Recipients of ifc supported release time grants:
2020-2021
- Jason Marsh (Philosophy): Open Inquiry, Empathy and Liberalism
- Rehanna Kheshgi (Music): Encouraging Immigration Dialogue through the Performing Arts
2019-2020
- Michael Fuerstein (Philosophy): Democratic Experiments
- Ka Wong (Asian Studies): “I Am Chinese”: Internment of Japanese Americans and the Chinese Community during World War II
Applications ARE OPEN for IFC 2020-2021 RELEASED TIME AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT grants through the FLC
One of the Institute’s main goals is to expand the College’s capacity for teaching and research in the disciplines most relevant to politics, markets, and societies. To that end, the IFC has budgeted funds to support grants for released time and professional development through the College’s Faculty Life Committee. We are able to fund up to two new released time grants or several professional development grants each year, depending on the nature and quality of the proposals. Potential applicants can view the full grant application and guidelines on the Faculty Life page links above and must consult with IFC Director Edmund Santurri prior to final submission.
We are open to supporting projects from any St. Olaf faculty in any academic department or program. We do ask that either the topic itself or the approach to the topic reflect the central goals of the Institute. The IFC encourages free inquiry and meaningful debate of important political and social issues. By exploring diverse ideas about politics, markets, and society, the Institute aims to challenge presuppositions, question easy answers, and foster constructive dialogue among those with differing values and contending points of view. Through its programs and educational offerings, the Institute underscores the value of having open and spirited exchanges on highly controversial subjects in a respectful and productive manner.
Given this context, supported projects might address directly the subjects of academic freedom, intellectual diversity, or civility in public debate. Alternatively, projects might address an independent topic (e.g., climate change, abortion, military intervention, racial or ethnic diversity, immigration, free trade, health care, sexual identity, religious freedom and civil rights, etc.), but do so in a way that attends to or reflects matters of free inquiry, intellectual diversity, or civility in public debate.