Currently enrolled Duke undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply for summer research funding from the Duke Human Rights Center@FHI. The goals of the grant are to strengthen global research opportunities for students interested in developing, implementing, and working in human rights. Special consideration is given to students whose research projects contribute to a senior thesis or project, or to students enrolled in the Human Rights Certificate. Students are encouraged to seek supplementary funding to complete their planned research needs from other Duke sources.
Grants are available for up to $2,000.
Eligibility and Criteria
- Students from all backgrounds and academic disciplines are encouraged to apply. Graduating seniors or graduate students in their final year at Duke are not eligible. Students who have previously received this grant are also ineligible.
- Students must be directed by a member of the Duke University faculty and conducted over a period no less than 2 weeks during the summer. Students are expected to be in frequent contact with their advisors and the DHRC@FHI throughout the duration of the project.
- Projects involving interactions with human subjects online will need approval from the Duke Institutional Review Board. Read more here.
The deadline for 2024 applications is March 29, 2024. Please complete the form here to submit an application.
Questions? Contact Corin Zaragoza at corin.zaragoza@duke.edu.
2024 Undergraduate Student Awardees
Gabe Caress: "Balanced Justice: Understanding Bias in the Legal System Through Education"
Race. Class. Sex. Gender. Ability. These are all visual markers we use to come to conclusions about others. Our eyes are where preconceived notions begin. But how are these factors addressed and accounted for in the courtroom? When your life's on the line, who looks out for your personal integrity? The justice system often deals with accounting for individual bias on a case-by-case basis due to lack of adequate coverage of this topic in some law schools. This project aims to explore what that truly means and how education manifests into reality. How do different law curriculums address, or plan to address these biases? How do they impact an individual's personal justice? To better account for bias, we have to understand the status quo. That is the aim of this project — to understand where we stand presently in an effort to do better in the future.
Thang Lian: "Chin Refugee Community Formation"
By examining the intimate transnational intersections between displacement and resettlement, this project (a) investigates and records how Chin refugees form(ed) communities in Michigan, Indiana, and California through oral history, (b) situates the Chin people's history within Myanmar’s historical contexts "post-independence" (post-1948), (c) uses various archives to delineate the Chin people's history before and after 1948, and (d) interprets community history via frameworks of class, race, and religion.
Yadira Paz-Martinez: "Voices from the Fields: Socialization Experiences of Undocumented and H- 2A Farmworkers in Sampson County, North Carolina"
This research project examines the socialization experiences of undocumented and H-2A farmworkers in Sampson County, NC. Through oral history with farmworkers from various backgrounds, it seeks to understand their immigration stories, labor conditions, and how family dynamics shape their interactions. By focusing on farmworkers within Sampson County, the project aims to uncover the unique challenges they face, including human rights abuses and systemic barriers. Ultimately, it aims to humanize their narratives, inform policy proposals, and raise awareness about the realities of farmworkers' lives and labor.