Visiting Scholar Program

About the Program
Eligible Research Topics
Resources
Publication Requirements
How to Apply

Papers from Past CEW Visiting Scholars  

Presentation by the Fall 2012 CEW Visiting Scholar, Dr. Erin Kenny

From the Village to Campus: An Ethnographic Case Study of Tanzanian Women University Students

Based on a year of ethnographic fieldwork on a university campus in Tanzania, CEW Visiting Scholar Dr. Erin Kenny examines the lives of young women who have “made it” out of rural areas to the very different world of higher education. Of particular interest to this project are the ways that university students struggle to negotiate their cultural responsibilities to home and family with their desire to identify and claim a new future for themselves in the emerging middle class. Much of this emerging discourse happens in the area of consumption, especially decisions about technology, including cell phones and access to social media.

Dr. Kenny’s research provides a unique picture of young Tanzanian women’s evolving identities in terms of class, culture, and gender roles. As such, her work makes an important contribution to the increasing collection of books and documentaries celebrating the positive role of women and girls in international development work. Sometimes referred to as the “Girl Effect,” these programs construct gender equality as a human right and an important precursor to meaningful economic development at the community level.

Dr. Kenny is an associate professor in anthropology at Drury University, where she directs the Women and Gender Studies program.

About the Program

The Visiting Scholar Program is an opportunity for scholars to pursue research projects relevant to women using the vast resources available through the Center for the Education of Women (CEW) and the University of Michigan. Scholars must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree. A scholar’s stay at the Center can range from two to twelve months, preferably between the months of September and April. Visiting scholars are responsible for producing a written paper or summary of their work and presenting it at a research seminar or workshop.

Funding for visiting scholars is available through the Jean Campbell Research Fund. A stipend of up to $7,500 per scholar is available to offset the visiting scholar’s travel, housing and other expenses. This funding may also be used to arrange for student research assistance. An additional $1,000 is paid upon CEW’s receipt of the scholar’s paper.

Exciting opportunities for individual or collaborative research exist at the University of Michigan. UM President Mary Sue Coleman characterizes University of Michigan faculty as having “tremendous strength in interdisciplinarity and collaborative research. Excellence in research is a crucial element in the University's high ranking among educational institutions.”

Our visiting scholars come from locations near and far and from a wide variety of disciplines. Recent examples include Juliet Perumal from South Africa - education; Jadwiga Pieper Mooney from Arizona – history; Renge Jibu from Japan – journalism; Leslie Bloom from Iowa - education; Lakshmi Lingam from India – women’s studies.

Research Topics Eligible for the Visiting Scholar Program

The Center for the Education of Women conducts and sponsors research in a variety of areas important to women. The Visiting Scholar Program is one of several methods by which CEW advances its research agenda.
The Center's primary research interests include:

  • Women in Higher Education
  • Women and Work
  • Women of Color in the Academy
  • Women in Non-Traditional Fields
  • Leadership
  • Gender Equity in Education and Employment
  • Gender and Poverty

Other areas of research may also be considered for support through the Visiting Scholar Program.

Resources Available to Visiting Scholars

Center for the Education of Women: Office space, support and funding are provided through the Center for the Education of Women and the Jean Campbell Research Fund. Established by the University of Michigan in 1964, CEW quickly became -- and has remained -- a pre-eminent model of the comprehensive, university-based women's center. CEW's ground-breaking research, advocacy, policy development and service in the areas of women's education, employment and leadership have contributed to the progress women have made over the past four decades.

Extensive Access to Information: CEW's library provides information to researchers, program participants, and the University community in all the areas of CEW activity. Visiting scholars find our library collection particularly strong in the areas of women in the workforce, women in higher education, general statistical information on women, and materials of historical significance or specific relevance to the state of Michigan and the University of Michigan. The CEW librarian is available to provide hands-on assistance to scholars and other patrons searching the library and the Internet for resources.

Visiting scholars also have full access to the University of Michigan's libraries, consistently ranked as one of the top ten academic research libraries in North America. Visiting scholars may draw upon a comprehensive library system that includes three main libraries (graduate, undergraduate and medical), nineteen divisional libraries, seven departmental and area collections, and the following special libraries: Law Library, William L. Clements Library of Americana, Michigan Historical Collections/Bentley Historical Library, and Kresge Business Administration Library. The total University holdings numbers over 7,000,000 volumes.

Another valuable resource at the University is the Institute for Social Research (ISR), established in 1948 for interdisciplinary research in the social and behavioral sciences. ISR is the largest university-based social research unit in the world. It includes four research centers: the Survey Research Center, the Research Center for Group Dynamics, the Center for Political Studies, and the Population Studies Center. It is also the location of the Inter-University Consortium of Political and Social Research, the world's largest computerized social science data archive. Additional information is available about the University's research resources.

Local Activities & Culture: Ann Arbor offers a cultural mix of people and activities unique for a small town in the Midwest. A variety of interesting restaurants, art spaces, musical offerings and other entertainment abound for scholars to enjoy outside of their research hours. The Michigan communities of Detroit, Flint, and Lansing, as well as Toledo Ohio are all within an hour’s drive of Ann Arbor. These locations provide additional opportunities for community-based research and/or after-hours entertainment.

Publication Requirements

Visiting scholars are responsible for producing a written paper or summary of their work while at CEW. This document will be published on the CEW website and may affect other publishers’ willingness to accept submissions on the same topic. Therefore, the visiting scholar’s CEW document should be aimed at a general or policy audience, briefly outline the research topic and, where appropriate, indicate the policy or practice implications of the findings. This and any later publication based on your work at CEW should acknowledge support from “the Visiting Scholar Program at the Center for the Education of Women, University of Michigan.”

How to Apply to the Visiting Scholars Program

Visiting Scholar proposals are due by March 1 for visits beginning in either the fall or winter terms of the following academic year. (Proposal packages are due by March 1, 2012 for scholars wishing to visit between September 2012 and April 2013.) Scholars are strongly encouraged to arrange for stays between the months of September and April. Stays can vary in length from two to twelve months.

Individuals interested in applying should send CEW a letter of approximately two pages containing the following information:

  1. An outline of the proposed research project, including methodology.
  2.  Requested funding for travel costs, rental housing and student research assistance, if necessary. (Rental of a furnished apartment costs about $2,000 per month.)
  3. Requested dates of stay, preferably between September and April.
  4. A vita should be attached to the proposal.
  5. A letter of reference from the scholar's department chair or dean.

Proposals should be sent to:
Dr. Gloria Thomas, Director
Center for the Education of Women

330 East Liberty Street

Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104-2289

Interested applicants may contact Beth Sullivan with informal inquiries prior to applying for the program. Ms. Sullivan may be reached by phone at 734.764.6343 or by email at bsulliva@umich.edu.