Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) Program for Scholars – Saudi Arabia

Participation will be limited to six groups, each consisting of 18 mid-level scholars selected from around the world. Typically, successful candidates will have advanced degrees and substantial knowledge in a subject related to the program’s area of focus.

What is the Goal of this Program?

• The program is intended for university faculty or members of research-focused entities such as think tanks or non-profit organizations who can demonstrate firm plans to introduce aspects of U.S. studies into their institutions’ curricula, enhance the quality of teaching about the United States in Saudi institutions, update existing courses on the United States, or offer specialized seminars and workshops for professionals in topics related to the program themes. Applicants should be able to articulate how they will use what they learn on the program to benefit their institutions and their communities.

Focus Areas

Applicants should select one of six areas of focus:

• The program on American Politics and Political Thought will take place at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.  The program will focus on how intellectual and political movements have influenced American political institutions and American democracy.  Participants will explore the shaping of American identity and the interaction between that identity and U.S. history, politics, and the democratic process.  The program will cover a broad range of American experiences that have influenced and been influenced by American national identity.  Participants will gain a deeper understanding of major currents in U.S. political thought, from the colonial period to the present, and explore contemporary U.S. political and social debates and public policy, relating them back to U.S. political thought and American identity.
• The program on Contemporary American Literature will take place at the University of Montana.  Participants will gain a deeper understanding of U.S. society and culture, past and present, through an examination of contemporary American literature.  The program will examine how major contemporary writers, schools, and movements reflect the traditional, and evolving, U.S. literary canon.  The program will also explore the diverse communities and voices that constitute the American literary landscape and expose participants to writers who are establishing new directions for American literature.  The program will cover a variety of contemporary American writers and texts and suggest how the themes explored reflect larger currents within contemporary U.S. society and culture.
• The program on Journalism and Media will take place at Arizona State University.  Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the roles that journalism and the media play in U.S. society.  The program will examine the role of journalists in recognizing, pointing out and preventing disinformation and will explore strategies for media and information literacy to counter disinformation.  Additionally, the program will examine best practices in journalism by discussing the rights and responsibilities of the media in a democratic society, including editorial independence, journalistic ethics, legal constraints, and international journalism.  The program will also highlight the impact of technology in journalism, including the influence of the digital economy, globalization of the news media, shifting business and funding models, and other changes that are transforming the profession.
• The program on U.S. Culture, Identity, and Society will take place at Seattle University in Washington State.  Participants will gain a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions through the lens of diversity and national unity.  The program will examine the economic, ethnic, gender, political, racial, religious, and social contexts in which various cultures have manifested in U.S. society while focusing on the ways in which these cultures have influenced social movements and American identity throughout U.S. history.  The program will draw from a diverse disciplinary base and will provide a model of how a foreign university might approach the study of American culture and society.
• The program on U.S. Economics and Sustainable Development will take place at the Institute for Training and Development (ITD) and Suffolk University in Amherst and Boston, Massachusetts.  Participants will gain a deeper understanding of key components and structures of the U.S. economy.  Using a multidisciplinary approach, the program will explore various topics of socioeconomics such as how financial institutions, investors, and businesses interact to support sustainable economic development, innovation, and growth; and increasing diverse and equitable employment through institutional regulation, social inclusion strategies, and private and public policies.  Throughout the program, participants will examine the interplay of climate change, U.S. business innovation, corporate regulation, entrepreneurship, and economic theory.  Participants will have opportunities to learn about key institutions and stakeholders in the U.S. economy and meet with a diverse range of business leaders and small business owners, among others.
• The program on U.S. Foreign Policy will take place at the University of Delaware. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of new approaches to U.S. foreign policy and how U.S. foreign policy is formulated and implemented.  The program will include a historical review of significant events, individuals, and philosophies that have shaped U.S. foreign policy.  The program will explain the role of key influences on U.S. foreign policy including the executive and legislative branches of government, the media, the U.S. public, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, and multilateral institutions.  The program will also examine the current U.S. foreign policymaking landscape and emerging trends that are shaping policy.
• Note: Each of the six programs will include a four-week academic residency and an integrated study tour of up to two weeks in another region of the United States.

Who is Eligible?

• To be eligible for this program you must:
  • hold a PhD.
  • be a mid-career university faculty member or a member of a research-focused entity such as a think tank or a non-profit organization.
  • be a Saudi citizen resident in Saudi Arabia.
  • be 30-50 years old.
  • be highly proficient in English.
  • have limited experience in the U.S.
  • obtain written permission from your employer to attend the entire program.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Saudi Arabia.