**FY-09 STUDY OF THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTES FOR SCHOLARS**

**1. INSTITUTE DESCRIPTION:**

Study of the United States Institutes are intensive post-graduate level
academic programs with integrated study tours whose purpose is to
provide foreign university faculty and other scholars the opportunity to
deepen their understanding of American society, culture and
institutions. The ultimate goal is to strengthen curricula and to
improve the quality of teaching about the United States in academic
institutions abroad.

The institutes will take place at various colleges and universities
throughout the United States over the course of six weeks beginning in
June 2009. Specific program information will be posted on the
ECA/A/E/USS website as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime,
posts and prospective applicants are encouraged to visit our website to
obtain general information about the FY-08 Institutes at:

<http://exchanges.state.gov/academicexchanges/scholars.html>

**A. SUSI on American Civilization** will provide a multinational

group of 18 foreign university faculty and scholars with a deeper

understanding of U.S. society, culture, values and institutions.

The program examines some of the critical historical epochs,

movements, issues and conflicts that have influenced the development

of the U.S. nation and its people and includes a strong contemporary

component, particularly current political, social, and economic

issues and debates. The complexity and heterogeneous nature of

American society is highlighted, as well as the institutions and

values that have enabled the nation to accommodate that diversity.

Pending ECA grant approval, the institute will take place at New

York University.

**B. SUSI on American Politics and Political Thought** will provide a

multinational group of 18 foreign university faculty with a deeper

understanding of U.S. political institutions and major currents in

American political thought. The institute will provide the

participants insight into how intellectual and political movements

have influenced modern American political institutions. The

institute will provide an overview of political thought during the

founding period (constitutional foundations), and the development

and current functioning of the American presidency, Congress and

the federal judiciary. The examination of political institutions

will include the electoral system, political parties and interest

groups, the civil service system, media and think tanks, and the

welfare/regulatory state. The institute will address modern

political and cultural issues in the United States (including but

not limited to civil rights, women\'s rights, immigration, etc.),

and the significance of public discourse in the formulation of

public policy. Pending ECA grant approval, the institute will

take place at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

**C. SUSI on Contemporary American Literature** will provide a

multinational group of up to 18 foreign university faculty and

scholars with a deeper understanding of U.S. society and culture,

past and present, through an examination of contemporary

American literature. Its purpose is twofold: to explore

contemporary American writers and writing in a variety of genres;

and to suggest how the themes explored in those works reflect

larger currents within contemporary American society and culture.

The program will explore the diversity of the American literary

landscape, examining how major contemporary writers, schools and

movements reflect the traditions of the American literary canon.

At the same time, the program will expose participants to writers

who represent a departure from that tradition, and who are

establishing new directions for American literature. Pending ECA

grant approval, the institute will take place at the University of
Louisville.

**D. SUSI on U.S. Foreign Policy** will provide a multinational group

of 18 foreign university faculty and scholars with a deeper

understanding of how U.S. foreign policy is formulated and

implemented with an emphasis on the post Cold War period. This

institute will begin with a review of the historical development

of U.S. foreign policy and cover significant events, individuals,

and philosophies that have dominated U.S. foreign policy. In

addition, the institute will explain the role of key players in the

field of foreign policy, including the executive and legislative

branches, the media, public opinion, think-tanks, non-governmental

and international organizations and how these players debate,

cooperate, influence policy, and are held accountable. Regional

sessions, for the entire group, highlighting salient topics such as

energy security and environmental policy in Europe; trade and human

rights issues in Asia; foreign aid and humanitarian assistance in

Africa; drug trafficking and immigration issues for the Western

Hemisphere; and combating terrorism in the Near East and South

Asia are among the relevant issues that might be explored. In

addition, sessions focusing on current issues such nuclear

disarmament, the Middle East peace process, or U.S. military

actions would be appropriate. Pending ECA grant approval, the

institute will take place at the University of Florida, Gainesville.

**E. SUSI on Journalism and Media** will provide a multinational group

of 18 journalism faculty and other related specialists with a deeper

understanding of the role of journalism and the media in U.S.

society. It will examine major topics in journalism, including the

concept of a \"free press,\" First Amendment rights, and the media\'s

relationship to the public interest. The legal and ethical questions

posed by journalism will be incorporated into every aspect of the

institute. The institute will cover strategies for teaching

students of journalism the basics of the tradecraft: researching,

reporting, writing, and editing. The program will also highlight

technology\'s impact on journalism, addressing the influence of the

internet, the globalization of the news media, the growth of

satellite television and radio networks, and other advances in

media that are transforming the profession. Pending ECA grant

approval, the institute will take place at the University of

Florida, Gainesville.

