GRADUATE RESEARCH AWARDS for Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation 2017-2018
REPORT OF THE 2018 GRADUATE RESEARCH AWARD WINNERS SEMINAR
(message en français)
COMPETITION DETAILS
Graduate Research Awards for Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation are offered by The Simons Foundation and the International Security Research and Outreach Programme (ISROP) of Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
A total of four awards of CAD $5,000 are available to Canadian Master’s and/or Doctoral candidates to support the independent research and writing of an academic paper responding to a specific Non-Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament (NACD) topic. Awards also include domestic travel support to Ottawa where successful candidates will present their completed papers during a special event at Global Affairs Canada Headquarters on March 1, 2018.
Deadline for applications: January 8, 2018
Selection of four award recipients: February 5, 2018
Presentations at GAC Headquarters in Ottawa: March 1, 2018
HOW TO APPLY:
Complete applications should be sent to Elaine Hynes at The Simons Foundation by email to: ehynes@thesimonsfoundation.ca by the close of business (PST) on January 8, 2018.
Your application must include:
- Your resume, including proof of citizenship status.
- A complete, official transcript of your grades (electronic copies of official transcripts are acceptable).
- An academic paper (1,500 words, MLA format) responding to one of the specific Non-Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament topics shown below.
ELIGIBILITY:
The competition is open to Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents/landed immigrants currently enrolled in a graduate programme. Graduate students studying outside Canada are eligible to apply but please note that funding to cover the cost of successful applicants' travel to Ottawa for the event at Global Affairs Canada in March is limited to domestic travel within Canada (or the equivalent).
In order to expand the community of Canadian scholars working on non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament (NACD) issues, employees of Global Affairs Canada, and previous recipients of a Graduate Research Award are not eligible.
SELECTION PROCESS:
Applications will be reviewed by an Expert Review Panel made up of three experts and academics working in this field who will recommend four award winners for final approval by representatives of The Simons Foundation and ISROP. Successful candidates will be notified on February 5, 2018.
PRESENTATIONS AT GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA HEADQUARTERS:
Award winners will present their papers at a special event hosted by Global Affairs Canada at the Lester B. Pearson building in Ottawa on March 1, 2018, and will be asked to produce a PowerPoint deck for their presentation. The cash awards will be issued at the GRA event in Ottawa and a report, including the papers presented, will be published online by The Simons Foundation. Please note that attendance at the GRA event in Ottawa is a mandatory requirement of the award. Approved domestic travel, accommodation and meal expenses will be provided by The Simons Foundation.
TOPICS for 2017-2018
Master’s and Doctoral candidates may choose to address one of the following subjects:
- In recent years, some countries, including Canada, have begun to adopt a feminist approach – the core of which is gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls – to their foreign and international assistance policies. With respect to the introduction of a feminist approach into non-proliferation and disarmament policy, what specific elements should be prioritised and what do you assess would be the primary impact of doing so?
- With industry playing an increasing role in space, what role (if any) should industry play alongside governments to develop international norms of responsible behaviour/confidence building in space?
- In the context of current tensions involving nuclear-armed countries (e.g. North Korea-U.S., India-Pakistan over Kashmir, Russia-NATO over Ukraine) assess the overall efficacy of the multilateral non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament regime. How successful has this regime been in stemming the proliferation of nuclear arms, encouraging nuclear disarmament and reducing the possibility of an isolated or widespread nuclear conflict? With respect to this regime, what more could individual states, including Canada, do to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons?
- Does deterrence theory still apply in the current context of relations between NATO and Russia? What does deterrence mean for evolving threats such as the proliferation of missile technology, continued interest in the development of tactical nuclear weapons, and emerging issues of cyber, hybrid, and information warfare?
The primary objective of the Graduate Research Awards is to enhance Canadian graduate
level scholarship on disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation issues.
Disclaimer: The views and positions expressed through the GRA programme are intended to stimulate academic debates as part of an annual youth education partnership jointly organized by The Simons Foundation and ISROP; the themes do not necessarily reflect the views of The Simons Foundation, Global Affairs Canada or the Government of Canada.