questions pertaining to this position, the Communication Department, or Humboldt State University to Michael Bruner.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: This position is open until filled. First consideration will be given to completed applications received no later than May 1, 2015. Early response is encouraged.

Evidence of required degree(s), certifications(s), or licenses(s) will be required prior to the appointment date. The successful candidate for this position at HSU is required to be fingerprinted through the Humboldt State University Police Department or another approved CA Live Scan agency. The cost of fingerprinting is borne by the university. The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. All CSU faculty and staff are obligated to respond to and report incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence. The successful candidate for this position will be mandated to receive relevant training on an annual basis.

Humboldt State University is a Title IX/Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected status. This institution offers benefits to same-sex and different sex domestic partners (Registered domestic partners)

Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Foundation Research Grants Available

The Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Foundation has research grants available.

Two major objectives of the Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Foundation are:
1) to contribute to the society by promoting international understanding and
2) to realize the society where mankind respect and harmonize with nature under the concept — coexistence of Nature and Mankind.
In line with these goals, the Foundation provides funds to research activities in the areas of humanities and social sciences which pertain to above mentioned two objectives. Research activities of social, academic and international needs in the areas of humanities and social sciences which promote international understanding and/or coexistence of Nature and Mankind. Those should contribute to the society by developing personnel with international perspective, establishing international relationships, solving various issues existing between Japan and other countries, and coexistence of Nature and Mankind.
Pioneering research based on creative ideas is especially welcomed.

Eligibility: Students in doctoral course and researchers within five years after finishing doctoral course, who have not received grants from the foundation in the past. There are no restrictions based on nationality, affiliation, or area of residence. Around 40 grants will be awarded. The maximum amount per researcher is 500,000 yen.

Deadline: Application forms must reach the Foundation by May 15, 2015.

If you have any inquires about application, please send E-mail to the Foundation directly.