Opportunities

The International Sociological Association (ISA) is seeking two youth representatives starting in October, 2024 who will attend United Nations (UN) events and assist with ISA activities connected to the UN. The youth representatives will report back to the ISA about the information gleaned at these events and update the ISA webpage.  They are also encouraged to write articles for ISA publications such as Global Dialogue.  

The International Sociological Association (http://www.isa-sociology.org/) (ISA) was founded in 1949 under the auspices of UNESCO.  The goal of the ISA is to represent sociologists everywhere, regardless of their school of thought, scientific approach or ideological opinion, and to advance sociological knowledge worldwide.  Its nearly 6,000 members come from 126 countries.  The ISA enjoys special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), and consultative status with the UN Department of Global Communications.  Currently, ISA has two senior representatives to the United Nations in New York: Dr. Rosemary Barberet (Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY, New York) and Dr. Jan Marie Fritz (Professor, University of Cincinnati; Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Johannesburg and member of the ISA Executive Committee). 

The Civil Society Youth Representative Programme was established in 2009 by the UN Department of Global Communication (DGC). The Programme allows young people (ages 18 to 32) who are working within and/or leading organizations that are in association with DGC to focus on issues that are on the agenda of the United Nations.  

Each ISA youth representative will:

• Represent the ISA as an NGO delegate, 
• Become very familiar with the ISA and with UN DGC,
• Have regular communication with the Senior ISA representatives,
• Attend online briefings organized by the UN DGC as well as other UN events that would be of interest to the ISA,
• Send regular reports to the ISA about her/his activities and about opportunities that may be of interest to ISA members,
• Confer with NGO representatives and UN officials on issues related to the ISA’s interests,
• Assist ISA UN Senior Representatives with events organized at the UN in New York, or virtually,
• Submit at least one article for an ISA publication.
• Keep the ISA webpage updated on UN activities

Both student representatives will be supervised by Dr. Rosemary Barberet and must meet the following criteria:

1. Be a doctoral or master's student with a continuing interest in Sociology 
2. Be 18 to 32 years of age
3. Have joined the ISA as a student member before submitting the application
4. Have an excellent or very good academic record
5. Have relevant experience (preferred but not necessary) and be self-motivated.
6. Be based in the New York City area (New York, New Jersey or Connecticut) and be willing to attend events at UN Headquarters in New York City as well as online. 

The student may receive academic credit for this unpaid assignment.  Regardless of the type of academic credit, the youth representative will log a minimum of 96 hours of work in connection with United Nations activities and supervisory meetings with Dr Barberet.  Upon satisfactory completion of these hours and duties during the fall 2024 semester, the representative may be able to continue to represent the ISA for the duration of the 2025 calendar year.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please email a cover letter (addressing the criteria listed above) and a current resume to Dr. Rosemary Barberet at rbarberet@jjay.cuny.edu. Please also have a sociology faculty member send a letter of reference on letterhead to Dr. Barberet about your application.  Applications must be received no later than September 30, 2024, by 5 p.m. EDT.