Peace, War & Social Conflict

A Section of the American Sociological Association

Fellowship Opportunity

The Drugs, Security and Democracy (DSD) Fellowship Program supports research on organized crime, drug policy, issues of governance and associated topics across the social sciences and related disciplines. The fellowship seeks to develop a concentration of researchers who are interested in policy-relevant outcomes and membership in a global interdisciplinary network.

The online application is now available at http://www.ssrc.org/fellowships/dsd-fellowship/. Deadline: January 20, 2012.

FELLOWSHIP RESEARCH AGENDA

DSD funded research must address the relationship among at least two of the three topics below:
  1. Drugs: Potential topics include, but are not limited to, international and regional drug policy, drug trafficking, organized crime, drug production, and impact on communities including youth delinquency and gangs.>/li>
  2. Security: Potential topics include, but are not limited to, issues of traditional and non-traditional security, public safety, the pluralisation of security actors, the role of law enforcement, the accountability of police forces, formal and informal strategies to increase security, violence, instability, immigration and border security.

  3. Democracy: Potential topics include, but are not limited to, issues of governance, state responses to organized violence, civil society networks and how they mobilize against organized crime and drugs, the framing of incentives to develop appropriate policies, freedom of the press, impunity, corruption, and the relationship between state and non-state actors.

    4. Substance control in border regions; violence and electoral campaigns; human rights and security policy; media and violence and global drug flows are examples of a range of research topics that address the relationship among two of the three program areas. In addition, the program encourages interdisciplinary projects and those that address transnational and trans-regional issues.

    ELIGIBILITY

    The DSD Program features two competitions:

    • Dissertation Fellowship: This competition is open to PhD candidates worldwide who have an approved dissertation prospectus by July 1, 2012, but have not completed writing for final submission.
    • Research Fellowship applications are accepted from:
      • PhD recipients worldwide who have completed their PhD within 7 years of the application deadline.
      • Researchers in Latin America or the Caribbean without a PhD but with a master’s or the terminal degree in their field or equivalent professional experience.

    Applications from researchers in professions outside of academia are welcome.

    Applications are encouraged from citizens and residents of Latin America and the Caribbean.

    The DSD Program is funded by the Open Society Foundation and International Development Research Centre. The program is a partnership between OSF, IDRC, the SSRC, and Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia.

    For more information, please visit the program website at http://www.ssrc.org/programs/dsd or contact:

    Jessica Mack
    Drugs, Security and Democracy Program
    Social Science Research Council>
    Tel. 718-517-3656
    dsd@ssrc.org
    http://www.ssrc.org/programs/dsd@DSDFellowship

    Nominations for ASA Major Awards

    The ASA is currently seeking nominations for ASA Major Awards. I encourage our section members to submit nominations for the following ASA awards. The deadline for nominations is provided with each award criteria. Go to http://www.asanet.org/about/awards.cfm for more details. The awards include:

    • W.E.B. DuBois Career of Distinguished Scholarship Major ASA Award
    • Distinguished Book Major ASA Award
    • Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Major ASA Award
    • Distinguished Career Major ASA Award for the Practice of Sociology
    • Excellence in the Reporting of Social Issues Major ASA Award
    • Cox-Johnson-Frazier Major ASA Award
    • Major ASA Award for Public Understanding of Sociology
    • Jessie Bernard Major ASA Award
    • Dissertation Major ASA Award

    Announcing the Global Nonviolent Action Database

    WHAT IF activists around the world who want to be more effective could turn to a database of actual campaigns, to get ideas for creative nonviolent strategies and tactics?

    WHAT IF scholars and writers who are researching alternatives to violence could turn to a global database with hundreds of cases where people used nonviolent action to struggle for human rights, eco-justice, democracy?

    Check the Internet September 11, 2011: http://NVDatabase.swarthmore.edu

    Campaigns are drawn from nearly every country in the world, in which people overthrew dictators, changed environmental policies, halted racist discrimination, fought for economic justice, established their religious freedom, changed sexist and other oppressive laws, established national independence, and defended their neighborhoods – all by using nonviolent resistance.

    Cases are included where people power failed, as mistakes can be instructive.

