Bruce R. Pray Junior Faculty & Lecturer Workshop Grant

Thanks to the generosity of Professor Emeritus Bruce R. Pray (Department of South & Southeast Asian Studies), the Institute for South Asia Studies is thrilled to offer the Bruce R. Pray Junior Faculty and Lecturer Workshop Grant. Its goal is to support UC Berkeley-based South Asia-focused tenure-track assistant professors and early career/pre-6 lecturers who have completed a new book manuscript in any discipline in the field of South Asia Studies. The purpose of the grant is to provide feedback to an author midway through the revision process. Workshops will typically be a day long. Applicants are encouraged to invite outside discussants in their field, as well as Berkeley faculty members, to provide feedback on the manuscript and facilitate discussion on specific chapters.

Application Details: Applicants are asked to submit the following.

1. A one-page summary of the project in development, including a schedule for completion. In this summary, applicants should also include a statement indicating whether the work is under contract with a publisher. If not, a list of publishers who have expressed interest or a list of publishers the applicant feels would be ideal for the project but who have not yet been approached.
2. A one-page narrative explaining why and how this opportunity will be important to the process of completing the work. Applicants should include a brief statement specifying their tenure and/or promotion timelines in this narrative.
3. A firm date for completion of the book manuscript.
4. A list of potential invitees (from beyond UC Berkeley).
5. A current curriculum vitae (no more than 3 pages).

Deadline: Proposals must be submitted by 5:00 PM on September 15, 2024 via email attachment (Word and PDF) to Dr. Anirban Gupta-Nigam at anirbangn@berkeley.edu. Please include the phrase “Pray Workshop Grant ” in the subject line. Please combine items 1-5 above in a single document.

Eligibility: Open to South Asia-focused assistant professors and early career/pre-6 lecturers who haven't received a book workshop grant from any source.

Number of Awards and Amount: Two grants of $4,000. 

Other Stipulations: The workshop must take place during the next academic year. There will be no carryover opportunities. Grant recipients are responsible for organizing the workshop. Recipients are requested to use the ISAS conference room for their workshop. All unspent funds must be returned to ISAS at the conclusion of the workshop. Any costs above $4000 will be borne by the grant recipient.

Please address your questions to either Munis D. Faruqui <faruqui@berkeley.edu> or Dr. Anirban Gupta Nigam <anirbangn@berkeley.edu>

Recent awardees and their projects are listed below: