Liberal democracy places a number of demands on its citizens, including accepting constitutional constraints on majorities, extending rights to people one disagrees with, and tolerating deep differences of belief and practice, to name a few. These dispositions need to be cultivated, and understanding what qualities citizens must possess to sustain a free liberal democratic society is an urgent and timely question that calls for rigorous research.

What virtues do people living in a free, pluralistic, and self-governing society need to have, and what are their foundations in the liberal tradition? What is the relationship between liberal values (e.g., liberty, dignity, equality, pluralism) and the civic virtues those values require? What is specifically liberal about the demands that liberal democracy places on citizens’ character? And in what sense do certain virtues become especially important or demanding, or take a distinctively civic form in a free, pluralistic, and self-governing society?

IHS invites applications from academic scholars whose research sheds light on these foundational questions. We are especially interested in collaborative research projects, and will give particular consideration to proposals developed by teams of scholars working across disciplinary boundaries or philosophical perspectives. Projects that aim to develop a new methodology for identifying and grounding liberal civic virtues are especially welcome. Research deliverables can include peer-reviewed publications, book projects, essays, or reports.

Awarded scholars may receive up to $20,000. Exceptional projects or collaborative proposals involving teams of scholars may be considered for larger awards.

Please Note: IHS grants cannot support institutional overhead or indirect costs