Supported by the John Templeton Foundation, the Science of Generosity at the University of Notre Dame is currently seeking proposals and letters of inquiry from scholars to undertake research in generosity in the human and social sciences. “The aim of this initiative…is to stimulate scientific research on the practice of generosity in human life and society, particularly the sources, origins, and causes of generosity; the variety of manifestations and expressions of generosity; and the consequences of generosity for both the givers and receivers involved.” The key aspects of generosity that can be covered in the research are:
- The sources, origins, and causes of generosity
- The variety of manifestations and expressions of generosity
- The consequences of generosity for both the givers and receivers involved
This initiative is expected to develop a more unified field by bringing together various academic studies on generosity, which is now “a scattered constellation of research projects operating under different terms such as philanthropy, giving, charity and altruism.” “A primary goal of the project is to communicate research findings and information to other scholars, religious organizations, nonprofit organizations and the general public.”
“Applications are welcome from scholars and teams of scholars working in the fields of anthropology, behavioral economics, business and finance, communications, cultural studies, economics, education, family and developmental studies, geography, law, political science, psychology, social psychology, sociobiology, and sociology.” The grants available for research are up to $150,000 and a total of 15 projects will be awarded. Besides this, there will also be a competition where winners can get grants of up to $500,000 in the initial phase and also follow-up funding of up to $1.2 million. Letters of Intent (LOI) has to be submitted, following which full proposal will be sought. The last date to submit the LOI is 1 December 2009. For more information, visit this link.
