JR Peace Scholar Dissertation Program

Application Process

• Eligible Candidates
• Selection Process
• Selection Criteria
• Terms of the Award

The JR Program for International Peace awards Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellowships to students enrolled in U.S. universities who are researching and writing doctoral dissertations on topics related to peace, conflict and international security.

Proposals from all disciplines are welcome.

Proposals should be consistent with the Institute's mandate and present a research agenda with clear relevance to policy issues. Historical topics are appropriate if they promise to shed light on contemporary issues. Area studies projects and single case studies will be competitive if they focus on conflict and its resolution, apply to other regions and cases, or both.

Peace Scholar awards may not be made for projects that constitute policymaking for a government agency or private organization, focus to any substantial degree on conflicts within U.S. domestic society, or adopt a partisan, advocacy, or activist stance.

"The Peace Scholar Fellowship came at one of the most crucial points in my academic career. I received the fellowship in the final year of writing my dissertation, a year in which I needed financial help to not only finish it, but also time to prepare myself for the academic job market. Having fellowship funds meant that I could write a better dissertation, land a better job, and ultimately make a greater contribution to our understanding of peace and conflict."

-- Monica Duffy Toft (Peace Scholar, 1996-1997) Associate Professor of Public Policy, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

 Current Peace Scholars |  Former Peace Scholars

Eligible Candidates

Citizens of any country may apply. Applicants must be enrolled in recognized doctoral programs (for example, Ph.D., S.J.D., Ed.D., Th.D.) in accredited universities in the United States. Successful candidates must have completed all course work and examinations towards their doctoral degrees by the time their fellowships begin.

Selection Process

Peace Scholar applications are vetted through a rigorous, multi-stage review that includes consideration by independent experts and professional staff at the Institute. The final authority for decisions about Peace Scholar awards rests with the Institute's Board of Directors.

Selection Criteria

Selection of fellowship candidates is based on the following factors:

• Project Significance. Does the project address an important topic of relevance to the USIP mandate and the field of international peace, conflict, and security studies?
• Project Design. Is the project soundly conceived? Does it identify a key problem to be analyzed, and does it have a clear methodology?
• Potential as a Peace Scholar. What is the applicant's record of achievement and/or leadership potential? What is the applicant's capacity to benefit from and make professional use of the fellowship experience in subsequent years?

Terms of Award

Peace Scholar Awards are currently set at $20,000 for 10 months and are paid directly to the individual. Peace Scholar awards may not be deferred. They generally may not be combined with any other major award or fellowship except in special circumstances and with the written approval of the Institute.

Peace Scholars carry out their fellowship work at their universities or other sites appropriate to their research. They are expected to devote full attention to their work and provide periodic reports to the Institute. Peace Scholars may be invited to give a presentation at the Institute and to participate in Institute workshops, conferences, and other activities.

For further information: contact the JR Program at jrprogram@usip.org.