Conceived of as an effort to shape the debates and future scholarship in a particular field or discipline on civil rights, the topic and scope of a Working Group are determined by its chair in consultation with the Director of the Johnson Institute. Also conceived of as an effort to gather and channel the many strengths of a research university with substantial collections on civil rights, the Working Groups are a means of supporting the intellectual labor of Emory faculty and scholars beyond Emory whose teaching and research focus upon the civil rights movement and its points of intersection with other social movements. Spanning up to two years, the Working Groups are opportunities for scholars working in a range of fields and disciplines to collaborate on a scholarly project within a structured framework. Working Groups also are the foundation for scholarly publications, symposia and conferences sponsored by the Johnson Institute.