02-18-2005, 08:31 AM
Received in email..
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Infinity Foundation Call For Grant Proposals:
Research and Education on Challenges Facing Hindus in America
Background:
The West's awareness and understanding of Hinduism is relatively recent, the tenor of which was set during the British Empire. In the United States, the conceptions and understanding of the religious tradition have been colored, often inaccurately, by a variety of factors that were actually peripheral to the tradition. Today, global and domestic reasons make it important for Americans to have an accurate understanding of Hinduism, a world religion centered in a nation that is increasingly having an impact and with which America must seriously engage.
Domestically, there are two million Americans of Indian ancestry, the vast majority of whom are Hindus. This number is forecast to increase significantly over the next several decades. The estimated number of non-Indian Americans who have adopted Hinduism as their religion is approximately one million. Additionally, nearly twenty million Americans have incorporated Hindu-influenced practices in their lifestyles, including yoga, meditation, vegetarianism, and other body- mind-spirit practices. Most of these individuals are stakeholders in an authentic portrayal and understanding of Hinduism. The portrayal of Hinduism should no longer depict an alien society half a world away, but reflect the fact that the tradition is a part of our very own American multicultural tapestry.
Governmental policies in pluralistic America necessitate policymakers, law enforcement, and think tanks to have a proper understanding of its non-Christian religious traditions. Educators, the media and institutions of higher education also would be well served by access to textbooks and research that provide accurate and relevant information consistent with the manner in which Judeo- Christian religions are treated and respected.
Most Americans are open-minded and are curious to learn about other religious and cultural traditions. However, the information accessible by them needs to be fair and unbiased and must include the indigenous and the practitioners' understanding to be complete and truly informative. Seeing this, many minority diaspora communities in the United States, assisted by various governmental agencies, have been proactive in helping to facilitate such an understanding of their respective cultural traditions rather than leaving this important task to outsiders. Foundations such as the Japan Foundation, China Institute, Korea Foundation, Tibet House, and several Jewish and Islamic foundations have each successfully operated for many years with the mission to participate proactively in the interpretation of their respect native cultures. The Indian Diaspora, however, has done very little in this regards and has no equivalent foundation. This has left the job of explaining Hinduism to a variety of external institutions and individuals, resulting in uneven and often misleading portrayals.
Various sources that one would expect to be staunch defenders of scholarly rigor and fairness towards an American minority have often failed in this task. These include many intellectuals and journalists who project India's complex domestic politics in their work. Frameworks developed for the study of Biblical religions are often uncritically applied. Some assume inter-religious relationships to be a zero-sum game and this political correctness leads to antagonism towards the majority to help the minority. They also ignore that the majority in India is a minority in USA. When challenged by legitimate criticism, their responses have often been to brand and defame their critics and thus poison the well of innovative alternatives.
Leading institutions which are seen as authorities on Hinduism are largely silent on this matter. The American Academy of Religion and various South Asian Studies programs, departments and organizations across USA have not acknowledged the existence of Hinduphobia as an issue: these groups have no surveys of the American public's attitudes on Hinduism, no ombudsmen to resolve issues of prejudiced portrayals, no systematic reviews of school textbooks, no mechanisms to complain about media misrepresentations, etc.
Furthermore, the Hindu clergy and teachers have mostly abandoned this issue of public representation. Many of them have failed to differentiate between teaching their followers and public education, the latter of which must comply with established institutional standards. By retreating into the former exclusively, they have ignored the lack of quality and accurate information in the sphere of public education and have not prepared their followers to face mainstream non-Hindu society confidently. The situation has been exacerbated by the lack of institutional stability and continuity within most American Hindu groups. Thus, the American Hindu community is currently underserved by its own leadership in a manner that assumes greater significance after September 11, 2001.
Research Overall Goals:
The broad objective of this project is to research the social, political, cultural and economic contexts which help shape the works of US academics who specialize in Hinduism, and others who write on the subject and distribute knowledge and information in contemporary US society. Its primary benefit would be to foster a broader and richer understanding among intellectuals, media, teachers, research scholars, community leaders, policymakers and the general public about the range of issues involved.