    Each case is presented in two ways: a database file to assist researchers and activists, and a 2-3 page narrative to assist strategists and organizers. Through the database, users can do searches on countries, kinds of tactics, kinds of movements, degrees of success. The database features "waves" of civilian resistance in which campaigns inspire each other:

    - Arab Awakening of 2011
    - The "color revolutions" which began in Serbia in 2000
    - Soviet Bloc independence campaigns (1989-)
    - African democracy campaigns of early 1990s
    - Asian democracy campaigns launched by Filipino People Power in 1986
    - Latin American democracy campaigns (early 1980s)
    - U.S. civil rights movement against racial discrimination (1950s – 60s)

    More cases are being added to the database — ranging historically all the way back to 12th century BCE Egypt — by students at Swarthmore College, who have gained assistance from Tufts and Georgetown Universities. The project is sponsored by the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility at Swarthmore as well as the Peace and Conflict Studies Department and the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. For more information, email: glakey1@swarthmore.edu.

    Research subjects needed

    One of our student members, Michelle Sandhoff, would like your help. She is working on her dissertation on the experiences of Muslims serving in the U.S. military and Muslim veterans who served in the last 10 years. If you are interested in participating or have any suggestions for getting in touch with Muslim veterans, please email her at msandhof@umd.edu.

    Job Openings

    Assistant Professor- International Studies/Middle East North Carolina State University- Raleigh, NC

    The College of Humanities and Social Sciences invites applications for a tenure-track position in International Studies at the rank of Assistant Professor with research focusing on the Middle East. The position will be a joint appointment with a commitment to teaching in the International Studies program and a commitment to teaching Middle East studies courses within a disciplinary department. Tenure when granted will be held in the disciplinary department. Personnel decisions will originate in the disciplinary department with input from the International Studies program.

    Applications are welcomed from scholars in the fields of Anthropology, History, Political Science, Religious Studies, Sociology, or related fields. The College seeks scholars whose research covers the geographical area of the Middle East. In addition, the College seeks applications from scholars who are prepared to assume major but not singular responsibility for the core and capstone courses in the International Studies major. Preference for candidates with significant time living or working in the Middle East. For more information about the College please visit www.chass.ncsu.edu; for information about the Middle East Studies Program visit http://ids.chass.ncsu.edu/mestudies/; and for the International Studies Program see, http://ids.chass.ncsu.edu/is/. The disciplinary departments’ websites are linked to the CHASS website.

    Qualifications: Applicants for the position must hold the PhD in an appropriate field and have some teaching experience. ABDs who plan on having their PHD completed by August 15, 2012 will be considered but preference will be given to applicants who will have a completed PHD. To apply please visit http://jobs.ncsu.edu and search for position 00101890. Applicants will be asked to submit a letter of application that speaks to their interdisciplinary and comparative/global interests and their research as it pertains to the Middle East, a copy of their current CV, syllabi, and a representative sample of teaching evaluation. In addition, please arrange for submission of three letters of recommendation to: Dr. Akram Khater, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History, North Carolina State University, CB 8108, Raleigh NC 27695-8108. Review of applications will begin on November 9, 2011 and continue until the position is filled.

    AA/EOE. In addition, NC State welcomes all persons without regard to sexual orientation. Individuals with disabilities desiring accommodations in the application process should contact NCSU Human Resources at 919-515-2135.

    ***************

    The Department of Sociology at the College at Brockport, State University of New York, invites applications for a tenure track assistant professor position beginning fall 2012. We seek a candidate who is an active scholar with a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching excellence. Primary teaching and research interests should lie in race/ethnicity, and secondary interests should ideally be in one or more of the following areas: deviance, law, and alcohol/drugs. The successful candidate must have completed the Ph.D. by the time of appointment. For further details on the position and to apply, see the college's official employment website. Review of completed applications will begin November 1, 2011, and continue until the position is filled. Brockport is a medium size college located 20 minutes from Rochester, a vibrant intellectual and cultural center, situated between the scenic Finger Lakes region and Lake Ontario. For more information about the department and the College, go to www.brockport.edu. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply (AA/EOE).

