Law and Social Science Fellowship and Mentoring Program on Law & Inequality

Law and social science scholars are studying important questions that highlight the difference between what the law says and how it works, particularly those differences that worsen established inequalities within society. However, while the work is critical, there are obstacles that discourage new scholars from entering this relatively small field. One such obstacle is that entering the field of law and social science requires crossing traditional disciplinary boundaries. But because the field is relatively small, there are only a few research institutions with a concentration of specialists. This can make it risky if not impossible for graduate students or recent Ph.D. holders who are not at institutions with established interdisciplinary programs to pursue this kind of work. They often lack either the training or support to undergo this critical work. The Law and Social Science Fellowship and Mentoring Program on Law & Inequality aims to develop a small cohort of two carefully chosen doctoral scholars and one postdoctoral scholar focused on law and inequality through critically important and specialized support from a robust intellectual community within the American Bar Foundation in Chicago, IL. Applications will be open broadly and across disciplines to any advanced Ph.D. student or those who have recently completed their Ph.Ds. Selections will be based on candidate’s scholarly potential in the field of law and social science, commitment to conducting research on law and inequality, academic achievement, and contribution to diversity of the field. During this time, they will be able to focus on their research and professional development. Members of both the American Bar Foundation and the Law and Society Association research communities will provide advice and guidance to these young scholars as they navigate academic spaces and challenges. Effective mentoring and being part of an interdisciplinary academic community can broaden the perspectives of graduate students and recent Ph.D. holders and provide them with the necessary training and support to succeed as scholars. A package of financial support permits fellows to take full advantage of the education, training, and mentoring at the heart of this program. Once established, these fellows will soon not only make significant contributions to the field, but they will also become mentors to their own students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.