FELLOWSHIP INSTITUTE FOR JOURNALISTS AND EARLY PROFESSIONALS: MUSLIM WOMEN AND THE MEDIA
The first seminar took place over Zoom on March 28th, 2020. The second seminar will be held November 6th & 7th, 2020.
THE TRAINING INSTITUTE
This institute brings together leading academic experts on women and Islamic cultures and experienced journalists from the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, to engage early career journalists and communication graduate students and professionals in the diverse and global histories and cultures of women and Islamic cultures. The goal is to foster accurate reporting, representation, and public discourses related to Islamic cultures and to Muslim women in a variety of media outlets. The institute is committed to the principle that knowledge is power; to the recognition that media are powerful molders of public opinion; and to the deep belief that evidence/facts/accuracy, when presented by respected public agents, can generate healthy public debates and constructively transform public discourse.
THE WORKPLAN
By the end of the program, the Fellows will produce a report, opinion piece, article (long form or blog post), or visual/audio presentation for publication to a media platform of their choice (these do not include research papers or academic journal articles). Participants will attend two intensive two-day seminars during Winter and Fall 2020 and engage with mentors in between. The first seminar will take place in March 2020 in Davis, California. The date and times of the second seminar will be scheduled later. Fellows will work with faculty and journalists through lectures and discussions on the histories and cultures of Islam and women in Islamic cultures and their representation in the media in the USA and Europe. In between the two seminars, Fellows will be given reading and writing assignments to submit to their appointed mentors. The final product will be the publishable media piece.
THE SEMINAR LEADERS
The seminar leaders include experts on women and Islamic cultures – editors of the Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures: Suad Joseph, Zeina Zaatari, and Elora Shehabuddin. Journalists from the United States, Europe will be available to provide support and lectures.
ELIGIBILITY & APPLICATION PROCESS
The Institute is open to graduate students in schools of journalism and communication, and to early career professionals within five years of degree completion. To apply, submit a CV, one letter of recommendation from a professor or employer, a short writing sample, and a statement of purpose no more than 600 words addressing your interest, qualifications, and commitment to this program to Suad Joseph: sjoseph@ucdavis.edu and ewic@ucdavis.edu. Indicate the level of your knowledge or training related to women and Islamic cultures and your training or experience in journalism or communication and in which media platforms. For more information, see: http://sjoseph.ucdavis.edu/ewic.
Fellowship support: Travel, accommodations, and catering are funded by a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: CLOSED
Seminar Dates/Locations: