MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale
MacMillan Center

Ethics in International Relations

With support from the John K. Castle Fund for Ethics and International Affairs endowment, the MacMillan Center is pleased to invite proposals to develop a new program that explores the moral dimensions of international affairs among future generations of citizens and leaders. While this opportunity offers a high degree of flexibility within this topic, the selected proposal will establish a new initiative that advances rigorous scholarly exploration of ethics in the context of pressing global challenges. It is open to faculty across all of Yale’s schools and disciplines and funding may be used for research, teaching, convenings, invited lectures, workshops, student engagement, and other activities that highlight and advance relevant lines of inquiry.

In 2024, we expect to award one grant for up to $100,000 per year for two years with the possibility of renewal for a third year. Extension beyond the three years will rely on successful review by a faculty committee. The selected initiative will become a part of the MacMillan Center portfolio of Global Programs. Accordingly, MacMillan will provide administrative and operational support for the initiative, including supporting events and convenings.

The deadline for applications for the 2025-2026 academic year is by March 7, 2025. The online application form for this application cycle will be live on this website in early January.

Eligibility

  • Proposals must be led by a faculty member, who is expected to also serve as the lead for the new program.
  • The opportunity is open to faculty members from all disciplines and schools. Collaboration across disciplines is encouraged but not required.
  • Proposals that are led by faculty but include postdoctoral associates and fellows and graduate students are welcome.
  • The MacMillan Center is currently supporting several calls for funding. Researchers may apply for funding from more than one of these, but must indicate that they’ve done so and offer a budget justification that clarifies all proposed funding sources. The justification should clarify what will happen should the full amount not be funded.
     

Funding Guidelines

Funding requests may cover a range of activities including but not limited to: events, workshops, personnel (salary and fringe for post-docs, students, research assistants, but not faculty), data collection and analysis, supplies, software, small instrumentation, curricular and syllabus development, and dissemination of findings (e.g., symposia, publication fees). General office supplies, attendance at external conferences, and indirect costs will not be supported.

Budgets should be developed for a two-year time frame.

Proposal Elements:

Proposals should be no longer than four pages, including the the budget and budget justification. Please be sure to include the following elements:

  • Program leadership: Names and titles of proposed lead and additional team members.
  • Summary statement: Provide a summary paragraph describing in clear, non-expert terms what this new initiative aims to accomplish. This should be usable for the MacMillan website should the project be selected.
  • Work statement: Describe the activities this funding will enable.
  • Outcomes: Define what this funding will enable.
  • Collaboration: Please indicate if and how additional faculty and students will be involved and whether you will engage with external partners. 
  • Budget and budget justification: A synopsis of how the funds will be spent for the two-year period and why they are needed. Please indicate whether funds are being sought through other MacMillan-sponsored opportunities, and what the contingencies are if all funding is not secured.
  • Fundraising: If there are plans for growth of this work, please indicate potential future funding sources.

Expectations

  • The grant is designed to cover a two-year period (with up to $100,000 annually or $200,000 over the two years) with the possibility of renewal for a third year. After a third year, a faculty committee will consider the possibility of a multi-year renewal.
  • Proposal teams must submit a brief update each year.
  • Projects must acknowledge the funding source in any publication or public representation of the project or its outputs.

Review Process

Proposals will be reviewed based on the soundness of the proposed set of activities and the extent to which it will further attention, discourse, and understanding on issues related to ethics in international affairs, as well as budget size relative to the proposed activities.  

Please email questions to Mark Roland (mark.roland@yale.edu).