International Program

The International Program focuses on the seemingly inexorable growth of globalization, the danger of deepening fragmentation along cultural, regional and religious divides and the role of developing countries in advancing global cohesion and prosperity.

Fueled by technological and scientific advances, globalization is improving prosperity in many parts of the world while breaking down geographic barriers. But globalization is a two-edged sword, potentially exacerbating the rising tide of extremism and fragmentation.

While much depends on the actions of governments, nongovernmental organizations in the United States and around the world, as well as the foundations that fund them, have an important role to play in these tumultuous times. Clearly, the continuing attention of the nongovernmental sector to the underlying issues of peace and development is particularly critical now. The Corporation's International Program will respond to these needs and opportunities, bearing in mind that while many of our ongoing program concerns remain valid, others have been altered by global trends or overshadowed by more pressing needs and a world that has grown increasingly complex.

We will dedicate our attention and resources toward accomplishing the following:

• Galvanize public and policy-level support for the reduction of nuclear weapons and their proliferation risk.
• Deepen the international engagement of American expert and policy communities and encourage fresh perspectives on U.S. foreign policy.
• Improve U.S., UN and regional organizations' policies designed to assist states emerging from conflict or facing the risk of instability or collapse.
• Increase understanding of the diversity of thought, cultures and history of Muslim states and societies, and U.S. engagement with them.
• Strengthen universities and academic capacities in sub-Saharan Africa and in Eurasia.
• Revitalize public and university libraries in sub-Saharan Africa.

In seeking to advance an agenda that has international peace at its core, the International Program will focus on several specific, but interrelated grantmaking areas, as described below.

Nuclear Security
Nuclear weapons and their proliferation to states and nonstate actors remain the biggest threat to humanity that can be managed and reduced through policies and actions. While the prospects of a nuclear exchange with Russia have largely receded, other sources of nuclear concern have since arisen, specifically involving China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Iran. The lack of movement among the original nuclear powers toward the elimination of nuclear weapons and the growing international interest in nuclear energy heighten the prospects of nuclear weapons proliferation and use. The Corporation will address these concerns by supporting:

• Policy relevant research and outreach to advance the further refinement and implementation of steps to reduce nuclear weapons and their proliferation risks.
• Policy relevant research and outreach on the proliferation risks of international reliance on nuclear energy and the options available to governments to reduce the risks.
• Unofficial, multilateral policy discussions concerning North Korea and Iran.

U.S. Global Engagement
U.S. engagement with the world needs to be redefined to effectively manage the interlocking challenges of today while also moving toward a more secure and prosperous future. This undertaking requires building new kinds of relationships with both major and emerging powers. New thinking is also needed about near- and long-term strategic challenges, particularly in light of the rise of China, India, Russia and political, economic and military developments in the European Union, the diverse "Islamic world" and in other parts of the globe. The Corporation will address these concerns by supporting:

• Targeted opportunities for engaging experts and policymakers from the United States, China, India, Russia and possibly other countries on security-relevant issues.
• Policy relevant research and outreach on U.S. foreign and security policy. Support will be considered for well-established organizations and for newer, more innovative research centers capable of shaping foreign policy debate.

States at Risk
More than a quarter of the world's states are considered at risk of instability and collapse. Such states--in regions of the developing world where national borders are particularly porous and under constant stress--not only imperil lives at the local level, but also threaten security, stability and prosperity around the world. The ability of developed countries to devise a coherent approach to this proliferation of states at risk represents one of the most urgent security challenges of the 21st century. The failure of recent post-conflict statebuilding efforts underscores the need for policy relevant research in this area to overcome the shortcomings to date. A new generation of experts is needed to deal with this daunting but crucially important problem. The Corporation will address these concerns by supporting:

• New policy relevant research, and the integration and synthesis of existing research and best practices that provide useful insights about the nature of the states at risk problem and possible solutions.
• Dissemination of this research and best practices to relevant experts and policymakers, including providing policy advice directly to practitioners in the field.

