CALL FOR PROPOSALS
2016-2017
IASSCS-FORD FOUNDATION
Emerging Scholars International Research Fellowship
Introduction
IASSCS seeks to strengthen the field of social and cultural research on sexuality globally, including the development of research capacity, giving priority to the crucial need for diversity in this field of inquiry. Its mission is informed by the principles of social justice and human rights, with a focus on sexual rights and gender equality, as expressed in documents such as the Cairo Programme of Action, CEDAW and the UNGASS Declaration on HIV/AIDS.
IASSCS is pleased to announce a small research grants competition for emerging researchers, with the objective to promote research capacity development and research dissemination, prioritizing research issues in the Global South.
The IASSCS Emerging Scholars International Research Fellowship
A total of 5 small grants will be offered to early career researchers, with said grants to be optimally awarded across the five regions constituting the Association (see regions below). These grants are intended to develop research in, or related to, the Global South and to encourage diverse methodological and theoretical approaches to understanding sexuality.
For the purposes of this program, early career researchers refers to graduate students within academic institutions, or to individuals based within organisations that have existing research capacity. Each applicant is required to demonstrate that her/his submitted proposal will either result in the completion of a Ph.D. degree, a peer-reviewed journal publication, or (for non-academically based applicants) is likely to contribute to strengthening sexuality research capacity in a host institution.
This research grants program will:
Assist early career researchers in:
-
The completion of a graduate degree, the subject of which focuses on sexuality-related issues, or
-
The undertaking of research that contributes to the strengthening of research capacity within their organisation;
-
Support and encourage early career researchers to share their research results, and broaden knowledge on sexuality issues at an international level;
-
Support the development of social and cultural approaches to sexuality research in the five regions constituting the Association; and
-
Promote the development of diverse methodological and theoretical approaches to understanding sexuality.
IASSCS regions are:
1. Southeast Asia, South and Central Asia and the Middle East;
2. Latin America;
3. Africa;
4. North America and Europe; and
5. Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and East Asia.
IASSCS especially encourages the submission of applications by participants of previous Post-Conference Training sessions (Dublin 2015, Buenos Aires 2013, Madrid 2011, Hanoi 2009, and Lima 2007.)
Application Requirements
-
IASSCS Emerging Scholars International Research Fellowship welcomes proposals from early career researchers whose research focuses on social and cultural research on sexuality, with a particular emphasis on the Global South;
-
Applicants are expected either to be affiliated with a university and progressing toward a Ph.D. degree, or to be based within an organisation that has existing research capacity;
-
IASSCS will fund research proposals representing either new work or an ongoing research projects that is at a very early stage of fieldwork — e.g. beginning to recruit research participants, or starting field observations, or beginning document or text collection for literature reviews. As well, projects that require extra funding to complete their study are also eligible. Note that IASSCS will only fund ongoing research when a complete budget for the project is submitted and the research phase or portion that will be supported with IASSCS funds is clearly specified.
The IASSCS Emerging Scholars International Research Fellowships will have duration of nine (09) months. IASSCS will only award grants to sole investigators; proposals from co-investigators are not eligible. Funds awarded may be used to cover expenses relating to: fieldwork travel; enacting research plans; and/or analysis and communication/dissemination. Scholarship funds cannot be used for the purchase of equipment, institutional overheads or any other expenses not directly related to conduct the research.
Submission Deadline: Monday, October 17th, 2016 at midnight
Application Process
Application documents must be written in English only. To apply to the IASSCS Emerging Scholars International Research Fellowship, please send by e-mail the following documents:
-
A brief research proposal (no less than 4 pages and no more than 6 pages) including:
-
Research subject (topic or title),
-
The research question(s): Please clearly answer the question: what are or will you be researching?
-
Proposed research methodology: Clearly define if you will be working with human research participants subjects, or conducting textual, archival, or secondary analysis of existing database,
-
Expected research outcome: What do you expect the research to achieve?
