About the Knight Luce Fellowship for Reporting on Global Religion
The twenty-first century has seen an unprecedented movement of people across borders, a revitalization of many forms of experiential spirituality and the resurgence of religious politics. The Knight Luce Fellowship for Reporting on Global Religion offers stipends for American journalists to report and write these stories, illuminating how religion crosses geographic, temporal, and ideological borders as well as how it establishes real and virtual boundaries.In the past year, we have seen evidence of these phenomena in reform movements that have swept the globe as well as in religious-based efforts at cooperation, co-existence and social change.
Applicants should consider what these dynamics reveal about personal identity, political power, the search for meaning, the nature of conflict and the construction of community. Their stories can explore how religion, religious institutions and religious people (1) affect change in on-the-ground social, political, and economic conditions; (2) circulate ideas and ideologies among home and diaspora communities; and (3) promote or inhibit religious and political co-existence and cooperation. Stories must be reported outside the U.S., although they may include an American context for contrast or comparison. We urge applicants to think broadly about the role of religion not only in Europe and the Middle East, but also in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia.
The fellowships are funded by a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation . Stipends, from $5,000 to $25,000, can subsidize travel, living and miscellaneous costs. Early career journalists are invited to consider submitting modest proposals (under $10,000). Proposals over $10,000 will be evaluated on the applicant’s expertise and dissemination plans.
Deadline for submission is Monday, December 19, 2011. Applications will be accepted on that day until 11:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). The Knight Grants Committee’s decision will be emailed or communicated by phone in March 2012.
Journalists who cover politics, social and cultural issues as well as generalists and religion specialists are encouraged to apply. American reporters currently working abroad are also welcome, as are staff reporters, affiliated freelancers and self-employed web journalists. Previous recipients of the Knight Luce Fellowship for Reporting on Global Religion are not eligible.
Successful applicants will be expected to develop at least three stories for multiple delivery platforms: print, radio, TV, online. Projects are to be completed within six months of the receipt of funds; all projects must be complete by December 31, 2012. At the completion of their projects, several fellows will be invited to spend three days in residence at the University of Southern California. During that time, they will hold master classes for journalism students, present their work in interdisciplinary seminars, and deliver public lectures for the USC community.