Sponsor
The Laogai Research Foundation (“LRF”)
Objective
To promote the research on China’s Laogai-related issues, and to deepen the reflections on China’s human rights issues and accompanying legal system.
Scope of Research
The Laogai (prison) system, Economics of Laogai (including Laogai products and enterprises), the domestic and international responses to China’s systems of Laogai, the comparative research on Laogai and the Soviet Gulag, the comparative research on Laogai and other penal methods employed by totalitarian regimes, and literary criticism on the Laogai subject.
Qualifications for the grant
A grantee may be a current university student in the process of acquiring the Bachelor and higher level of degrees, teachers and professors, and any other kind of researcher. The potential grantee must be and/or has shown impressive records in the fields of law, political science, sociology, economics, history and literature.
Requirements for the research paper
The paper must be empirically sound, logically compelling and linguistically powerful. The final paper must be presented in word or pdf format.
Research language
The paper may be written in Chinese or English. Though the paper written in any other language is acceptable, the initial research proposal and the quarterly reports on the research progress shall be submitted in either Chinese or English.
Funding and support methods
Each qualified research project will receive a grant of US$2,000 to US$5,000, and/or support in the form of access to LRF’s archives and library.
Timing of funding
50% of the grant will be dispensed within 30 days after the grant agreement is signed by both parties. The remaining 50% will be remitted within 30 days after the final paper is submitted to LRF.
Timeframe for the research project
The research project shall be finished within one year after the grant agreement is signed by both parties.
The process for project selection
The applicant shall submit the research proposal to LRF, and after reviewing the proposal by a panel of experts, LRF will determine the amount of grant to be made and/or the other methods for providing support.
Monitoring and evaluation of the research project
The grantee shall report on the project’s progress on a quarterly basis and submit the final paper within one year. LRF shall have the right to make recommendations for improvements on the paper and the grantee shall respond accordingly.
Intellectual rights to the paper
The owner of the intellectual rights to the paper shall be the grantee. However, LRF shall have the right to use it free of any charge (including any translation thereof) and to employ it in any other non-for-profit purpose free of charge.
Methods for application
Interested parties shall fill out the application form in either Chinese or English, and submit via email at laogai@laogai.org to LRF their research proposals, which shall include, among others, research purpose and objective, research scope, resources needed, potential uses of research output, and value and contribution to China’s Laogai research. Please include “applying for Laogai research grant” in your email subject. Or the applicant can directly file the online application together with the research proposal.
The Laogai Research Foundation
