Fellowships

The Abdallah S. Kamel fellowships are designed to bring promising junior scholars to the Law School in order to advance their academic research relating to Islamic law and civilization and to contribute to the intellectual life of the Law School and Yale University more broadly.

Scholars from diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines who have completed or are near completion of an advanced degree (e.g., Ph.D., J.S.D., D.Phil.) and whose work engages with the intellectual and social history of Islam, Islamic legal and political theory, or law in contemporary Muslim societies. Scholars working or studying abroad are welcome to apply. Fellows are expected to be in residence for the duration of the one-year fellowship and will receive a stipend in the range of $45,000 and $60,000 commensurate with their education and experience. Traveling expenses of fellows coming from abroad are covered.

While fellows will devote the majority of their time to their research work, they are expected to participate in all the activities of the Abdallah S. Kamel Center, help in the administration of these activities, and to the extent possible avail themselves of the Law School’s various workshops and course offerings. Fellows will also be encouraged to build relationships among colleagues in other departments of the University. For these reasons, while some exceptions may be made for certain conferences and fieldwork, the fellows are expected to maintain a regular presence at the law school when classes are in session.

The application deadline for the year-long fellowships that begin in August, 2021 is January 31, 2021. 

Applicants should submit the following materials by email to kamel.center@yale.edu between December 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021:

  • a statement of interest (of no more than 1000 words) describing the applicant’s relevant experience, interest in the Kamel Center, and proposed research for the duration of the Fellowship;
  • a current resume or CV; and
  • relevant law school or graduate school transcripts.
  • non-native speakers of English must provide proof of proficiency (e.g., a recent TOEFL score of over 100 or an advanced degree from an English-speaking university).

Applicants should also arrange for two letters of recommendation to be sent by the recommenders directly to kamel.center@yale.edu. 

For any questions about the application process, please contact Bradley Hayes.

Decisions will be made by March 1, 2021.

Travel Grants

The Abdallah S. Kamel Center at the Yale Law School for the Study of Islamic Law and Civilization supports international travel and language training for students in furtherance of their academic projects related to Islamic law and civilization. Support will typically cover international travel to conduct field research or in-country interviews during extended academic recesses (e.g., summer, spring, or winter) or language training courses. Students seeking support for research related to academic work (e.g., dissertations or coursework) are expected to apply to their department before applying for additional support from the Kamel Center.

Students seeking international travel or language training support through the Abdallah S. Kamel Center should write to Bradley Hayes, Coordinator of International Programs. Priority will be given to students at the Yale Law School, but all Yale University students are eligible to apply. Proposals should relate to academic research/writing projects conducted under Yale Law School or Yale University faculty supervision. Applications will be accepted throughout the year and should describe the research project in under 2 pages, list additional sources of funding solicited and obtained, and include the names of the supervising faculty.

Yale Law School students should also visit the Funding Opportunities page to learn about additional resources available for academic and independent research projects and programs.