Islam Initiative
It is frequently observed that, apart from Mecca, the United States today represents the most diverse array of Muslims from all over the world. Prior to 9/11, Carnegie Corporation took an interest in Islam and Muslim communities in the United States, with a particular focus on their cultural, ethnic, linguistic and socio-economic diversity. Since 9/11, it has become clear that no thoughtful or realistic organization can work in the international arena without deepening the breadth and scope of knowledge about • Islam as a religion, • Islamic civilizations and history and • Muslim communities and contemporary thought.

In 2005, the Corporation expanded its Scholars program to focus on and better understand Muslim societies, cultures and civilizations in their complexity and differences. As a consequence, we began to invest in American scholars of diverse origins, perspectives and research interests, awarding Carnegie Scholars grants for research, writing and public engagement on the theme of Islam and Muslim societies. By the end of this five year period (2005-2009), the Corporation will have supported over 100 scholars, bolstering a new generation of experts to contribute to a broader understanding.

The Islam Initiative strives for mutual understanding among the three faiths sharing the prophet Abraham as a founder. We believe such understanding requires education that draws on the comparative study of world religions as well as the convergences and divergences within and among traditions. Given that the knowledge environment has grown increasingly complex and intense, we encourage interdisciplinary projects that use specialized scholarly studies to illuminate worldviews and ways of life.

Currently, our overall aim is to show in historical depth the variety of movements and trends, continuities and discontinuities across Muslim communities. The Corporation has, therefore, undertaken to support United States public understanding in partnership with the network of federally-funded university centers for global and area studies. In addition, the 2009 program focuses on making available significant writings of scholars of the past. From the 18th to early 20th century, writers in Muslim societies analyzed issues including nationalism, law and constitutionalism, modernity, science and the status of women. These works, which are relevant to their time and shed some light on current debates and controversies, require modern editions and translations with interpretive prefaces to enable today’s researchers, students and the interested public to take full advantage of the intellectual inheritance of this creative period.

The Initiative’s 2009 funds are fully committed at this time.

Higher Education in sub-Saharan Africa and Eurasia
Emerging countries need first-rate universities to train political, business, nonprofit and academic leaders. But in much of Africa and Eurasia, declining financial resources in the 1980s and the 1990s have led to deteriorated conditions. The Corporation has focused on strengthening universities and academic communities in sub-Saharan Africa and Eurasia since 1999. Moving forward, it will address these concerns by supporting:

• A set of leading universities in selected sub-Saharan Africa countries: South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria.
• Individual capacity building programs in selected African countries.
• Research, dissemination and outreach on the educational landscape in selected sub-Saharan African countries.
• The Partnership for Higher Education in Africa--a collaborative effort of Carnegie Corporation and the Ford, Rockefeller, Macarthur, Hewlett, Mellon and Kresge foundations--and investing in higher education in Africa.
• Centers for Advanced Study and Education (CASEs)--a set of university-based centers in Russia and Eurasia aimed at promoting academic research, publications and networks.

Libraries and Information
As with universities, libraries are levers of change within societies, particularly in developing countries, because access to knowledge and information is a critical factor in modernization, advancement and economic competitiveness. In the resource-scarce environment of African countries, where libraries are given a low priority by governments and international funders alike, the Corporation has been making major investments, particularly in sub-Saharan African libraries. To date, support has focused on collection development, automation, staff training, public Internet access, access to global databases and networks, e-resources and community services. Moving forward, the Corporation will support:

• Creation of model libraries by updating and digitizing key public and university libraries in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Development of innovative technology and processes that offer access to information to public and university libraries.

Program Staff
Omotade “Tade” Akin Aina, Program Director, Higher Education in Africa
Deana Arsenian, Vice President, International Program Coordinator and Program Director, Russian Higher Education and Eurasia
Rookaya Bawa, Program Officer; Manager, African Libraries Project
Stephen J. Del Rosso, Jr., Program Director, International Peace and Security
Claudia Frittelli, Program Officer, African Higher Education
Andrea Johnson, Program Officer; Manager, Women's Scholarship in Africa Project
Patricia Moore Nicholas, Project Manager, International Peace and Security
Carl Robichaud, Program Officer, International Peace and Security
Hillary Wiesner, Program Director, Islam Initiative

Related Corporation Work

Partnership for Higher Education in Africa

Related Publications