    ***************

    The Department of Sociology at the College at Brockport, State University of New York, invites applications for a tenure track assistant professor position beginning fall 2012. We seek a candidate who is an active scholar with a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching excellence. Primary teaching and research interests should lie in gender, and secondary interests should ideally be in one or more of the following areas: life course, sexuality, and the body. The successful candidate must have completed the Ph.D. by the time of appointment. For further details on the position and to apply, see the college's official employment website.. Review of completed applications will begin November 1, 2011, and continue until the position is filled. Brockport is a medium size college located 20 minutes from Rochester, a vibrant intellectual and cultural center, situated between the scenic Finger Lakes region and Lake Ontario. For more information about the department and the College, go to www.brockport.edu. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply (AA/EOE).

    ***************

    Assistant Professor in Sociology of Latin America Position Summary: University of New Mexico. The Department of Sociology invites applications for a probationary appointment leading to a tenure decision at the rank of Assistant Professor for Fall 2012.

    Minimum Qualifications: Minimum qualifications are a Ph.D. in Sociology or a closely related discipline, with all requirements completed by August 15, 2012, and an active research agenda in the sociology of Latin America. Preferred Qualifications: 1. A focus on the comparative analysis of Latin America (either in-region cross-national analysis, analysis of Latin America in the context of globalization, or cross-case comparative analysis within one or more countries). 2. Specialization in one or more of the following sub-areas: political sociology, economic development, globalization, stratification, or organizations/work. 3. Ability to add to the department's existing strengths in criminology, race/ethnicity, social movements, health & medicine, and culture/religion. 4. Ability to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses on the comparative sociology of Latin America in global context, and to supervise M.A. and Ph.D. students specializing in the area. 5. Demonstrated commitment to working with broadly diverse student and community populations. 6. Capacity to work cooperatively with colleagues and students.

    The Department of Sociology at UNM offers a comprehensive program of undergraduate and graduate studies that focuses on themes in comparative sociology, Latin American society, race/ethnic relations, criminology, social movements, gender and the life course, health and medicine, and the sociology of culture and religion. Faculty members and students conduct research on major sociological issues of global, national, and regional significance. Consistent with the mission of New Mexico's flagship research University, the standard teaching load is 2-2. The University of New Mexico is the state's flagship research University and is one of only three Hispanic-serving, Carnegie Research/Doctoral-Extensive institutions in the U.S. The University's location in Albuquerque, the largest urban area within one of the most diverse states in the nation, offers a wide range of research settings, cultural experiences, and recreational opportunities.

    Posting Date: 09-21-2011 For Best Consideration: 10-12-2011 Closing Date: Open Until Filled Additional requirements for this position: Required Applicant Documents: Cover Letter Curriculum Vitae List of References (Faculty/Exec) Writing Sample Optional Applicant Documents: Special Instructions to Applicants: The application must include a letter describing the applicant's qualifications, research agenda, and teaching experience; a current curriculum vita; at least two (maximum three) scholarly writing samples. (uploaded as one document); letters of recommendation will be requested of semi-finalists Please also include an e-mail address. For best consideration, all application materials must be received by October 12, 2011. Inquiries about the applications process and this website can be directed to: Dorothy Esquivel, Department Administrator Sociology desquive@unm.edu.

    Inquires about the position, qualifications, and the search can be directed to: Dr. Richard Wood, Chair, Search Committee Department of Sociology E-mail: rlwood@unm.edu Phone: 505-277-3945 FAX: 505-277-8805 Posting Department Website: http://www.unm.edu/~socdept/employment.htm Institutional Commitment: University of New Mexico is committed to promoting and supporting the diversity of our campuses. UNM is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

    ***************

    Assistant Professor in Sociology of Health and Medicine Position Summary: The Department of Sociology at The University of New Mexico invites applicants for a position in Sociology Health and Medicine, as a probationary appointment leading to a tenure decision at an Assistant Professor level.

    The Department of Sociology offers a comprehensive program of undergraduate and graduate studies that focuses on themes in the Sociology of Health and Health Policy; Race and Ethnicity; Criminology; Comparative Sociology; Latin American Society; Social Movements; Gender; Social Welfare; Education; Culture and Religion. The appointment will be joint in UNM's Combined BA/MD Program (http://hsc.unm.edu/som/combinedbamd/index.shtml) an innovative diversity pipeline program that admits New Mexico high school graduates as freshmen to UNM Medical School and seeks to graduate them within 8 years with a BA and MD. The faculty member's teaching will include a freshman-level public health seminar, along with courses at the undergraduate and graduate level in Sociology. Service commitments will be jointly shared with the BA/MD program and the department; the home department, however, will be Sociology.

