The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is pleased to announce The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation/ACLS Program in Buddhist Studies, a new initiative supporting research and teaching in Buddhist studies funded by a $1.9 million grant from the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation. Working with the Foundation, ACLS will offer an articulated set of fellowship and grant competitions that will expand the understanding and interpretation of Buddhist thought in scholarship and society, strengthen international networks of Buddhist studies, and increase the visibility of innovative currents in those studies. ACLS will organize competitions for Dissertation Fellowships, Postdoctoral Fellowships, Collaborative Research Grants, and Visiting Professorships.
*These are global competitions. There are no restrictions as to the location of work proposed or the citizenship of applicants.*
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation supported “The Buddha”, David Grubin’s documentary film and companion website on the story and teaching of the Buddha. Photo courtesy of Luca Tettoni. “We are honored to partner with the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation,” said ACLS President Pauline Yu. “The humanities study how people create and convey meaning; the study of religions is thus one of the core concerns of the humanities. This new initiative will help bring Buddhist studies to the center of academic inquiry worldwide.“
“We are committing substantial resources to strengthening the teaching and study of Buddhism in modern society, supporting outstanding scholars and institutions worldwide. This is an important step towards realizing my family’s vision of developing a Buddhist Learning Network to further the study of Buddhist philosophy and broaden its impact in the twenty-first century,” said Robert Y.C. Ho, chairman of the Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation.
Established in Hong Kong in 2005 by Robert Hung Ngai Ho as a private philanthropic organization, the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation promotes understanding of Buddhism through Buddhist studies and Buddhist art. Its programs include the Buddhist Ministry Initiative at Harvard Divinity School; a center and an endowed professorship in Buddhist studies at Stanford University; a center for Buddhist art and conservation at The Courtauld Institute of Art; a gallery of Buddhist sculpture at the Victoria and Albert Museum; and various exhibitions of Buddhist art.
The American Council of Learned Societies is a federation of 71 scholarly societies devoted to the promotion of the humanities and related social sciences. In 2013, ACLS will award more than $15 million in research fellowships.
The application deadline for the dissertation, postdoctoral, and collaborative competitions is November 5, 2013. The deadline for the visiting professorship competition is January 15, 2014. More information on the new program may be found here.