Berman Foundation Dissertation Fellowships
in Support of Research in the Social Scientific Study of the Contemporary American Jewish Community

Directed by the Association for Jewish Studies

I. Summary

The Association for Jewish Studies is pleased to announce the Berman Foundation Dissertation Fellowships in Support of Research in the Social Scientific Study of the Contemporary American Jewish Community. The Berman Fellowships – two awards of $16,000 for the 2013-14 academic year – aim to support the development and expansion of the field of the social scientific study of Jewish Americans and the contemporary Jewish-American experience; enhance funding opportunities for up-and-coming scholars in the midst of institutional cutbacks in higher education; and encourage graduate students in sociology, social psychology, social anthropology, demography, contemporary history, social work, political science, geography and education to expand their research to include the study of North American Jewry. Fellowships will be awarded for one academic year. Preference will be given to applicants seeking support for doctoral research, but requests for funding to support the writing phase of the dissertation will also be considered. Support for this project is generously provided by the Mandell L. and Madeleine H. Berman Foundation.

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II. Eligibility

Applicants must: 

• be Ph.D. candidates at accredited institutions of higher education, have completed their comprehensive exams and received departmental approval for their dissertation proposal (i.e., ABD)
• be based in a social scientific and/or interdisciplinary program or discipline, i.e. demography, contemporary history, education, political science, social anthropology, sociology, social psychology, social work, geography
• have a projected completion date of the dissertation within two years of the award
• have a long-term interest in conducting research and teaching in the social scientific study of North American Jewry

Recipients of the Berman Fellowship may not receive total grant support in excess of $30,000 during their fellowship year. They may not hold a full-time job or equivalent academic workload during the fellowship year.

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III. Selection Criteria

Applications will be judged by a panel of leading social scientists in the study of contemporary Jewry. Criteria for evaluation include:

• the project’s clarity, innovativeness, and potential contribution to the field
• the feasibility of completing the project within two years of application
• the reasonableness of the proposed budget
• the applicant's excellence and training in her/his field, as demonstrated through past coursework, publication record, and other related experience

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IV. Application

Submissions must include four collated copies of the following items (two-sided, please):

• Application Cover Sheet
• Application Statement (no more than two pages, single-spaced): Please summarize the prospectus and explain how the incorporation of a Jewish dimension informs and strengthens your broader project, and/or the way that your project’s particular approach to studying North American Jews sheds light on the Jewish experience.
• Dissertation Prospectus
• CV
• Research/fellowship budget with narrative (no more than two pages, single-spaced)

In addition, the applicant should arrange for the following to be sent directly to the AJS office:

• Two letters of recommendation, including one from the primary advisor (please use Recommendation Form). 
• Official transcript from the registrar

Mail application and supporting materials to:
Association for Jewish Studies
Berman Dissertation Fellowships
15 West 16th Street
New York, NY 10011

Questions?
Contact Karen Terry
AJS Program/Membership Coordinator
at ajs@ajs.cjh.org
or 917.606.8249

V. Deadline

The AJS must receive applications, including all supporting materials, by Friday, March 22, 2013. Late, incomplete, faxed, or e-mailed applications will not be accepted. The AJS will announce award decisions by early June of 2013.

Application Cover Sheet

Recommendation Form

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