Building on its pioneering work in establishing interdisciplinary “area studies” fields in the US, the SSRC now catalyzes collaboration among scholars and institutions across world regions, promotes research at the intersection of “place-based knowledge” and global issues that shape communities, nation-states, and the world, and supports the development of new generations of scholars working at this intersection, especially in the global South. We seek to support research capacity building to address differences in resources and influence across scholarly communities.
How We Work
We facilitate the work of early-career scholars engaged in field research across the globe. We embed research opportunities in peer-to-peer learning environments that promote mutual support and collaboration, helping new generations of scholars amplify the visibility and impact of their work.
We encourage research that explores global power dynamics and efforts to transform them in local, national, and international settings. Our work encourages comparative and historical perspectives and attention to the ways in which global and local forces shape each other.
We develop and promote innovative modes of global scholarly collaboration that address the inequalities that characterize diverse scholarly communities. Our programs experiment with ways to achieve reciprocity among these communities through research partnerships and seek to amplify the work of social scientists from the global South.
Programs & Projects
Opportunities
Launched in March 2012, the African Peacebuilding Network (APN) supports independent African research on conflict-affected countries and neighboring regions of the continent, as well as the integration of African knowledge …
The Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa program, launched in 2011, responds to an emerging dilemma within higher education in the global South caused by the extraordinary emphasis on increasing …