Faculty members in the Humanities and Social Sciences are invited to submit proposals for funding in support of projects that translate humanistic and social inquiry into meaningful engagement with communities, addressing pressing social, cultural, and civic challenges through research, creative works, dialogue, and events. Proposed projects must be led by FAS full-time faculty members, but collaboration with faculty members from other AUB faculties is strongly encouraged when it enriches the project’s interdisciplinary or applied dimensions.
This funding opportunity is designed to promote collaboration between AUB scholars in the Humanities and Social Sciences and community partners. Each proposal must include at least one community partner (e.g. NGO, cultural institution, municipality, educational organization, social enterprise).
Eligibility: FAS full-time faculty members in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Faculty members from other AUB faculties are encouraged to join as collaborators.
Budget: Up to $7,000 with a financial contribution from the community partner that must be equal to or exceeding the amount requested from AUB.
Application materials: Apply online. Please upload in a single PDF file: 1. Proposal including abstract (no more than 200 words), description of the proposed activity and expected outcomes (no more than 1000 words), detailed budget and budget narrative (indicating the anticipated use of the requested funds and all funds sought or secured from internal and external sources), and timeline; and 2. Letter of commitment from community partner specifying the amount of the contribution.
Application deadline: October 1; March 15
Contact: [email protected]
2026-27
Extending Athar: A Regional Partnership for Public Engagement with Social Research
Sari Hanafi; Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Media Studies (SOAM)
This project seeks to strengthen the public impact of social research across the Arab region through a partnership with the Fa3iloon Center for Research in Anthropology and the Social Sciences and Humanities. It builds on Athar, an open-access portal hosted at AUB’s Issam Fares Institute that documents how research contributes to policy, public debate, and social change. The project will expand Athar’s activities across the Arab East and North Africa by organizing ten science-communication workshops and producing approximately 70 podcast episodes over two years. The workshops will equip researchers with practical skills to communicate their work through public speaking, media engagement, and opinion writing. Meanwhile, the podcast series will bring social research to wider audiences by featuring scholars whose work addresses issues affecting Arab societies. Through this regional partnership, the project aims to connect academic knowledge with communities, strengthen researchers’ public engagement, and promote a culture in which social research is more widely understood, valued, and used.
Repositioning School Leadership: Habitus, Field, and Civic Engagement in Lebanese Schools
Lina Khalil, Department of Education
This project, conducted in partnership with Nafda Lebanon, explores how school principals can strengthen civic engagement, community leadership, and social cohesion in Lebanon. Through interviews with 20 Nafda-affiliated principals, the research will examine how school leaders understand their roles, build trust and legitimacy, collaborate with community actors, and navigate institutional barriers. The findings will inform two community dialogue workshops and a collaborative co-design lab bringing together principals, Nafda facilitators, and community representatives. Participants will translate the research into practical approaches for community-engaged school leadership and jointly develop a Leadership for Civic Transformation Framework. The framework will offer principles and strategies for strengthening civic participation through schools and sustaining change across educational networks. The project will culminate in a public forum presenting its findings and engaging educators, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders in a broader discussion about schools’ civic role. Through this partnership, the initiative will help reposition Lebanese schools as important spaces for trust-building, participation, and community transformation.
Supporting Agricultural Resilience and Food Sovereignty in Lebanon
Nikolas Kosmatopoulos, Department of Political Studies and Public Administration (PSPA)
This project brings together AUB’s Community-Based Research Lab and AgriMovement to support farmers affected by conflict and instability in Lebanon’s major agricultural regions. Combining participatory research with direct community assistance, the initiative will document the challenges facing small-scale farmers while helping them restart and sustain agricultural production. At least 15 farmers will receive support through access to locally adapted seeds and seedlings, seed-propagation networks, and agroecological knowledge. Field research will examine the effects of conflict on agricultural production, livelihoods, and farming practices. At the same time, workshops will facilitate knowledge exchange among farmers, researchers, and agricultural practitioners on seed preservation and resilience strategies. Community events in Beirut, Tripoli, and the Bekaa will also raise awareness of agricultural biodiversity, local food production, and the essential role of farmers in safeguarding Lebanon’s food system. Ultimately, the project seeks to preserve traditional seed varieties, strengthen farming communities, and contribute to Lebanon’s long-term food sovereignty.