Experience of Violence, Trauma Relief and Commemorative Culture – Cooperative Research Projects on the Arab Region (completed)

Objectives

The processes of transformation and transition that started in 2011 and have since characterized the situation in many Arab states have already led to significant changes in the region – and continue to cause considerable, increasingly severe tensions. Now, four years after the beginning of the uprisings, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is still undergoing radical change and the political and social situation in many of its states is fragile. These current developments offer an extensive breadth of potential research questions, the exploration of which the Foundation would like to support.  
Apart from gaining new insights into the current processes of transformation this call aims to support the establishment of academic networks as well as the formation of junior scholars – especially in the MENA-region.

Scope of Funding

The call is generally open to researchers from the humanities and social sciences. Besides one scholar based at a German institution, research teams must also include at least one scholar based in the MENA-region.

Apart from the focus on recent and current processes of transformation in the Arab region, proposals have to focus on one of the thematic pillars: "experience of violence", "trauma relief", or "commemorative culture".

More information on the call and its requirements for application can be found in the "Information for Applicants 101a" (pdf). Proposals must be submitted in English and filed electronically via the electronic application system.

Background

Since 2012, the Volkswagen Foundation has already granted funding to a total of five cooperation projects with Arab partners. In response to the ongoing upheavals in the Arab world, the Foundation subsequently decided to expand its commitment in the region by initiating the present call.