[ecrea] Call for Proposals: IAMCR Rapid Response Grants on Communication Policy

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

IAMCR Rapid Response Grants on Communication Policy for Emerging Media 
and Communications Scholars

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. The IAMCR Global Media Policy 
Working Group, in collaboration with the IAMCR Emerging Scholars Network 
and the IAMCR Communication Policy Task Force, will oversee, administer 
and award the grants. 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. 
More information about both initiatives is available at 
http://www.globalmediapolicy.net and http://www.mappingdigitalmedia.org.

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 (15-20 July 2014) will be prioritized.

What research will be funded?

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. Grants will be awarded up to an individual 
maximum of $ 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 
<http://mediapolicy.org> and globalmediapolicy.net 
<http://globalmediapolicy.net>.

2. ‘Research in progress’. Provide, for example, a regular online 
research diary; data entries for the database globalmediapolicy.net 
<http://globalmediapolicy.net>; or blog entries with research updates on 
mediapolicy.org <http://mediapolicy.org>; (depending on the type of project)

3. Presentation of research results at the IAMCR 2014 conference in 
Hyderabad (15-20 June 2013).

Send the following documents to (rapidresponsegrants /at/ iamcr.org) 
<mailto:(rapidresponsegrants /at/ iamcr.org)> by 10 November 2013:

• Personal statement outlining motivation and experience (800 words max.)
• 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.
• CV
• For graduate/postgraduate students: Short reference letter from 
dissertation supervisor

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

10 November 2013 – Deadline for submission of project proposals
30 November 2013 – Selection of grantees
December 2013-March 2014 – Research, ‘research in process’ updates
30 March 2014 – Submission of draft research reports
April 2014 – Review of draft reports
May-June 2014 - Revision of draft reports
30 June 2014 – Publication of final reports
15-20 July 2014 – Presentation of final reports at IAMCR 2014 in Hyderabad

Grant program structure and partners

Content – thematic development, review of proposals and draft reports, 
support of the research process: IAMCR Global Media Policy Working 
Group, in collaboration with the IAMCR Emerging Scholars Network, the 
IAMCR Communication Policy Task Force, and the OSF Media Program.

Administrative and financial management: IAMCR Global Media Policy 
Working Group, in collaboration with the Cardiff School of Journalism, 
Media and Cultural Studies (JOMEC) at Cardiff University, UK. OSF 
provides all funding for the grants.

For more information, contact Arne Hintz, Cardiff University, 
(HintzA /at/ cardiff.ac.uk) <mailto:(HintzA /at/ cardiff.ac.uk)>
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