Call for applications: Training program for journalists

Application Deadline: August 15, 2018

 

REPRESENTING MUSLIM WOMEN: MUSLIM WOMEN & THE MEDIA SEMINARS

The media is the most powerful vehicle for representing or misrepresenting Islam, Muslims in general and Muslim women in particular. Distorted images of Muslim women and Islam circulate widely in many media outlets. The past several years has witnessed a massive escalation of Islamophobia in the U.S. and Europe. Most Islamophobic media representations have Muslim women as their central subject. Muslim women in traditional dress have also been the most frequent target of Islamophobic hate crimes in the U.S. and Europe.

 

THE TRAINING PROGRAM

This program brings together leading academic experts on women and Islamic cultures and experienced journalists from the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, to engage participants in the diverse and global histories and cultures of women and Islamic cultures. The goal is to foster accurate reporting, representation, and public discourses related to Islamic cultures and to Muslim women in a variety of media outlets. The program is committed to the principle that knowledge is power; to the recognition that media are powerful molders of public opinion; and to the deep belief that evidence/facts/accuracy, when presented by respected public agents, can generate healthy public debates and constructively transform public discourse.

 

THE WORKPLAN

By the end of the program, participants will produce a report, opinion piece, article (long form or blog post), or visual/audio presentation for publication to a media platform of their choice (these do not include research papers or academic journal articles). Participants will attend two intensive three-day seminars, Winter and Fall 2019 and engage with mentors in between. The first seminar will take place on March 1-3, 2019 in Davis, California. The second seminar is tentatively scheduled for November 15-17 in New Orleans, LA, in conjunction with the Middle East Studies Association annual meeting. Participants will work with faculty and journalists through lectures and discussions on the histories and cultures of Islam and women in Islamic cultures and their representation in the media in the USA and Europe. In between the two seminars, participants will be given reading and writing assignments to submit to their appointed mentors by set deadlines. Mentors will respond with comments and feedback for improving the assignments. The final assignment will be the publishable or near publishable media piece.

 

THE TRAINERS

The trainers include experts on women and Islamic cultures – editors of the Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures: Suad Joseph, Zeina Zaatari, Sarah Gualtieri, Elora Shehabuddin, and Annelies Moors. Journalists from the United States, Europe will be available to provide support and lectures.

 

ELGIBILITY & APPLICATION PROCESS

The Institute is open to graduate students in schools of journalism and communication, and to early career professionals within five years of degree completion. To apply, submit a CV, one letter of recommendation from a professor or employer, a short writing sample, and a statement of purpose no more than 600 words addressing your interest, qualifications, and commitment to this program to Suad Joseph: sjoseph@ucdavis.edu and ewic@ucdavis.edu. Indicate the level of your knowledge or training related to women and Islamic cultures and your training or experience in journalism or communication and in which media platforms.

 

For more information, see: http://sjoseph.ucdavis.edu/ewic. DEADLINE AUGUST 15, 2018

 

COST Travel, accommodations, and catering are funded by a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation.

 

Seminars: March 1-3, 2019, Davis, CA Nov 15-17, 2019 New Orleans, LA (dates/locations tentative)