Mission: The mission of The American Research Institute of the South Caucasus (ARISC) is to encourage and support scholarly study of the South Caucasus states (Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia) in all fields from the earliest times to the present. ARISC aims to provide an ongoing American scholarly presence in each country in order to facilitate research and establish and nurture ties between institutions and individuals. Further, ARISC promotes and encourages intellectual inquiry across boundaries within the South Caucasus and between the South Caucasus and adjacent areas. The exchange of scholars and scholarly information is encouraged by the support of conferences, fellowship opportunities, publications, teaching resources, and other forms of cooperation for use both in the United States and in the host countries where the Institute is located.
Results: To date we have funded 15 graduate students to conduct summer research in the South Caucasus states; 4 teams of scholars collaborating on Heritage Management in Armenia; 6 scholars conducting research through the Junior Research Fellowship; we held the "Caucasus Connections" Conference at Indiana University, Bloomington; we co-sponsor a Works-in-Progress weekly lecture series in Georgia; and we co-sponsor numerous talks, workshops and conferences in the South Caucasus states as well as in the United States.
Geographic areas served: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, USA
Programs: ARISC Graduate Fellowships
ARISC Collaborative Heritage Management in the Republic of Armenia Grant
ARISC Junior Research Fellowship
Co-sponsoring scholarly lectures, workshops and conferences in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and USA
Excellent experience so far. ARISC has provided the much-needed funding and contacts in the south Caucasus (Georgia, in my case) to conduct worthwhile fieldwork. Their personnel, both in the States and host county, are approachable and eager to help.
Writer
Professional with expertise in this field
10/22/2015
Rating: 5
10/22/2015
ARISC has combined expert organization, programming, and extreme dedication to Caucasian studies to bring American-based research to new levels of productivity and innovation. Their funding initiatives, symposia, and public events have been critical to my development as both as an expert researcher and professional scholar. The on-the-ground, "in-country" administrators are both knowledgeable and experienced in the conduct of effective research in their respective countries!
Writer
Professional with expertise in this field
10/20/2015
Rating: 5
10/20/2015
All the members and especially the administration of this non-profit are very helpful in sharing experience and especially logistical help. I also appreciate that they publish notices of fellowship opportunities for residents of South Caucasus countries. Their lectures appear very interesting from the titles and the summaries although unfortunately I have never been able to attend.
KristineMO
Professional with expertise in this field
10/19/2015
Rating: 5
10/19/2015
As an archaeologists who works in the Southern Caucasus, I have found ARISC to be an indispensable resource. They have done an excellent job at connecting western and local scholars, organizing lectures and conferences.
The grants available through ARISC are some of the few available for research in the SC specifically and many have benefited from these. Their grant for Collaborative Cultural Heritage Management in Armenian is of particular importance, since such grants are quite rare (most grants are meant for conducting original research).
The officers of ARISC and general and their Executive Director in particular, have always been ready and willing to answer both academic and logistical questions related to conducting research in the SC. They are also very proactive in getting their student members involved in various activities, which is tremendously important for young scholars.
I had meetings in Azerbaijan and Georgia. We were very pleased with the local representatives, their availability & the meeting. Good people and important work, in promoting progress in the Caucasus.
Writer
Professional with expertise in this field
10/13/2015
Rating: 5
10/13/2015
They do a great deal with relatively little operating in one of the more difficult regions of the world. The staff and leadership alike are dedicated and helpful. ARISC is a real boon to scholars of the South Caucasus.
