Title VIII Research

The Institute for Social Research’s (ISR) Center for Political Studies (CPS) and the William Davidson Institute (WDI) have partnered to administer the research competition "Public Policy and Business Practices Affecting the Development of Markets in Eurasia". WDI, through the continued funding support of the Department of State's Title VIII Research and Training on Eastern Europe and the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union, has administered this same competition for the past six years.

Anna Meyendorff, (ameyen@isr.umich.edu), Faculty Associate at CPS, is the Program Director. Kelly Janiga, (janigak@umich.edu), Manager of Research programs at WDI, is the Administrative Director. Joanne Lound (jllo@umich.edu), Research Administrator at CPS, is the Financial Director.

THE INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH AND THE WILLIAM DAVIDSON INSTITUTE RESEARCH COMPETITION

Public Policy and Business Development in Eurasia

APPLICATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 28, 2006

The University of Michigan’s Center for Political Studies at the Institute for Social Research (ISR) and the William Davidson Institute (WDI) will support research by U.S. scholars on the following topics:

• Business development and performance
• Public policies which affect the development of free markets
• Links between economic development and conflict

Research should focus on the Central Asia and the Caucasus. Four to Eight grants not exceeding $20,000 will be awarded. Grants will be awarded for up to, but not exceeding, 19 months beginning June 1, 2006. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate cost sharing. Grant recipients may be asked to present their findings at ISR, WDI and U.S. Department of State policy forums.

Grants can support pre- or post-doctoral and master level research projects. Applicants with completed PhD degrees or current PhD candidates with a demonstrated commitment to the study of transition economies in Eurasia will be given preference. We will consider applications from individuals whose terminal degree is a Masters if they demonstrate on-going involvement with and commitment to the study of business and policy development in Central Asia. Collaborative projects are eligible, but only if the non-U.S. collaborator is funded from other sources. Grant funds may be used for travel, summer support or salary replacement, research assistants and data acquisition. The research papers resulting from the grants will be added to the WDI Working Paper Series, and the ISR Working Paper Series. Data accumulated under the grant will be deposited at the Davidson Institute Data Center (DDCN) and made available to other researchers within a negotiated time frame. Grantees will also be expected to author a policy brief based on findings to be included in the Davidson Institute Policy Brief Series.

All awardees will need to comply with the University of Michigan’s human subjects approval requirements for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.  Please click here for more information.

Application guidelines and procedures can be downloaded at: http://www.wdi.umich.edu/Resources/TitleVIII/Call2006

For answers to procedural questions, contact Kelly Janiga, Manager of Research Programs, at janigak@umich.edu (734) 615-4562. Content questions should be directed to Anna Meyendorff, Project Director, at ameyen@isr.umich.edu.

This competition is supported by Title VIII funding from the U.S. Department of State.