The successful candidate is expected to be an independent, creative thinker and to use the highest standards of rigor and professional integrity. He/she should objectively evaluate the premises stated in this CFP and may choose to disagree with many aspects of the background presented here. It is also expected that the researcher will use the same critical eye in examining the academic and popular discourse and also the system in which these discourses are generated.
The candidate may be of any race, ethnicity, religion, nationality or gender, and must have a PhD in a directly relevant discipline. The successful candidate must be comfortable and capable to discuss in public and professional venues the topics discussed herein.
The following is an illustrative list of topics of research and is not intended to be definitive:
1.   Survey of how Hinduism has been researched and studied in the US in the last 40 years.
a.   This might involve examining at least four influential approaches used in the US:
i.   Premodern: Christian theology approach (Hindu-Christian Studies at AAR, for example, and various evangelical scholarship);
ii.   Modern: Anthropology and colonial discourse (which focuses on caste, sati, dowry based research etc);
iii.   Postmodern: Freudian and other trendy theories for deconstructions of Hindu texts, symbols and communities; new age appropriation is the pop culture's equivalent of this discourse;
iv.   Geopolitical: South Asianism (top-down) and Sub-Nationalism (bottom-up) lenses feeding the subcontinent's geopolitics and the cleavages among its fragments.
b.   Identification of major sources of funding and sponsorship in the study of Hinduism, their goals and an analysis of key trends.
c.   Comparisons between the state of Hinduism and other minority American religions (most notably Islam, Judaism and Buddhism) in terms of how they are represented in the academy, and in K-12 schools and media.
d.   Compilation of a research archive of printed and electronic Hinduphobic materials.
2.   Survey of views on biases, including views of Indians, non- Indian Hindus, and quasi-Hindus (these being Americans who engage in various Hindu practices without adopting the Hindu identity). This also includes data from other sources, including two other Infinity Foundation projects - (i) the Dotbusters research project and (ii) the survey of attitudes towards Indian culture in America. It would be desirable to develop a bibliography on various criticisms of Hinduphobia.
3.   Learning from other minority communities.
a.   Survey of the intellectual discourses known as anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and Islamophobia, each of which is a well-defined term and part of the UN discourse on Human Rights. Analysis of whether Hinduphobia has received comparable attention in UN and US federal bodies such as the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.
b.   Historical research into previous instances of atrocities such as those against Jews, Blacks, Roma, Native Americans, Japanese Americans and Chinese Americans to identify possible linkages with prejudices resulting from asymmetric intellectual and popular discourse.
c.   What lessons could be learned from this research? Conceptual exploration of early warning indicators of potential hate crimes against a minority today and a system to monitor Hinduphobia today. (For instance, since it has become respectable in certain academic, journalistic and literary circles to display Hinduphobic attitudes and behaviors, and to attack those who point out such biases, is this a danger signal?)
4.   Engagement with potential users of the research produced, including community, education, research, policymakers and media.
Terms:
The previous section is not intended as a definitive list of topics, nor is such an ambitious research project feasible by one scholar in a short time. The first set of reports should scope the broad field and establish a framework and terms of reference. The proposal should be realistic about the topics to be researched, methodologies to be used, and deliverables anticipated in the first 18 months.
The grant will be for up to $50,000/year for an initial period of 18 months, payable in monthly installments. The grant will be subject to a written agreement signed by both parties. The grantee will not be an employee of the Foundation, and will be an independent scholar responsible for his/her health insurance and other benefits. There will be a quarterly report submitted by the grantee summarizing all the accomplishments and the plans for the following quarter. A team of advisors will be created to serve as a sounding board for the researcher and to evaluate the work.
Interested persons should apply via an email attachment, including curriculum vitae, personal statement of purpose, location preferences/restrictions, and a proposal of approximately 5 pages. All materials submitted by applicants will become property of The Infinity Foundation. The deadline to apply is March 15th 2005. The proposal should be sent to:
Ms. Anjani Gharpure, Vice President � Legal and Administration
The Infinity Foundation
66 Witherspoon Street, Suite 400
Princeton, NJ 08542.
