
We the People Request for Proposals
Large or Small Program Grant applicants may submit a proposal under the We
the People RFP, an initiative that explores significant themes in our nation's
history and advances the knowledge of the principles that define America.
Program Format:
Lecture and/or film series, panel discussions, exhibits, symposia or other
program formats. CEH seeks programs which will engage the broad Colorado public
in dialogue, enhance ongoing research, employ original source material, and
utilize new technologies.
Criteria:
- Programs should enhance the exploration and improve the understanding of
significant themes and events in our national heritage.
- Humanities scholars must be significantly involved in all aspects of program
planning, and content development, implementation, and delivery. Humanities
scholars are identified as persons with a terminal degree in a humanities
discipline appropriate to the project.
- Programs must have broad appeal and effectively engage their targeted audience.
- Program planners need to clearly define their audience. The audience may
be broad or focused on a specific group.
- Preference will be given to programs which result in a lasting and replicable
resource or model.
- CEH encourages programs by and about diverse ethnic, cultural and other
groups.
Suggested topics may include:
- The central ideas of American constitutional democracy as they are illuminated
in writings of the American Founders and those who influenced them. What are
the meaning, implications, and political logic of such ideas as equality,
liberty, natural law, rule of law, government by consent, representation,
separation of powers, limited government, natural rights, republicanism, and
constitutionalism?
- How can the documents created by the American revolutionaries and founders
help us to rediscover the political "conversation" and deliberation that gave
rise to a new America between 1776 and 1791? Has the relevancy of those documents
changed for Americans today?
- How are the foundations, forms, and purposes of American political institutions
affected by our understanding of what it means to be a human being?
- How does the success of American Democracy depend on the character (or
the humanity) of the American people?
- American diplomacy has its origins in liberty and idealism. Is that still
the case today?
- What is America's role in the world? How has American foreign policy over
the past forty years been affected by the conflicts of ideas, traditions and
material interests?
- The history of black Americans has been a struggle to secure their dignity
as human beings, and rights as American citizens, in the face of racial prejudice.
What viewpoints have leading black and white intellectuals and activists on
human equality, slavery, self-government, the rule of law, emancipation, colonization,
and citizenship contributed to the recording of the history of race in America?
- American politics in the 20th century and beyond is substantially different
from what was envisioned at the inception of our country. What thinkers were
central to this new direction in American politics? What impact have their
ideas had on contemporary American politics and institutions, as well as the
origins and development of the modern study of politics and government?
- What expectations did America's founding fathers have for the office of
the presidency? How have individual presidents affected the development of
the office? What broad issues have recent presidents put forth and what is
that legacy today?
- Throughout American history, communities of ethnic and racial groups, women,
immigrants and other groups have sought equal rights. What were the paths
followed by these groups in their efforts to achieve equality? What groups
have achieved success and how did they do it? What were the commonalities
in approaches among these diverse groups?
Suggested topics should include an investigation
of one or more of the following:
- What democratic concepts can we draw on from our own U.S. history to guide
us in .orging new civic covenants among our citizens?
- What must we know and understand about the multiplicity of groups and people
in our nation, knowing that some have been unequally acknowledged?
- Have Americans experienced an incompatibility between their democratic
aspirations and institutional injustice?
- What kinds of knowledge and capabilities are required for full participation
in a pluralist democracy? What kinds of values?
To learn more about We the People, a national initiative supported by the National
Endowment for the Humanities, visit www.neh.gov.
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