Graduate Research Fellowships

Berkeley Center for the Development of Peace and Well-being
Institute of Human Development

Dacher Keltner, Phil Cowan, Steve Hinshaw
Founding Executive Committee

The Berkeley Center for the Development of Peace and Well-being, housed in the Institute of Human Development at UC Berkeley, is devoted to the study and development of peace and well-being within individuals, families, and communities. We will be awarding eight research fellowships of $9,000 each to UCB Graduate Students for the next academic year (Fall Semester 2003 and Spring Semester 2004). We are interested in supporting research on peace and well-being that responds to one of the following three themes:

1. Getting Along Across Differences – How do people with different ethnic, religious, or class backgrounds, different social perspectives, different cultural values or different mental health histories peacefully co-exist? This initiative focuses on building new understanding of specific social, language-related, and cultural factors that enable individuals to collaborate effectively and to disagree productively. Ultimately, the key targets of this effort are the roots of prejudice, discrimination, and stigma. Our goal is to gather knowledge that will be directly useful to teachers, parents, employers, social service and mental health workers, and communities at large.

2. Teaching Benevolence – This initiative concentrates on characteristics that promote benevolent interactions, such as kindness, compassion, gratitude and civility. How do we learn to be benevolent toward others? Throughout human history there are many cultural traditions that emphasize an orientation toward helping others. The acknowledgement of needs in addition to our own and a willingness to care are the basis for healthy communities. The Center is looking at how children and young adults learn to be benevolent - in school, at home, or in other social contexts. In addition to identifying how and where the learning process takes place, this initiative is developing tools and strategies for communities to encourage active efforts to teach pro-social behavior.

3. Promoting Harmonious Families – How do families create peaceful environments? Marital relationships, parenting challenges and the responsibilities of providing for the care of children all bring stress as well as joy. This Center initiative focuses on the critical importance of understanding and supporting families, in their many forms. Research areas include the following: how couples create healthy relationships, how families maintain peaceful environments despite difficult circumstances; how support systems assist with unexpected life events and transitions; how parental harmony can foster children’s social and academic competence; and how families re-establish well-functioning relationships after traumatic events. The Center’s work in this area goes beyond research to identify and disseminate strategies for encouraging healthy families.

We are interested in attracting cohorts of young scholars across the social-behavioral sciences.

We are now accepting applications for 2003-2004 fellowships. To apply, please submit: 1) a 500 word research proposal, 2) a brief description of how you intend to spend the fellowship, 3) a curriculum vitae, 4) one letter of recommendation; and 5) a signature from your advisor or research mentor noting that they are aware of your fellowship application to Elizabeth Cushing Payne, Center for the Development of Peace & Well-being, 1231 Tolman Hall, University of California Berkeley, 94720-1690.

Applications are due April 1, 2003. We will announce the recipients of these awards by May 10, 2003. For further questions, please contact Elizabeth Cushing Payne at ecpayne@uclink.berkeley.edu.