Email: anjani@gharpure.us
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Infinity Foundation Call For Grant Proposals:
Research and Education on Challenges Facing Hindus in America
Background:
The West's awareness and understanding of Hinduism is relatively recent, the tenor of which was set during the British Empire. In the United States, the conceptions and understanding of the religious tradition have been colored, often inaccurately, by a variety of factors that were actually peripheral to the tradition. Today, global and domestic reasons make it important for Americans to have an accurate understanding of Hinduism, a world religion centered in a nation that is increasingly having an impact and with which America must seriously engage.
Domestically, there are two million Americans of Indian ancestry, the vast majority of whom are Hindus. This number is forecast to increase significantly over the next several decades. The estimated number of non-Indian Americans who have adopted Hinduism as their religion is approximately one million. Additionally, nearly twenty million Americans have incorporated Hindu-influenced practices in their lifestyles, including yoga, meditation, vegetarianism, and other body- mind-spirit practices. Most of these individuals are stakeholders in an authentic portrayal and understanding of Hinduism. The portrayal of Hinduism should no longer depict an alien society half a world away, but reflect the fact that the tradition is a part of our very own American multicultural tapestry.
Governmental policies in pluralistic America necessitate policymakers, law enforcement, and think tanks to have a proper understanding of its non-Christian religious traditions. Educators, the media and institutions of higher education also would be well served by access to textbooks and research that provide accurate and relevant information consistent with the manner in which Judeo- Christian religions are treated and respected.
Most Americans are open-minded and are curious to learn about other religious and cultural traditions. However, the information accessible by them needs to be fair and unbiased and must include the indigenous and the practitioners' understanding to be complete and truly informative. Seeing this, many minority diaspora communities in the United States, assisted by various governmental agencies, have been proactive in helping to facilitate such an understanding of their respective cultural traditions rather than leaving this important task to outsiders. Foundations such as the Japan Foundation, China Institute, Korea Foundation, Tibet House, and several Jewish and Islamic foundations have each successfully operated for many years with the mission to participate proactively in the interpretation of their respect native cultures. The Indian Diaspora, however, has done very little in this regards and has no equivalent foundation. This has left the job of explaining Hinduism to a variety of external institutions and individuals, resulting in uneven and often misleading portrayals.
Various sources that one would expect to be staunch defenders of scholarly rigor and fairness towards an American minority have often failed in this task. These include many intellectuals and journalists who project India's complex domestic politics in their work. Frameworks developed for the study of Biblical religions are often uncritically applied. Some assume inter-religious relationships to be a zero-sum game and this political correctness leads to antagonism towards the majority to help the minority. They also ignore that the majority in India is a minority in USA. When challenged by legitimate criticism, their responses have often been to brand and defame their critics and thus poison the well of innovative alternatives.
Leading institutions which are seen as authorities on Hinduism are largely silent on this matter. The American Academy of Religion and various South Asian Studies programs, departments and organizations across USA have not acknowledged the existence of Hinduphobia as an issue: these groups have no surveys of the American public's attitudes on Hinduism, no ombudsmen to resolve issues of prejudiced portrayals, no systematic reviews of school textbooks, no mechanisms to complain about media misrepresentations, etc.
Furthermore, the Hindu clergy and teachers have mostly abandoned this issue of public representation. Many of them have failed to differentiate between teaching their followers and public education, the latter of which must comply with established institutional standards. By retreating into the former exclusively, they have ignored the lack of quality and accurate information in the sphere of public education and have not prepared their followers to face mainstream non-Hindu society confidently. The situation has been exacerbated by the lack of institutional stability and continuity within most American Hindu groups. Thus, the American Hindu community is currently underserved by its own leadership in a manner that assumes greater significance after September 11, 2001.
Research Overall Goals:
The broad objective of this project is to research the social, political, cultural and economic contexts which help shape the works of US academics who specialize in Hinduism, and others who write on the subject and distribute knowledge and information in contemporary US society. Its primary benefit would be to foster a broader and richer understanding among intellectuals, media, teachers, research scholars, community leaders, policymakers and the general public about the range of issues involved.
