Deadline: 10 November 2013

Open to: graduate and postgraduate students, and scholars in the early stages of their career (lecturers and assistant professors), who are researching media and communications policy

Grants: up to US$5,000

The International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) is offering, with the support of the Media Program of the Open Society Foundations (OSF), up to 5 “Rapid Response Grants” for research conducted by young and emerging scholars. This program is being supported by Media Program of the Open Society Foundations (OSF). The grant program emerges from the ongoing work by both IAMCR and OSF on questions of current media and communications policy. In particular, it relates to the IAMCR’s Mapping Global Media Policy project and the OSF’s Mapping Digital Media research initiative.

IAMCR and OSF wish to support the development of new and critical knowledge in several topic areas within the broader terrain of media and communications policy where new trends are emerging and where research gaps exist. These topic areas may include the following:

• Digital rights, internet policy and press freedom after PRISM and Tempora
• Upcoming international policy debates, particularly WSIS+10 (processes, agendas, debates)
• Digital broadcasting and inclusion
• Enhancing media literacy in the digital age
• Media policy change in specific countries (such as those covered by the Mapping Digital Media project)
• Citizen participation, advocacy, and the public interest information environment

Proposals dealing with one of these thematic areas will be prioritized, although other topics can be proposed by applicants. Gaps in these fields range from the poor availability and quality of data, to a lack of understanding of current trends, the lack of awareness of significant research in languages other than English, and challenges in applying research to frontline advocacy and activism for better media and communications policy. Research that will be funded might provide significant new scholarship in one of the above areas, or detailed reviews of existing scholarship (incl. research from other languages and contexts), and will seek to contribute rigorous analysis that helps inform policy debates and/or civil society advocacy on media and communications policy.

Eligibility

Those who may apply include graduate and postgraduate students, and scholars in the early stages of their career (lecturers and assistant professors), who are researching the subject areas covered by this grant scheme. IAMCR members and applicants who are planning to attend the IAMCR 2014 conference in Hyderabad, India (15-19 July 2014) will be prioritized.

Grants

Grants will be awarded up to an individual maximum of US $5,000, although they will vary according to the type of the proposed project. Selection will be based on thematic focus, originality, rigour and feasibility, and grants will be paid in two installments (at the beginning and at the end of the project).

The grants will serve two purposes:

• remuneration for the researcher’s labour and expenses
• allow the researcher to attend the IAMCR 2014 conference in Hyderabad, and contribute to the payment of related travel etc. expenses

Each grantee is expected to deliver three different types of output:

1. Final research report (academic research paper) of 6-8,000 words. Reports/papers will be published on the websites mediapolicy.org and globalmediapolicy.net.
2. ‘Research in progress’. Provide, for example, a regular online research diary; data entries for the database globalmediapolicy.net; or blog entries with research updates on mediapolicy.org; (depending on the type of project)
3. Presentation of research results at the IAMCR 2014 conference in Hyderabad (15-20 June 2013).

Application

Send the following documents to [email protected] by 10 November 2013:

1. Personal statement outlining motivation and experience (800 words max.)
2. Project description including: topic and rationale, research goals, research plan (with timeline), deliverables (incl. proposed ‘research in progress’ output), and budget (1000 words max.). Please specify whether you have (or have applied for) financial resources for this project from other sources.
3. CV

For graduate/postgraduate students: Short reference letter from dissertation supervisor

In line with IAMCR’s promotion of multilingualism, they invite applications in English, French and Spanish. However we ask for reports and deliverables to be submitted in English.

For more information, contact Arne Hintz of Cardiff University using the online contact form HERE. See the official call for proposals HERE for further information.

 Source: http://www.mladiinfo.eu