**F. SUSI on Religious Pluralism in the United States** will provide a

multinational group of up to 18 foreign university faculty and

practitioners with a deeper understanding of U.S. society and

culture, past and present, through an examination of religious

pluralism in the United States and its intersection with American

democracy. Employing a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on

fields such as history, political science, sociology,

anthropology, law and others where appropriate, the program will

explore both the historical and contemporary relationship between

church and state in the United States. Participants will examine

the following aspects of religious pluralism in the United States:

the ways in which religious thought and practice have influenced,

and been influenced by, the development of American-style democracy;

the intersections of religion and politics in the United States in

such areas as elections, public policy, and foreign policy; and the

sociology and demography of religion in the United States today,

including a survey of the diversity of contemporary religious

beliefs and its impact on American politics. Pending ECA grant

approval, the institute will take place at the University of

California, Santa Barbara.

**2. OTHER ESSENTIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION:**

**A. Program Funding**: Through the grant to the host institutions,

ECA/A/E/USS will cover all participant costs, including: program

administration; domestic travel and ground transportation; book,

cultural, housing and subsistence, mailing, and incidental

allowances. ECA/A/E/USS will provide posts with fiscal data to pay for
the international travel costs of the participants.

**B. Housing and Meal Arrangements**: Typically, participants will have

a private room with a shared bathroom during the residency portion(

four weeks) of the institute, and will have to share a hotel room

during the study tour (up to two weeks). Housing will typically be

in college or university owned housing. Most meals will be provided

at campus facilities, though participants may have access to a

kitchen to cook some meals on their own. Full details will be

provided once the grants have been approved. It is important that

these arrangements be made clear to nominees and that they are

comfortable with such housing arrangements, particularly sharing

a hotel room with another participant for up to two weeks.

**C. Health Benefits**: All participants will receive the Department of

State\'s coverage of \$50,000 with a \$25 deductible for the duration

of the program. Pre-existing conditions are not covered.

**D. Program Requirements and Restrictions**: Participants are expected

to participate fully in the program. They are expected to attend

all lectures and organized activities, and complete assigned

readings. Family members and/or friends cannot accompany

participants on any part of the program. Please note that teaching

methodology and pedagogical methods will not be addressed formally

in the institute. Candidates should be made aware that they are

applying for an intensive institute and there will be little time

for personal pursuits unrelated to the program. The institute

should not be viewed as a research program. It is important that

these requirements and restrictions be made clear to all candidates

before nominations are submitted.

**3. CANDIDATE DESCRIPTION AND QUALIFICATIONS:**

A. Candidates should be mid-career, typically between the ages of

30-50, highly-motivated and experienced professionals from

institutions of higher education. While the educational level of

participants will likely vary, most should have graduate degrees

and have substantial knowledge of the thematic area of the Institute.

B. The ideal candidate will also be an experienced professional

with little or no prior experience in the United States, whose home

institution is seeking to introduce aspects of U.S. studies into

its curricula, to develop new courses in the subject of the

institute, to enhance and update existing courses on the United

States, or to offer specialized seminars/workshops for professionals

in U.S. studies areas related to the program theme. In this

respect, while the nominee\'s scholarly and professional credentials

are an important consideration, an equally important factor is how

participation in the institute will enhance course offerings in U.S.

studies at the nominee\'s home institution.

C. Candidates should be willing and able to fully take part in an

intensive post-graduate level academic program and study tour.

While senior faculty members are eligible applicants, ECA/A/E/USS

urges posts and commissions to give first consideration to younger

and mid-career professionals, and to persons who are likely to be

comfortable with campus life and an active program schedule.

**4. OTHER FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION**:

As a general rule, ECA/A/E/USS will not select more than one participant
per country, per institute. We therefore invite posts or commissions to
nominate one candidate for each program. However, where there are
multiple posts in a given country, multiple nominations will be
accepted. In such cases, we recommend that country PAO/CAO prioritize
the nominations.

Please be advised that the Study of the United States Institutes

are highly competitive.

The following factors will be used in selecting participants from

among the nominations. ECA/A/E/USS would like to emphasize that

the clarity with which post/commissions address each of these

factors strongly affects a candidate\'s chance of selection.

Nominations will be reviewed by the Branch staff. Post/commissions

will be notified regarding selection or non-selection of candidates

in mid-March.

**5. HOW TO APPLY**:\
If interested, please submit application (both hard copy
[and]{.underline} e-mail) to:

Dr. Chaeki Synn

Senior Cultural/Education Specialist

U.S. Embassy, Seoul

\# 10 Namyoung-dong, Yongsan-ku, Seoul 120-140, KOREA

02-397-4751 (office)

011-282-2084 (cell phone)

e-mail: <SynnCF@state.gov>

The application deadline is Friday, February 6, 2009