ITHACA, NY—Sarah Rubenstein-Gillis, who has taught in the sociology department in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Ithaca College since 2002, has received a Fulbright grant to spend four to six months at the Social Work Department at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences in Kalamasserry, India. Rubenstein-Gillis is not teaching at the college this year, as the grant spans both fall and spring semesters.

 

“I spent six months in India about 12 years ago as an undergraduate at UC Santa Cruz,” Rubenstein-Gillis said. “While in India, I took an intensive Hindi language course, then lived and worked at a rural orphanage, which also housed a school and medical clinic. I went back two years later to visit the children there, and have been longing to return to India ever since. The Fulbright program is an opportunity for me and my family to live in, learn from, and experience life in a very ancient and rich culture. I will also have the chance to exchange my own skills and experience with students, faculty and community organizations in and around Rajagiri College.”

 

During her stay, Rubenstein-Gillis plans to teach and consult in the area of family and domestic violence.

 

“I will share some of the theories and strategies used here to understand, prevent and address family violence, and hope to learn from colleagues in India about their creativity in these areas,” Rubenstein-Gillis said. “India is a complex country, filled with people from many different cultures, speaking dozens of languages. I am very interested to learn more about the ways in which family violence is defined and understood, and what kinds of official laws and interventions are currently in place, as well as what activists and nongovernmental organizations are doing to move toward healthier and safer realities for families.”

 

Rubenstein-Gillis is currently collecting professional journals and recent editions of books dealing with social work, social welfare and human services that can be donated to the Rajagiri College library. A collection box is located in the Ithaca College sociology department office at 106 Muller Center. The books should be dropped off before Nov. 22.

 

The Fulbright program was established at the end of World War II to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries, through the exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills. In addition to the faculty and professional program, Fulbright grants are awarded to students who wish to teach and do research abroad. For more information about the Fulbright program, visit www.cies.org.