Korbel School Awarded Carnegie Grant

The University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studieshas announced that the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security and Diplomacy, a leading research center at the School, was awarded a $1 million, two-year grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York. The grant is toward a “Bridging the Academic-Policy Gap” program that will generate and disseminate policy-relevant research on pressing global issues. It follows an earlier $1 million grant from the philanthropic foundation in support of the initiative.

A key insight driving a wide range of policy decisions in conflict and post-conflict contexts around the globe is that inclusive approaches to governance, mobilization, and problem-solving are necessary to prevent or reduce violence, promote peaceful behavior and outcomes and ensure more equitable and prosperous societies. However, most policymakers struggle to define inclusiveness or articulate how it operates. Inclusiveness, as a strategy, has not yet received rigorous and sustained scholarly attention. The research program at the Sié Center will aim to produce the data necessary to rigorously evaluate the links between inclusiveness and violence reduction in a range of conflict settings.

Noting the importance of applying sound research to policy, Dean Christopher R. Hill, a four-time U.S. ambassador, said, “Rigorously studying inclusive processes to understand what really works—and what doesn’t—is crucial for our country right now. With this grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York to the Sié Center, we can directly help policymakers make evidence-based decisions to reduce violence. Furthermore, our students and junior scholars at the Josef Korbel School will gain experience doing academic research that has a real impact in the world. We are proud to be part of the Corporation’s ‘Bridging the Gap’ program.”

In addition to funding a new policy-relevant research program at the Korbel School, the Carnegie-funded program will bring two full-time post-doctoral researchers, practitioners-in-residence, and a host of visiting academic and policymakers to the School. One research area will be a newly-launched Korbel School program, the Inclusive Global Leadership Initiative, which seeks to understand the role that women and underrepresented groups play in advancing global peace and security.