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Grants

John F. Kennedy University and Integral Institute are proud to announce their support for further research into the nuance and practice of Integral Theory through Integral Research Grants. These grants are described below and join The Indigo Award (an annual award of $5000 for an incoming student who is successfully applying Integral principles in an exceptional way to their personal and/or professional life) and The Integral Diversity Award (an annual award of $5000 for an incoming student who has successfully applied Integral principles in an exceptional way to addressing diversity issues). Students of the online MA in Integral Theory are eligible for these scholarships and grants, which are awarded annually per cohort. It is our hope that in the near future we will be able to offer these grants to students and faculty at other institutions.
 

The Integral Research Grant:

Annual awards of up to $5000 to second- and/or third-year students who have completed the Integral Research course and wish to conduct mixed-methods research using first-, second-, and third-person methods. This grant intends to support those research projects that are: well-designed using Integral principles, include a viable implementation plan, and contribute insight and relevance for the community of practice and subject area.

Students will develop and submit a detailed research proposal, including a budget that inquires or investigates a subject area of inspiration to him or her. Applicants are expected to consider all dimensions of the research project, from practical implementation to the methodological design, as well as to wisely situate the research project’s relevance in the larger subject area. Applicants are welcome to consult with the Program Director or specific faculty to develop aspects of the project idea, drawing on faculty experience, resources, or contacts.

The Integral Research Grants are not limited to a single applicant. In other words, this grant could be allocated for two proposals for $2500 each, for one proposal for $2000 and one for $3000, or perhaps for one proposal for the full $5000. In considering allocation of the grant, the Review Committee will be looking for proposals that demonstrate the best use of resources, coherence, integral design, relevance, and innovation. Furthermore, special consideration may be given for projects that exhibit a connection to communities or organizations that can support this research in an applied way. Group projects involving two or more students are encouraged. Applications can be submitted at the end of the fall quarter.

Recipients

2009

Lauren Tenney on Interiority and Sustainable Systems
Abstract: This research study explores the relationship between an individual’s worldview and beliefs (i.e., interiors) and their actions as a participant in a sustainability initiative. The study uses an integral, mixed methods design to explore this relationship. More specifically, five zones of Integral Methodological Pluralism are employed to disclose the perspective of the researcher, and to collect and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data. The study will draw data from populations in the UK and US; from individuals intentionally engaging in sustainable systems, leaders of organizations promoting sustainability initiatives, and individuals who are not explicitly engaging in sustainable or environmental action. The results of this study will suggest how participation in sustainability initiatives shifts, subjectively and objectively, with respect to different worldviews.

2008

Edward Kelly "An Integral Approach to the Buffett Phenomenon"
Abstract: The Buffett phenomenon refers to Warren Buffett's extraordinary investment success over the past 50 years. The epistemology or worldview that guides my research is 'integral theory,' the methodology or research design that organizes it is 'mixed methods research' and the methods or techniques I use to explore it include two quantitative methods, 'a binomial distribution and a regression test,' and a hybrid qualitative method known as 'IMP coding' (a general coding scheme based on the eight primordial perspectives in Integral Methodological Pluralism (IMP)). My quantitative data is Buffett's shareholders letters (1957 to 1969; 1977 to 2007). My quantitative data and methods are used to establish the existence of the phenomenon and my qualitative data and methods to help understand it.   

Fieldwork

Beginning in 2007 JFK University's Integral Studies Department began offering Integral Field Courses. The field courses orient around a central thread of how Integral Theory can be brought to bear on complex, global issues today. These 10-day courses offer students of Integral Theory an opportunity to engage in practical application of the model in the field, through partnership with integrally-informed organizations in other countries. In particular, courses explore how the leaders within these organizations use integral folk methods (i.e., informal and intuitive uses of 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-person practices), as well as those who are applying Integral Theory more fully in their programming.

The first course went to El Salvador in Fall 2007. The next course was offered in Peru in the Spring of 2009 (see details below). In the following years we are planning on offering courses in Ethiopia, Nigeria and South Africa. We are in the process of developing courses to occur domestically in the United States as well. If you have an organization that you think could partner with JFKU for a field course of this nature, please contact us.

2009 Spring Course in Peru

• Applied learning about Integral Theory in Amazon rainforest conservation and sustainable development

• Learn about current environmental conservation efforts via field activities and applied small group work

• Experience the rainforest and learn from an indigenous community in the Amazon basin

• Explore the global issues of climate change and biodiversity in the cloud forest

• Inquire into the inter-play of premodern, modern and postmodern cultures in a global context today

• Integrate your spiritual practice with social change 

• Bring your education in Integral Theory into practice for the planet

Learn more...
 

WATCH FOR THE UPCOMING FIELD-PLACEMENT PROGRAM

At JFKU, in association with the Integral Research Center, we are in the process of creating a field-placement program for graduate students to engage and apply their learning to address real-time issues in various locations on the planet. These field-placements will also be available for self-funded interns, who will participate as non-degree students. The field-placement program will include a 10-day intensive course to prepare and orient students to the field-placement, and then three-five months of project work with integrally-informed organizations in countries in the global south. This type of field-placement is an invaluable learning opportunity and one that can provide necessary work experience to those individuals wanting to do further work in sustainability or development. The current countries and project topics we are looking at to develop as field-placements include:
 

• El Salvador: post-war healing, community development, and gender equality

• Peru: conservation of cloud forest and Amazon rainforest

• Nigeria: integral leadership development and sustainable livelihoods

• Ethiopia: HIV/AIDS, community health, and poverty alleviation

DOMESTIC FIELD-PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Domestic field-placement opportunities may be available with the following organizations.

COTS (Committee on the Shelterless)
Petaluma, California
John Records

Integral Recovery
John Dupuy

Teleosis
Berkeley, California
Joel Kreisberg

The Center for Integral Human Being
Sebastopol, California
Vipassana Esbjörn-Hargens

PARTICIPATION in SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP

We would like to inquire if any of the integral theory scholars would be interested in participating in a Special Interest Group (SIG) about supporting a shift in military culture towards a greater awareness and focus on psychological health, fitness, and resilience. This SIG will be hosted by Dr. Mark Bates from the Resilience and Prevention Directorate of the Defense Centers of Excellence.  We would be asking for inputs from our Subject Matter Experts for inputs about this culture shift in the context of a comprehensive spiral development process of change.

This process of change would integrate multiple levels of health and functioning (e.g., physical, mental, social, spiritual), types of care across the continuum of care (e.g., primary prevention and resilience, identification, treatment, outreach, rehabilitation, and reintegration), professional milestones of Service members and Veterans(accession into military, developmental education and promotion milestones, and transition to veteran status), partner agencies (e.g., DoD, VA, other Federal, and non-gov't), and multiple disciplines (e.g., leaders, policy makers, health promotions, clinicians, researchers).  Interested parties can contact Mark Bates at the contact info listed below.

Mark J. Bates, Ph.D.
Interim Director, Resilience and Prevention
Defense Centers of Excellence (DCoE) for Psychological Health & Traumatic
Brain Injury
1335 East West Hwy
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 295-3368
Mark.bates@tma.osd.mil
www.dcoe.health.mil