Call for Applications (Nederland)
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• Eligibility
• Application Process
• Costs
• Academic Credit
• Program Details
• Obligations & Opportunities
Overview
Humanity in Action is now accepting applications from Dutch university students for the 2010 HIA summer fellowship programs in Amsterdam and New York.
The Dutch Program will take place in Amsterdam from June 3rd through July 4th, 2010. The American Program will take place in New York from July 7th through August 9th, 2010. Sister programs will take place in Berlin, Copenhagen, Lyon, and Warsaw as well.
HIA will select three Dutch Fellows for the American Program, and ten Dutch Fellows for the Dutch Program. Intensive and demanding, both summer fellowship programs bring together international groups of college students and recent graduates to explore different national histories of discrimination and resistance, as well as examples of issues affecting different minority groups today.
Each program is highly interdisciplinary, and features daily lectures and discussions with renowned academics, journalists, politicians, and activists, as well as a significant number of site visits to government agencies, non-profit and community organizations, museums, and memorials. The programs seek to bridge the gap between theory and practice and highlight different models of action to remedy injustice.
The objective of the HIA summer fellowship is to facilitate a collective exploration of the social and political roots of discrimination, as well as to provide a forum where potential solutions can be considered and discussed. The programs are also intended to instill a responsibility among HIA Fellows to recognize and address the need to protect minorities and promote human rights—in their own communities and around the world.
To this end, HIA alumni are expected to participate in HIA's international network of Senior Fellows once their programs end—and to sustain their engagement in the issues addressed during the fellowship.
Dutch applicants must submit their applications before February 5th, 2010 at 10:00 AM.
In order to be eligible to apply for the HIA fellowship programs, Dutch applicants must:
- Be enrolled at a university;
- Be within at least their second-year studies at the time of sending the application;
- Have an excellent command of both English and Dutch;
- Have a minimum grade average of 7;
- Reside permanently in the Netherlands, or at least have the intention to stay.
HIA seeks applicants who are mature, proactive, self-reliant, and comfortable in intensive group activity and interaction. All majors and academic disciplines are encouraged to apply.
Applicants can apply to the American Program and/or the Dutch Programs, but can only participate in one.
Admissions to the HIA summer fellowship programs is extremely competitive. The first selection is made based on the written application, which must include a personal statement, a a project proposal, an official university transcript with courses and grades listed, a curriculum vitae, and two letters of recommendation. Please make sure to check the application guidelines for further instructions.
About 30 applicants will be invited for an interview with the selection committee. The interviews will take place in Amsterdam on the 2nd and 3rd of March, 2010. The date and time for the interviews are set by the committee and cannot be changed. Applicants who are unable to come to the interview cannot be considered for selection.
In these interviews, the selection committee will examine the motivation, personality traits, and leadership potential of finalists, as well as their oral and written English and Dutch skills, their academic and extracurricular accomplishments, and the likelihood of their future engagement with issues relevant to Humanity in Action.
Soon after the interviews, the committee will select ten participants for the Dutch Program and three participants for the American Program. In general, selections are made on the basis of demonstrated commitment to minority rights and social justice, evidence of leadership potential, significant academic achievement, and social maturity.
HIA does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, religion, political party, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or financial ability.
Please note that your application must be submitted in English. You should give yourself enough time to assemble all the required application materials before the deadline.
HIA covers the costs of participation and accommodation during all summer fellowship programs. Fellows should plan to bring spending money of approximately $500 for food and social activities during the fellowship program.
The Dutch Fellows selected to participate in the American Program will be responsible for financing the cost of airfare to and from New York. HIA will cover this cost for participants with documented need.
Participation in the HIA fellowship programs does not automatically generate academic credits. We advise students to contact their university advisors in advance to inquire about the possibility of receiving credits for participation.
Although the American and the Dutch Programs both promote team research and debate on human rights and social justice in democratic societies, the scope and focus of the American and Dutch Programs differ slightly.
Dutch Program in Amsterdam
Program Dates: June 3rd through July 4th, 2010
The starting point of the Dutch Program is the persecution of the Jewish population during World War II. There are subsequent discussions about political and social developments after the war, the ways in which Dutch society treated minorities after 1945, and more specifically, how it deals with minority populations today. Important areas of debate are slavery, colonialism, immigration, religion, international relations, Europe and the United States, refugees, racism, and xenophobia.
During the first three weeks of the program, Fellows meet with recognized leaders in human rights organizations, politicians, diplomats, journalists, scholars, and artists. For the rest of the program, teams of two to three participants conduct research and write a report on a specific topic within the overall framework of the program. At the end of the program, all papers are presented before the group.
Dutch Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in a follow-up program in Washington, DC, in January 2011. Interested Fellows will be required to fund their participation in this program, though funding may become available.
The Dutch Program brings together 10 Fellows from American universities, 10 Fellows from Dutch universities, and a small number of students from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
American Program in New York City
Program Dates: July 7 through August 9, 2010
As a nation of immigrants, constitutionally dedicated to the ideals of liberty and equality, the United States is one of the most diverse industrial nations in the world. It is also a nation whose commitment to diversity as a communal ideal is explicit and deeply rooted, albeit ultimately flawed. In the HIA American Program, Fellows study the economic, cultural, religious, and political resources available to those who advocate a more inclusive, equitable, and participatory society.
American Program Fellows explore the history of slavery, segregation, and immigration in the United States, as well as contemporary debates over race and ethnicity, the criminal justice system, immigration reform, religion, and the role of civil society. Past programs have included site visits to immigration hearings, community courts, community development corporations, traversing the New York City area from Brooklyn to Harlem to Newark, New Jersey.
HIA will select approximately 10 Fellows from American universities, who will be joined by a total of 15 Fellows from Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland.
Click here to download the 2008 program schedule.
HIA Obligations and Opportunities: After the Fellowship
Action Projects
As a requirement of participation, Fellows are obligated to conduct a hands-on outreach initiative—an “Action Project”—in their home communities. The initiative should reflect the HIA fellowship experience. Upon successful completion, Fellows are invited to become Senior Fellows and to join the global HIA network of young advocates.
Professional Fellowship Opportunities
Every year, HIA places more than 50 Senior Fellows in professional fellowship programs and internships to provide practical experience working on human and minority rights. Over 230 Senior Fellows have completed HIA-sponsored internships since 1999. HIA professional fellowship opportunities include the United States Congress, the European Parliament, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and a wide variety of grassroots and community organizations in San Francisco.
Dutch Senior Fellows Association
HIA Senior Fellows in the Netherlands have created their own Senior Fellows Association, which consists of over 60 active Senior Fellows who meet on a regular basis and organize lectures, trainings, and social events. After the summer programs, Dutch Fellows are required to join this Senior Fellows Association. There is an annual fee of 25 Euro.
There are similar Senior Fellows Associations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, and the United States. These Associations have developed over the years into a global network of almost 1000 Senior Fellows worldwide.
For additional information on the HIA Summer Fellowship programs, or to reach out to Senior Fellows from the Netherlands to ask about their experiences, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Humanity in Action Nederland is an independent foundation that organizes all Humanity in Action activities in The Netherlands. The foundation cooperates with sister organizations in Denmark, France, Poland, Germany and the United States. The program is financed through donations from government agencies, private institutions, and individuals, including board members and Senior Fellows. Professor Dr. Ruth Oldenziel chairs the board.