The successful candidate is expected to be an independent, creative thinker and to use the highest standards of rigor and professional integrity. He/she should objectively evaluate the premises stated in this CFP and may choose to disagree with many aspects of the background presented here. It is also expected that the researcher will use the same critical eye in examining the academic and popular discourse and also the system in which these discourses are generated.
The candidate may be of any race, ethnicity, religion, nationality or gender, and must have a PhD in a directly relevant discipline. The successful candidate must be comfortable and capable to discuss in public and professional venues the topics discussed herein.
The following is an illustrative list of topics of research and is not intended to be definitive:
1.   Survey of how Hinduism has been researched and studied in the US in the last 40 years.
a.   This might involve examining at least four influential approaches used in the US:
i.   Premodern: Christian theology approach (Hindu-Christian Studies at AAR, for example, and various evangelical scholarship);
ii.   Modern: Anthropology and colonial discourse (which focuses on caste, sati, dowry based research etc);
iii.   Postmodern: Freudian and other trendy theories for deconstructions of Hindu texts, symbols and communities; new age appropriation is the pop culture's equivalent of this discourse;
iv.   Geopolitical: South Asianism (top-down) and Sub-Nationalism (bottom-up) lenses feeding the subcontinent's geopolitics and the cleavages among its fragments.
b.   Identification of major sources of funding and sponsorship in the study of Hinduism, their goals and an analysis of key trends.
c.   Comparisons between the state of Hinduism and other minority American religions (most notably Islam, Judaism and Buddhism) in terms of how they are represented in the academy, and in K-12 schools and media.
d.   Compilation of a research archive of printed and electronic Hinduphobic materials.
2.   Survey of views on biases, including views of Indians, non- Indian Hindus, and quasi-Hindus (these being Americans who engage in various Hindu practices without adopting the Hindu identity). This also includes data from other sources, including two other Infinity Foundation projects - (i) the Dotbusters research project and (ii) the survey of attitudes towards Indian culture in America. It would be desirable to develop a bibliography on various criticisms of Hinduphobia.
3.   Learning from other minority communities.
a.   Survey of the intellectual discourses known as anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and Islamophobia, each of which is a well-defined term and part of the UN discourse on Human Rights. Analysis of whether Hinduphobia has received comparable attention in UN and US federal bodies such as the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.
b.   Historical research into previous instances of atrocities such as those against Jews, Blacks, Roma, Native Americans, Japanese Americans and Chinese Americans to identify possible linkages with prejudices resulting from asymmetric intellectual and popular discourse.
c.   What lessons could be learned from this research? Conceptual exploration of early warning indicators of potential hate crimes against a minority today and a system to monitor Hinduphobia today. (For instance, since it has become respectable in certain academic, journalistic and literary circles to display Hinduphobic attitudes and behaviors, and to attack those who point out such biases, is this a danger signal?)
4.   Engagement with potential users of the research produced, including community, education, research, policymakers and media.
Terms:
The previous section is not intended as a definitive list of topics, nor is such an ambitious research project feasible by one scholar in a short time. The first set of reports should scope the broad field and establish a framework and terms of reference. The proposal should be realistic about the topics to be researched, methodologies to be used, and deliverables anticipated in the first 18 months.
The grant will be for up to $50,000/year for an initial period of 18 months, payable in monthly installments. The grant will be subject to a written agreement signed by both parties. The grantee will not be an employee of the Foundation, and will be an independent scholar responsible for his/her health insurance and other benefits. There will be a quarterly report submitted by the grantee summarizing all the accomplishments and the plans for the following quarter. A team of advisors will be created to serve as a sounding board for the researcher and to evaluate the work.
Interested persons should apply via an email attachment, including curriculum vitae, personal statement of purpose, location preferences/restrictions, and a proposal of approximately 5 pages. All materials submitted by applicants will become property of The Infinity Foundation. The deadline to apply is March 15th 2005. The proposal should be sent to:
Ms. Anjani Gharpure, Vice President � Legal and Administration
The Infinity Foundation
66 Witherspoon Street, Suite 400
Princeton, NJ 08542.
Email: anjani@gharpure.us
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