Carnegie Moscow Global Policy Fellowships

Description

Events in the last few years — whether the military crisis in Georgia, the economic crisis that has gripped the world or continuing struggles over various aspects of physical, economic, energy and human security — have highlighted the necessity of improved communication between Washington and Moscow. Improved communication is necessary in the first instance simply to avoid crisis and ensure the implementation of policies that are in both American and Russian interests. Beyond the bilateral relationship, however, improved communication is important to ensure that Russia and the United States are able to work effectively together on problems of global importance.

In the aftermath of the current crises, the agenda of global problems that the United States and Russia must confront will inevitably expand to include new systems of managing the global economy and new approaches to European and global security, as well as a range of other issues including climate change and the development of international law and institutions. If Russia and the United States — having pressed the "reset button" — can reestablish an effective working relationship, rebuilding confidence after the lows of the Georgian crisis, they should be able to cooperate in the future on such enormous emerging problems as global warming.

The United States and Russia both have excellent cadres of experts on the bilateral relationship. The complexity of the emerging policy agenda, however, argues for their ranks to be enriched by expertise from other fields, from global economics and finance to wide-ranging military and security policy to environmental science and law. These are but a few of the areas of expertise that could be tapped to broaden efforts to restore a productive U.S.-Russian relationship.

To achieve this, the Carnegie Moscow Center — with the generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York — is launching the new Carnegie Moscow Global Policy Fellowships, designed to bring senior American experts from a wide range of fields important to the future of the U.S.-Russian policy agenda to spend time in Moscow. Fellows will be housed at the Carnegie Moscow Center for a period of one to three months, with opportunities to visit other relevant institutions in Moscow and elsewhere in Russia, while pursuing a policy-relevant research project.

Eligibility

The Carnegie Moscow Global Policy Fellowships program seeks individuals with significant experience working on issues of major policy concern but who are not "Russia hands." Fellows may be policymakers, whether in or out of government; policy experts; legislative staff, scientists and technologists; lawyers; businessmen and others. Any field of global policy relevance is eligible, but applications will be particularly welcomed that deal with issues of emerging relevance to the bilateral agenda, including climate change, energy efficiency and sustainable development. Preference will be given to applications that fall outside the Carnegie Endowment's core research areas (for these, see http://www.carnegie.ru/en/ and http://www.carnegieendowment.org).

While there is no specific tenure requirement, applicants should be able to demonstrate a strong track-record in their fields and an ability to influence the relevant policy discussions upon their return from Moscow. Knowledge of Russian or prior experience in Russia is not required. Fellows will be expected to remain employed at their U.S. organizations throughout their term in Moscow.

Fellowship Format & Resources

Fellows are invited to Moscow for a continuous period of not less than one month and not more than three months, during which time they will be provided with office space, computing and communications facilities, research and language support, and a modest budget for research and travel within Russia. The program will provide visa support and cover the cost of airfare between Russia and the United States and housing in Moscow but will not provide a living stipend or per diem, as fellows are expected to continue collecting their usual salary from their employers. While in Moscow, fellows will be expected to take part in the life of the Carnegie Moscow Center, including participation in seminars, workshops and conferences, and may organize seminars and other meetings to discuss their research topics. At the end of each term, fellows will be expected to produce a brief policy paper for publication and presentation at the Center. When possible, fellows will also be encouraged to present their findings at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, D.C.

Application Procedure

Applicants should send a letter of interest (summarizing the applicant's professional activities and interest in Russia, and indicating proposed dates for residence in Moscow), a CV, a brief (2-3 page) proposal for research to be conducted in Moscow (including an explanation of how time spent in Moscow would benefit the applicant's activities in the U.S.), and a letter from the applicant's employer confirming that organization's support for potential participation, to Sam Greene, deputy director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, at sgreene@carnegie.ru. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; there is no deadline, but applicants are requested to submit their packages at least two months prior to their proposed start dates.