Project Mentor
Dr. Zehra F. Kabasakal Arat
Department: Political Science
Research Project Overview:
The student will assist the faculty in research efforts mostly by gathering literature and data and conducting reviews of the literature. The range of research activities will include:
- Problems with Tolerance: Tolerance is considered a virtue in liberal tradition, and teaching tolerance is presented as a measure to prevent hate speech and hate crimes, if not discrimination in general. Although critics of liberalism have already addressed limitations of tolerance and the international human rights law introduced broader, more inclusive non-discrimination norms, tolerance is still invoked in human rights advocacy. It is valued at least as a middle-way policy between assimilation and extermination. Even the United Nations and its affiliated agencies promote teaching tolerance as a means of protecting human rights. However, there is an asymmetrical relationship between the ‘tolerant’ and the ‘tolerated,’ which must be questioned for its human rights implications. This paper contends that tolerance does not ensure nondiscrimination, freedom from persecution, or protection from hate speech and crimes; instead, it allows individuals to maintain their hatred and “othering,” and as a state policy, tolerance can be complicit in violence against marginalized groups. The paper proposes the promotion of recognition and respect as alternatives to tolerance and recommend comprehensive protective laws that do not tolerate hate speech and crimes as effective human rights policies.
- Challenges of Religious Freedom: An Analytical Framework and Examples from the MENA: While all human rights involve challenges, “freedom of religion” has been one of the most challenging ones. This paper presents an analytical framework that examines a range of challenges related to freedom of religion in two broad categories: (1) challenges to freedom of religion, and (2) challenges by freedom of religion. Although neither these challenges nor the analytical framework can be limited to any particular religion or region, the paper employs examples from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to explain the types of challenges and their intricate interactions. It concludes with some proposals that can help resolve some of the conflicts surrounding freedom of religion and facilitate the advancement of human rights, especially for the most marginalized groups.
Preferably, the student apprentice would work on both of these projects that deal with related human rights and political theory issues. Moreover, since the projects are in different stages of development, the student assistant would have a chance to observe and participate in the research process, from the formulation and justification of a research question to the preparation of a polished conference paper.
Role of a SHARE Summer Apprentice:
The student apprentice will assist faculty in research efforts mostly by gathering literature and data and conducting reviews of literature and subject material specific to research topics. The research activities will include:
• Conduct library research to identify the relevant literature
• Read and summarize related literature
• Proofread and edit draft papers
• Gathering qualitative event data on some MENA countries
• Organize and classify data
• Prepare and edit bibliographies
• Attend training sessions
• Perform miscellaneous duties as directed
The student apprentice is expected to acquire some basic knowledge of the contemporary international human rights norms and develop an understanding of some complexities surrounding them. The student apprentice will also gain research experience and skills in following areas: Formulating a research question; identifying relevant literature; writing an informative and well-organized literature review; gathering and organizing qualitative data; being able to separate literature review from original data and analyses; organizing a research paper; and following citation rules properly.
The mentoring will start by introducing major human rights developments and issues to the student apprentice by assigning two introductory chapters and discussing them with the student. For specific research tasks (e.g., conducting library research), the student will be trained via-Zoom meetings. Some of the instructions, guidelines and feedback on completed tasks will be provided through e-mail communications. The tasks will be broken down into weekly assignments, and the feedback will be provided accordingly.
Summer Schedule/Time Commitment:
I would like the student apprentice to start at the beginning of June and continue until the end of the summer by investing 10hrs/wk. However, I would be flexible (e.g., skipping some weeks due to other obligations), if needed.
Preferred Qualifications:
I do not expect the student apprentice to have any course work or background on the research topics, as I will train them. However, the student must
• have broad interest in human rights and human rights research
• have some experience in conducting library research (finding relevant sources)
• have well-developed reading comprehension skills
• be enthusiastic, punctual, reliable, tenacious, and attentive to details.
To Apply:
CLOSED – Click here to submit an online application for this research apprenticeship through the Quest Portal. The application deadline is Friday, March 26, 2021 at 11:59pm.
Click here to view an outline of the application questions. There are no additional questions specific to this apprenticeship application.