The CTC has received a number of promising proposals and is no longer accepting applications for this project. It is our hope that we will be able to offer this opportunity in the future contingent upon funding requirements. Thanks to all of those who submitted proposals.
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The CTC invites research proposals that identify and provide biographies of key jihadi figures and contextualizes their role in the jihadi enterprise. Accepted proposals, once completed, will be published as part of a paper series edited by Nelly Lahoud (nelly [dot] lahoud [at] usma [dot] edu). The purpose of this project is to expand our knowledge of the historical evolution and current condition of the jihadi landscape through the ideas, experiences, strategies and operations of the actors who have shaped it. This project is designed to encourage scholars to produce articles based on primary sources, e.g. declassified materials, captured battlefield documents, materials available on jihadi websites, jihadi magazines and other similar publications.
Proposals should be framed with a view to examine publicly available primary sources to shed light on the role played not only by prominent jihadis (i.e., renowned ideologues and leaders), but also by lesser known figures whose activities contributed to the growth of jihadism or contributed to a notable success and/or failure. Proposals seeking to explore the role of financiers, military trainers (including those with explosive making expertise), educators in training camps (including those who teach history, literature, religious sciences, spying, topography, IT, etc), operatives and strategists are highly encouraged.
In about 750 words or less, the research proposal should include the following four components: (1) the importance of the jihadi to be explored; (2) a list of the primary sources that will be used; if biographical data on some jihadi figures are scarce, the proposal should identify this problem and make a case as to how the project will make a useful contribution in spite of the limited primary sources available (3) a rough estimate of the length of the article and the time period required to complete it; and (4) why the author is qualified to complete this project.
Since the length of the article largely depends on the extent of the primary sources available, there is flexibility as to its length. Remuneration follows a formula commensurate with the length of the article.
