JIS SEEKS SPONSOR-ACADEMIC
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Oskar
Gruenwald, Ph.D.
Institute for
Interdisciplinary Research
I would like to
bring the IIR-ICSA-JIS educational initiative to a college or
university interested in strengthening or developing interdisciplinary curricula
and/or an honors program. The National Academy of Sciences'
Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research (2004)
confirms the need for interdisciplinary approaches as the most relevant
methodology for addressing major dilemmas confronting humanity in the 21st
century. The educational initiative
I would bring predates the NAS Report by two decades, since I co-founded
a nonprofit Institute for Interdisciplinary Research and a new scholarly
society–the International Christian Studies Association–already in 1983, and
following more brainstorming and panels at various
scholarly societies, launched a Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies: An
International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Interfaith Dialogue, a
refereed trilingual thematic annual, by 1989.
In its 21
thematic volumes published thus
far, JIS has pioneered interdisciplinary research synthesizing insights
and findings across the social sciences and humanities and the more
theoretical/philosophical aspects of science-theology dialogue, exploring the
interfaces between knowledge, ethics and faith, and their significance for human
dignity, human rights, pluralism, and the moral and spiritual foundations of
democracy, encouraging dialogue across geographical, disciplinary, and
denominational boundaries. In sum, IIR-ICSA-JIS are equivalent to a
(post-) graduate honors program–a unique resource for curricular innovation,
model courses, team-teaching, interdisciplinary research and instruction, and
strengthening or developing an interdisciplinary honors program at the
university or seminary level. JIS is on the web at:
www.JIS3.org
The sponsoring institution would
benefit by acquiring an educational initiative which took 25+ years to develop
and which is ca. two decades ahead of the academic mainstream.
With a larger institutional base, IIR-ICSA-JIS--which are equivalent to a
university Center for Interdisciplinary Studies--would
advance many goals, including:
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Attract more private and public funding; |
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Generate additional revenues via annual Symposia; |
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Generate additional revenues by growing the Journal's
subscriber base; |
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Attract both outstanding faculty and gifted students; |
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Showcase a unique world-class Journal with a proven track
record; |
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Create a hub for interdisciplinary research and instruction; |
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Raise the institution's visibility as a leader in
interdisciplinary studies; |
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Serve as a catalyst for internationalizing the campus; |
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Broaden community outreach and ties to various
constituencies; |
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Bring on board a Renaissance scholar whose research and
publications offer intellectual leadership for JIS' pace-setting
volumes. |
