The Charles and Kathleen Manatt Fellowship
Democracy Studies Fellowship Program
The Charles and Kathleen Manatt Democracy Studies Fellowship Program at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) brings outstanding graduate students to the Washington, D.C. area each year to conduct research in democracy development, election administration, and civic participation in the political process. Previous fellows have found the Manatt Fellowship to be an excellent boost to their careers in international development or research. Manatt Fellows have direct access to IFES experts in democracybuilding and research and benefit from Washington, D.C.’s wide network of democracy professionals, institutions, and resources.
Once at IFES, Manatt fellows are supported by the Center for Applied Research and Learning and carry out their research under the mentorship of IFES staff. As IFES’ primary research unit, the Center generates innovative applied research to enhance the practice of democracy-building and bolster development of democratic and participatory institutions, processes, and culture.
Manatt Fellows receive a stipend of $5,000 and must complete a paper for public or IFES internal presentation.
Eligibility
The Manatt Fellowship is open to students who have completed their undergraduate studies and who are working toward a graduate degree in international relations, political science, public administration or a related field at a university in the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota or Wisconsin.
The fellowship is ideally suited for graduate students in either Master’s or Ph.D. programs who are in the process of exploring areas of interest for their dissertation research or are in the early stages of such research. Successful applicants will demonstrate how their research can directly benefit from IFES’ institutional expertise, as well as how their research could contribute to IFES’ technical leadership in the democracy and election assistance field.
How to Apply