Hope and Optimism: Conceptual and Empirical Investigations, an interdisciplinary initiative headed by Andrew Chignell (Cornell) and Samuel Newlands (Notre Dame) which last year received about $4.5 million from the John Templeton Foundation, has just announced $2 million in funding for 18 projects. Philosophers receiving funding in this round include:

• Matthew Benton (Notre Dame) for “Hope, Optimism, Knowledge, and God“
• Claudia Blöser (Goethe-Frankfurt) and Titus Stahl (Groningen) for “Fundamental Hope: Individual, Social, and Political Perspectives“
• Lisa Bortolotti and Anneli Jefferson (Birmingham) for “The Costs and Benefits of Optimism“
• Anne Jeffrey (Notre Dame) for “How Hope Morally Vindicates Christian Faith“
• Adrienne Martin (Claremont McKenna) for “Hope in Humanity“
• Robert Pasnau (Colorado) for “Hopefully Believing“
• Sarah M. Stitzlein (Cincinnati) for “Hope and Its Role in Education“
• Andrew Wrigley (Keele) for “Despair, Absolute Hope, and Death“

A press release about the project provides further details, including plans for a documentary about the grant, a playwriting contest, and a filmmaking contest. (via Joshua Seachris)