International research awards announced to faculty, staff

New research grants totaling nearly $140,000 have been awarded to University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty and staff, the UW–Madison Division of International Studies announced today.

According to Gilles Bousquet, the dean of International Studies and director of the International Institute, the grants will advance the university’s commitment to innovation in cross-regional research and graduate training, and expand linkages to scholars around the world.

Two of this year’s largest awards went to support "research circles," which are designed to create new forms of knowledge that cross traditional, regional and disciplinary borders. They join together groups of faculty, graduate students, and staff from various disciplines in the humanities and social sciences to advance research on particular intellectual themes of international relevance.

The faculty and staff receiving awards are:

• Myra Marx Ferree (sociology and women’s studies) and Christine Ewig (political Science, women’s studies) received a three-year grant of $63,150 for the "Gender Equity Research Circle."
• Paul Hutchcroft (political science), Alfred McCoy (history), Francisco Scarano (history), and Michael Cullinane (Center for Southeast Asian Studies) received a three-year grant of $26,000 for the "Empires in Transition Research Circle."
• Aseema Sinha, Edward Friedman, and Scott Gehlbach (all professors of political science) received $5,000 for a 2007-2008 seminar on "Emerging Powers: Brazil, Russia, India, China."
• Heinz Klug and Sumudu Atapattu (Law School and Global Legal Studies Center) received $5,000 for a 2007-2008 seminar on "Law in Transitional Societies."
• Yongming Zhou (anthropology, Nelson Institute), Katherine Bowie (anthropology, women’s studies), Ed Friedman (political science), Kirin Narayan (anthropology, women’s studies), and Zheng-yu Liu (atmospheric and oceanic sciences, environmental studies) received $5,000 for a 2007-2008 seminar on bio-cultural diversity.
• Scott Straus (political science), Aili Tripp (political science, women’s studies) and Heinz Klug (law) received $5,000 for a 2007-2008 human rights seminar.
• Jo Ellen Fair (journalism and mass communication, international studies) and Leigh Payne (political science) received $5,000 for a seminar on "Trauma Tourism."
• Nancy Kendall (environmental studies, educational policy) and Amy Stambach (educational policy, anthropology) received $6,000 for a distinguished lecture series.
• The Center for East Asian Studies received a development grant of $16,000.

The awards include funds for development of new initiatives in area, international, and global studies, as well as for year-long research seminars on particular themes or a featured lecturer to speak on a topic of interest to all institute member programs.

The grants are made possible through the International Institute with generous support from the Division of International Studies and a contribution from Global Studies for research circles and new initiatives.