-
Detailed information as to how the grant will be used to support the research,
-
A statement clarifying how human research ethics approval will be sought, granted and from which institution and which body (e.g. Internal Review Board, Human Ethics Committee, IRB, HEC),
-
A statement on how this application prioritizes research issues in the Global South,
-
A statement on how this project will assist in developing sexuality research capacity at your host institution,
-
A statement confirming who will mentor you throughout the research process, either in the capacity of a research supervisor or work-based supervisor (see: Requirements during and at the Conclusion of the Research Grant Period below),
-
Reference list (no more than one page, in addition to the 4-6 pages of the proposal). Your proposal can include photographs and/or charts;
-
-
A nine (09) monthly timeline detailing activities and expected periodic accomplishments;
-
An estimated budget (between a minimum of 3,000 USD and a maximum of 5,000 USD) that includes the following budget items:
-
A maximum of USD 1,500 for researcher’s stipend,
-
A maximum of USD 3,000 for research expenses as outlined above,
-
A minimum of USD 500 to contribute toward anticipated expenses to attend the 2017 IASSCS Conference (see below);
-
Any and all additional funds that have been obtained to support the research project, if applicable;
-
-
An electronic, signed letter of recommendation from the institutional research advisor, supervisor, or a senior researcher activist in your field of interest, indicating the institution’s support for the research and attesting to the applicant’s skills and capacity to carry out the research project effectively; and
-
Your Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages long.)
Successful applicants will receive:
-
Research grant in the amount of minimum $3,000, to maximum $5,000 USD;
-
Venue for dissemination and/or publication of research findings at the 2017 IASSCS conference which will include specific sessions on research from IASSCS grantees; and
-
Feedback pertaining to the successful application from a member of the IASSCS Research and Education Committee.
Presentation at 2017 IASSCS Conference:
All grant recipients will be required to present their research findings (final and/or in progress) at the 2017 IASSCS conference in Bangkok. Each grantee is expected to submit an abstract to, and present at, the IASSCS conference in 2017 depending on the progress and timetable of the research project. IASSCS will give each grantee a registration fee waiver for the IASSCS Conference if their abstract has been submitted on time and has been accepted by the Conference Program Committee. If awarded, a minimum of USD 500 of the grant money must be reserved towards IASSCS conference attendance costs and earmarked as such in the submitted budget.
Grantees are asked to include in their conference presentation findings of their work in relation to the 2017 conference theme (as applicable), “Breaking Boundaries: Sexuality, Gender, Reproduction, Health and Rights,” (See 2017 conference details on IASSCS website.)
Relevant 2017 Asia Regional Conferences
For those interested in attending conferences to be held in the region close to the date of the IASSCS conference:
13th International Conference on Thai Studies: “Globalized Thailand?” Connectivity, Conflict, and Conundrums of Thai Studies 15-18 July 2017, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Association for Asian Studies: 24-27 June 2017 Seoul
Requirements During and at the Conclusion of the Research Grant Period
During the research period, each grantee will be expected to maintain close communication with their local (university or workplace based) mentor as specified in their application. Regular supervision sessions need to be planned (e.g. every 2 weeks or monthly) and a supervisor’s report (one page only each time) needs to accompany the reports from the grantee required below.
Grantees will be required to provide one interim progress report during the program due 6 months following receipt of the grant) and one final report upon completion of the project, due 30 days from project end date as stated on the timeline. The progress report should include a report from his or her supervisor and a narrative and financial report identifying specific expenses covered by the grant, in accordance with the budget submitted by the grantee with the proposal application.
Grantees will be required to acknowledge IASSCS Emerging Scholars International Research Fellowship in all presentations and publications of research results.
To learn about previous fellows’ work, please go to http://iasscs.org/small-research-grants-iasscs-emerging-scholars-international-fellowship-program
Submit all documents to iasscs.secretariat@iasscs.org by the deadline of October 17th with a subject line stating: IASSCS Emerging Scholars International Research Fellowship.
IASSCS reserves the right to decline proposals if authors do not strictly follow the submission guidelines or applications are incomplete.
Scholarship awards will be announced in December 2016
Fellowship tenure: January 1, 2017 to September 30, 2017