[spectre] Fellowships on Open Information Policy (Open Society Institute) [u]

[Geert Lovink [c]]

> CALL FOR PROPOSALS - FELLOWSHIPS ON OPEN INFORMATION POLICY
> by the OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE <www.soros.org>
> Deadline for applications: September 20, 2005
> Eligible are candidates from Central and Eastern Europe, the former 
> Soviet Union, and Mongolia, as well as Africa, South and Southeast 
> Asia, and the Middle East
>
> The International Policy Fellowship Program (IPF) of the Open Society 
> Institute has issued its annual call for fellowship proposals. Open 
> Information Policy is one of the program's focal areas this year. Here 
> are details concerning this area, taken from the IPF website at 
> <www.soros.org/initiatives/ipf>:
>
> Advanced by the internet, alternatives to long-standing intellectual 
> property regimes have created an environment to re-assess the 
> relationship between democracy, open society and new information 
> technologies. The promise of open source technology with respect to 
> civil society and the incalculable leaps in information production by 
> means of open content and weblogs present a new platform for civic 
> participation. Whether and in what form such promises can be realized 
> lies at the basis of the research questions below.
>
> ** Weblogs & Civic Discourse. How does the rapid expansion of weblogs 
> alter news production and civic discourse? Can it counter 
> ever-increasing concentration of ownership in the traditional mass 
> media? How do traditional notions of editorial standards and 
> journalistic professionalism apply to this new medium? Is the 
> 'blogosphere' an enhancement of the public sphere, or does it threaten 
> its disintegration?
>
> ** Open Content & Sustainability. Open Access publishing is 
> revolutionizing scientific publishing. New alternative licensing 
> systems like Creative Commons support decentralized information 
> production, by making it easier for creators to share and permit 
> re-use and modification of their work, while retaining certain rights. 
> What are the business models that are developing around these 
> commons-based models of sharing freely online? These cases are by and 
> large un-documented and seem to contrast starkly with well-established 
> economic and legal norms that rest on notions of scarcity, exclusivity 
> and controlled access.
>
> ** Open Content & Standards. Wikipedia, a freely available 
> encyclopedia, is a visible and widely cited example of collaborative, 
> distributed knowledge production enabled by the Internet. Such models 
> seem to have great promise for more equitable access to knowledge; yet 
> they also run the risk of dispensing with editorial standards. How can 
> quality standards emerge in a distributed environment? Are they robust 
> enough to be relied upon?
>
> ** Open Source: Ownership and Control of Communications Technology. 
> Communications technology (both hardware and software, and the 
> standards on which most communications networks are based) is a key 
> part of today's infrastructure for civil society engagement. How do 
> the different models of ownership and control of the knowledge 
> underlying this infrastructure (expressed in technology standards and 
> software, either open or proprietary) affect access and participation 
> by civil society, in particular, civil society in developing 
> countries?
>
> ** Intellectual Property & Access to Knowledge: The case of Free Trade 
> Agreements. Intellectual property laws are a powerful instrument for 
> controlling access to knowledge, and in some cases to restrict free 
> speech. New standards shaped by rich-country interests are now being 
> globalized and imposed on poorer countries. In recent years, bilateral 
> Free Trade Agreements have become an important part of this process. 
> How do those free trade agreements undermine the rule of law and basic 
> principles of democratic lawmaking in countries around the world that 
> are signing these agreements?
>
> ---
>
> *CALL FOR PROPOSALS*
> *INTERNATIONAL POLICY FELLOWSHIPS, 2006-2007*
> *All applications must be submitted online by September 20, 2005 from 
> www.soros.org/initiatives/ipf*
>
> * The International Policy Fellowships (IPF) program is calling for 
> applications for 2006-2007 fellowships. Launched in 1998 and 
> affiliated with the Open Society Institute and the Center for Policy 
> Studies (CPS) of the Central European University in Budapest, these 
> fellowships support analytical policy research in pursuance of open 
> society goals such as the rule of law, democratic elections, diverse 
> and vigorous civil societies, and respect for minorities. Each year 
> the IPF program invites research proposals that address critical 
> issues in the development of open societies. Successful applicants 
> will demonstrate originality, sound project design and the strong 
> likelihood that their project may lead to significant impact on 
> policy.
>
> The IPF program seeks to enhance the quality of policy research in the 
> countries where the Soros Network operates, throughout Central and 
> Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Mongolia, as well as 
> Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. It places 
> strong emphasis on independent research that is both rigorous and 
> appreciative of practical implications. Analysis and evaluation of 
> existing policy contexts should be based on explicit criteria and 
> fellows should be able to communicate their ideas and findings in a 
> variety of professional and public settings. *Applicants are 
> encouraged to submit individual, practical and policy-oriented 
> research proposals in the following subject areas. The product of each 
> fellowship will be a detailed analysis of a major issue to be 
> published in English and translated into other languages:*
>
> *2006-7 Fellowship Issue Areas: General Framework: New Frontiers of 
> Democratic Politics*
> The Challenge of Wider Europe
> Open Society Promotion in Predominantly Muslim Societies
> Combating Open Society Threats
> Combating the Resource Curse
> Roma Exclusion
> Open Information Policy
>
> *Main Terms of the International Policy Fellowship Award* Fellows 
> receive supervision and support from a senior policy analyst * Fellows 
> are invited to Budapest in April 2006 for initial orientation to the 
> program * Optional specialized policy research and advocacy training 
> courses in Budapest * Monthly stipends commensurate with local 
> salaries * Budget for reasonable research, communications, travel, 
> publication and advocacy costs * Discretionary funding for conference 
> participation
>
> *How to Apply* Applicants should carefully complete the online 
> application form found at www.soros.org/initiatives/ipf, which 
> includes a project summary, research proposal (maximum 4 pages), and a 
> resume/CV including a list of publications. Applicants may also 
> include a letter of reference from an affiliated organization and a 
> writing sample on the chosen topic. Those who have no possibility to 
> access the Internet should send an e-mail to fellows at osi.hu to discuss 
> alternate application solutions. Applications sent by mail, fax or 
> e-mail will not be considered unless given prior approval from IPF 
> staff. Applications must be submitted online by* September 20, 2005*. 
> IPF does not consider late applications.