    The University of New Mexico is the state's flagship research University and is one of only three Hispanic-serving, Carnegie Research/Doctoral-Extensive institutions in the United States. The University's location in Albuquerque, the largest urban area within one of the most diverse states in the nation, offers rich research and teaching opportunities. The Department accomplishes its mission partly through partnerships with the Combined BA/MD Program (http://hsc.unm.edu/som/combinedbamd/index.shtml), and the Robert Wood Johnson Center for Health Policy (http://healthpolicy.unm.edu/), as well as affiliations with the Institute of Social Research, the Latin American and Iberian Institute, and the Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions.

    Minimum Qualifications: A doctoral degree in Sociology, Demography, Social Eepidemiology, Public Health, or a closely related field by the time of the start of the appointment (August 2012).

    Preferred Qualifications: The successful candidates will be a scholar chosen on the basis of strength and breadth of performance, according to the following selection criteria: 1) active research agenda and publication history 2) academic preparation and ability to teach graduate and undergraduate courses in sociology and any of the following areas of specialization: Sociology of Health and Medicine, Demography, Epidemiology, Public Health, and Health Policy; 3)expertise in social stratification and inequality (e.g., social class; gender; race, ethnicity); research methods; work and organizations; sociological theory; or social welfare. 4) ability to supervise graduate students, in studies leading to the doctoral degree in Sociology, with a focus on the Sociology of Health and Medicine. 5)demonstrated commitment to working with broadly diverse student and community populations. Posting Date: 09/21/2011 For Best Consideration: 10/15/2011 Closing Date: Open Until Filled

    Additional requirements for this position: Required Applicant Documents: Cover Letter Curriculum Vitae List of References (Faculty/Exec) Writing Sample Optional Applicant Documents: Special Instructions to Applicants: "Special Instructions to Applicants." The application must include a letter describing the applicant's qualifications, research agenda, and teaching experience; a current curriculum vita (please also include an email address and telephone number); at least two (maximum three) scholarly writing samples (uploaded as one document). When semifinalists are identified, they will be asked to submit two letters of reference on a very short timeline. Applicants are requested to begin arrangements for such letters now, in case they are named semifinalists. For best consideration, all application materials much be received by October 15, 2011. The position will remain open until filled. Inquiries about the online application process can be directed to Dorothy Esquivel, Sociology Department Administrator, Tel: 505 277-2501, Email: desquive@unm.edu

    Posting Department Website: http://www.unm.edu/~socdept/employment.htm Institutional Commitment: University of New Mexico is committed to promoting and supporting the diversity of our campuses. UNM is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

    Section Announcement Listserv:

    ASA provides each section with an Announcement List for the purpose of disseminating announcements and other important and timely information to section members. Please send your announcements to any of the following officers and they can post your announcement to the listserv. Chari, Chair-Elect, Sectretary-Treasurer and immediate Past Chair. Message are automatically sent to all section members via email. Messages are routed via peace_war-announce@listserv.asanet.org. If you want to be excluded from the list, email Here and a marker will be placed on your record so that your e-mail address will be excluded when the distribution list is refreshed. ASA will refresh the distribution list on a bi-monthly basis or as needed.

    Section Discussion Listserv:

    To join the section discussion listserv you must send an email as described below.

    Subscribing to the list:

    Each section will encourage its members to subscribe to the open discussion list by using the following steps:
    1. In the address field, type in majordomo@listserv.asanet.org ; leave
    the subject field blank.
    2. In the text area or body of the message, type in subscribe peace_war.After issuing the subscribe
    command in the body of the message, the remainder of the body must be blank. OR, type 2 hyphens (--) on the next line after the subscribe command to have the listserver ignore other text.
    3. Send the subscription message.
    4. You will receive an e-mail confirmation fanned an authorization key with which to confirm that you really want to joint he list. Once you reply positively to that you will get a welcome message.

    Unsubscribing from the list:

    Section members can unsubscribe their list participation at any time by sending a message to majordomo@listserv.asanet.org and typing in the following command in the body of the text: unsubsribe peace_war