Yale CSEAS Myanmar Junior Scholar Mentorship Program

Submission Deadline: November 19, 2023

Application Form: https://form.jotform.com/232906697953169

The Council on Southeast Asia Studies at Yale University’s MacMillan Center for International
and Area Studies invites applications from junior scholars of Myanmar (Burma) to participate in
a hybrid mentorship program focused on academic research and writing. Online writing
mentorship will take place over four months (twice monthly from December 2023 to March 2024)
and will focus on supporting an interdisciplinary cohort of junior scholars to prepare academic or
public-facing articles of 3,000 to 10,000 words. Participants will present their final articles in a
week-long workshop in mid-April 2024, which will take place in a hybrid form with
opportunities to participate in person at Yale University or online.

The organizers aim to select 8-10 junior scholars, who will receive (1) subject-specific
mentorship; (2) regular feedback on an in-progress writing project and oral presentation
ahead of the April 2024 workshop; and (3) support to enable their virtual or in-person
participation in the April 2024 workshop. Recognizing that not all junior scholars of Myanmar are
currently able to travel freely, the Council intends to select 4-5 in-person participants and 4-5 virtual
participants, with financial and logistical support varying according to participants’ individual needs.
Support will include funds for travel and accommodation for in-person participants but may also
encompass support for virtual participants.

Topics of study: We invite submissions in the following, but not exhaustive, topical areas, which
reflect the disciplinary, theoretical, and methodological areas of our Yale-affiliated mentors across
anthropology, history, law, religion, public health, and politics. Topics should relate to
Myanmar (Burma), broadly conceived, including its diverse non-Bamar populations and diaspora
communities abroad.
● Culture and society
● Politics, civil society, state-building, and revolution
● Colonial and post-colonial history
● Religion, race, and reconciliation
● Gender, identity, and solidarity
● Myanmar law & international law
● Health, humanitarianism, and emergency response (national, regional and international)
● Theory of democracy/federalism
● Human rights and land rights
● Activism and advocacy

Eligibility: This mentorship program is intended to support junior scholars, a category we

define broadly, as anyone with an in-progress writing project that will benefit from scholarly
input. Potential participants include (but are not limited to): undergraduate and graduate students;
recent graduates; independent scholars and researchers; journalists and media commentators; and
authors, artists, and other practitioners with text-based projects. Applicants may be based in
Myanmar or abroad. We are particularly enthusiastic about supporting members of the CDM
movement and others whose professional development or education has been interrupted
by the military coup.

Individuals of all levels of experience and/or rank may apply, but applicants should be aware that
Yale-affiliated mentors will include visiting researchers, scholars, and postdoctoral associates.
Mentors may provide feedback in English, Burmese, or another language of Myanmar, but a formal
English language translation must accompany all writing projects not drafted in English. Participants
must be confident presenting their projects in English during the April 2024 workshop.

Writing projects: Ideal participants should have an in-progress writing project (see below) that will
benefit from mentorship and scholarly input. Writing projects may be diverse in nature and of
varied lengths, although applications should include a rough draft, abstract or description of the
proposed project. Examples of potential projects include:
● Scholarly articles for submission to peer-reviewed journals
● Public-facing articles, opinion pieces, or commentaries for publication in news outlets
● First-person accounts or essays in other media outlets
● Research reports for publication via civil society organizations or other independent
institutions of an applicant’s choosing.

To apply: Interested applicants should submit the following form at the web address below or
directly to the secure proton account listed below. While English applications are preferred,
applicants may also submit in the Burmese language.
Applications should include:
● Name and contact information
● Preferred language(s) (English, Burmese, or other)
● In-person or virtual participation preference
● Area of interest (anthropology, history, law, religion, and public health)
● Primary theme of the proposed project
● A sample of the proposed writing project, including:
○ Proposed title
○ Target length
○ Intended outlet or audience
○ Rough draft, summary, or abstract

Ready to submit an application? Please submit the required information via the following
online form (preferred) by midnight (Myanmar time) on November 19, 2023.

Application form: https://form.jotform.com/232906697953169

This is a secure, encrypted form, but you may also send us an email at yale-cseas@proton.me and we
will provide you with a PDF form you can submit to us directly by email.

We expect to reply to all applicants with a decision by November 26, 2023.