Special Initiative on Constructively Engaging the Conflict and the Pursuit of Peace in Palestine/Israel (2024-2027)
Alongside our regular program, the GJP Committee will dedicate funds ($50,000 per year for three years) to host visiting scholars who can offer courses and enhance programming on the Palestinian/Israel conflict. The ongoing war informs this allocation, which we make cognizant of the fact that campus and global attention on the Middle East has flared and faded in the past and will likely do so again. However, our educational commitment to raising awareness of and understanding the role of international relations and organizations in promoting peace and justice remains durable.
To that end, we encourage proposals that focus on the particulars of the Palestinian/Israel conflict; explore its historical, regional, social, cultural, economic, ecological, and other roots; situate the conflict in a comparative perspective; develop ideas and approaches that promote peace and an end to intergenerational violence in the region; and can be submitted as suggestions to international organizations that seek to promote peace (such as the United Nations).
As conditions warrant over the three years of this commitment, the GJP Committee will carefully consider, on an annual basis, how best to balance support for proposals that directly engage the Palestinian/Israel with proposals that place that conflict in comparative perspective, especially as other humanitarian crises emerge over time.
The Committee encourages that these proposals be co-created by faculty and students who integrate expertise and a hunger for knowledge about the topics. Successful proposals will bring together scholars and practitioners to educate the UO community about the issues and to contribute actionable ideas for peace, social justice, collaboration, and dialogue. We may also ask organizers to combine their events to achieve more significant impacts.
Given the educational focus of Global Justice Program funding and recognizing that education can be uncomfortable but should not produce fear for personal safety or group eradication, proposals should specifically describe how they will adhere to and creatively apply the shared principles on educational events on Israel/Palestine, developed by a faculty and staff group in Fall 2023.
We are especially interested in visiting faculty scholars who go beyond academic analysis and deliberation to:
- Identify pathways for action, especially for students, to replace a sense of powerlessness in the face of major global crises with concrete steps that individuals on the UO campus can take to make a difference.
- Include UO fundraisers, and potential donors (when possible), who will participate in the conference and contribute ideas to raise funds to support pathways for action (UO Advancement will partner with conference organizers to bring in fundraisers, and potential donors when possible).
Complete applications for this unique program should be received by the deadline:
Winter and Spring 2025 program deadline extended to: February 15, 2025
The total funding for all special initiative conferences will total $50,000 each academic year (for 3 years). We aim to support 2-5 programs during each academic year (2024-25, 2025-26, 2026-27, consistent with the parameters and possible evolution noted above).
Committee Review – Global Justice Program Palestine Israel 2024 Scoring Rubric
Global Justice Program Sample Budget Template (downloadable Excel file)
Application Submission:
To complete an application, submit materials for the Global Justice Program through the application link below.
Questions about Global Justice Program should be sent to Elly Vandegrift ellyvan@uoregon.edu and Dennis Galvan dgalvan@uoregon.edu.
