Deadline: 31 March 2015
for researchers in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia
“Education, public policy and rights: Challenges for the South”
TRICONTINENTAL SCHOLARLY COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM
ACADEMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN LATIN AMERICA / AFRICA / ASIA PROGRAM
Organizing institutions:
Latin American Council of Social Sciences / CLASCO
Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa / CODESRIA
International Development Economics Associates (IDEAs) / IDEAs
Support:
Swedish International Development Agency / Sida
The Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO), the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) and the International Development Economics Associates (IDEAs) announce the launch of the 2015 session of the South-South Scholarships for research on the theme “Education, public policy and rights. Challenges for the South” aimed at social scientists from Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. The goal of these awards is to encourage original research on the theme and to promote the final work through presentation at an international seminar. Nine (9) scholarships will be awarded, three (3) for each region.
The Tricontinental Cooperation Program was launched in 2005 by the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) and the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) in order to develop social science research of high academic standards, strengthen knowledge production and promote Southern perspectives on critical subjects, and contribute to global debates. In the year 2013, the International Development Economics Associates (IDEAs) joined the Tricontinental Cooperation Program. The program includes the organization of workshops, international seminars and research scholarships for promoting academic cooperation at a higher level. Research grants aim to promote cooperation between researchers from the South and to stimulate analytical and empirical studies on issues that are relevant to their respective regions and to the Global South.
This call is open for candidates from all disciplines of the social and human Sciences, as well as for researchers from other sciences with projects related to the main theme of this year: “Education, public policy and rights. Challenges for the South”.
The aim of this research programme is to explore theoretical perspectives and undertake empirical analyses of the education as right in the context of neoliberalism and beyond.
In a scenario of increasing privatization of education in our continents this call focuses on the importance of educational policies as ways of building citizenship. Education as a right is opposed to neoliberal privatization of the different levels of knowledge transmission. Although privatization has been underpinned by the same ideology, it has taken different shapes in different contexts. Therefore, the objective of this research would be to allow us to understand in comparative terms the ways in which the education system was shaped to challenge the adverse impact that the colonial past of continents and the resulting structure has had on the processes of development that ensued. Taking account of the histories and expectations of the countries and populations of the South the studies would examine issues under the following sub-themes that are common concerns of the three continents:
- Education as a Right; Inequality and education;
- Privatization of education;
- Education Promotion Policies: Learning from Southern stories.
Research proposals should fall under at least one of the sub-themes mentioned within the general theme or address related issues (topics). Applicants are expected to formulate projects from a comparative perspective. These projects should not be restricted to one country or region, but they should involve the development of a comparative framework for conceptual and empirical research. Although this is not mandatory, research proposals that adjust to these criteria will receive special consideration during the selection process.
CONTEST RULES
About the offered scholarships
Nine (9) scholarships will be awarded in total, three (3) for each region. Each scholarship includes:
a) A grant award of USD 10,000 (ten thousand dollars)
b) An air ticket and accommodation to participate in an international seminar at Medellín, Colombia, 9-13 November 2015.
The scholarships will be paid in installments through bank transfers on behalf of the winners. The funds may be used without restriction for all activities related to the research. It shall be the responsibility of the winners to obtain the necessary legal documentation to participate in the international seminar as well as personal health insurance and other requirements.
About the applicants’ profile
Applicants must be experienced researchers who have a masters or a doctoral degree. It is a required condition to reside in a country in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa or Asia and to have the endorsement of CLACSO, CODESRIA or IDEAs depending on the region concerned.
Applicants must speak English so they can present the results of research in an international academic seminar.
The product of the scholarships will be one mid-term and another final; and one policy brief.
The duration of the scholarships will be 6 months, from 30 April 2015 to 30 October 2015.
About the characteristics and presentation of proposals
Each researcher will be allowed one proposal in this contest. Finished or collective researches won´t be admitted. Proposals should include:
a) A project defining the research problem and methodology (including the sources analyzed and a small schedule), considering the state of the art and showing the relevance of research in relation to one or more established subject areas.
b) An academic curriculum vitae with photo.
c) A letter of endorsement signed by the highest authority of the institution or center that supports the presentation.
As the Collaborative Tri-continental Program involves the participation of scholars from Africa, Asia and Latin America, it has been decided that applicants who are residents in Africa should submit their applications to CODESRIA, applicants resident in Asia should submit their applications to IDEAs and those in Latin America to CLACSO:
African applicants should send their applications electronically to:
CODESRIA – 2015 South-South Research Grants
Email: research.grants@codesria.sn (Please use the subject “South-South Grants 2015” when sending your email)
Website: www.codesria.org
Asian applicants should send their applications electronically to:
IDEAs – 2015 South-South Research Grants
Email: grants@networkideas.org
Website: www.networkideas.org
Latin American and Caribbean applicants should manage electronically their applications:
CLACSO – 2015 South-South Research Grants
Consults: becassur15@clacso.edu.ar
Website: www.clacso.org
Additional requirements may be specified by the regional institutions that organize the contest based on their internal regulations.
About the Jury and the selection criteria
The evaluation of applications will be carried out by a jury, which will choose the winning proposals. The jury might declare the contest void or reject any of the proposals received. The decision will be definitive and irrevocable.
About the commitments of the winners
Winners will receive a scholarship to ensure the development of their research for six (6) months of work between April, 30th 2015 and October, 30th 2015. They must submit a partial report of activities, a final output of the required quality and a policy brief according to the requirements established by contract.
Also, winners must present the results of their research in an international academic seminar.
| DATE | PRODUCT | OBSERVATIONS |
|---|---|---|
| 30/04/2015 | Start of the contract | Fellows join the program |
| 11/7/2015 | Partial report of activities | Brief report on the research activities developed |
| Draft version of the final work (academic article) on the subject of the grant obtained | The article must be original and have a minimum length of 4,000 and maximum of 8,000 words | |
| 30/10/2015* | Final Work | Article to be sent to all the participants in the Seminar must be of exclusive and original authorship that makes a contribution to the subject of study and provides a theoretical and analytical reflection on the theme of the contest. The text should have from 30,000 to 60,000 words and shall comply with the obligations established by contract. |
| Power Point Presentation | Short presentation of the research results (including diagrams, infographics, maps, etc) | |
| November, 9 -13 2015 | International Seminar, Medellin, Colombia | Presentation of the results at a seminar* |
| 01/12/2015 | Final version of the academic article | Final version of the academic text (that includes responses to the dicussions in the Seminar) The final work will be submitted to an external evaluator Fellows will have to take account of the observations made in the process |
| Policy Brief | Short document with policy recommendations in the field of study in which the scholarship is developed. |
* The organizers reserves the right to change the date scheduled.
About the rights of publication, reproduction and exhibition
Fellows will give CLASCO, CODESRIA and IDEAs the complete rights to publish, reproduce and / or display the final products developed with the grant, in any format, and have to request express authorization for publication by other means.
REGISTRATION CLOSURE DATE: 31 March 2015
Submissions that do not meet the requirements will be disqualified. The selection results will be posted on the websites of CLASCO, CODESRIA and IDEAs. Winners will be contacted to process their registration as fellows.
