Download international policy fellowships, 2005-2006

CALL FOR PROPOSALS
CENTER FOR POLICY STUDIES
INTERNATIONAL POLICY FELLOWSHIPS, 2005-2006
All applications must be submitted online by September 15, 2004
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1) After carefully reading the application description and requirements,
applicants should complete the online application form.
 2) Applicants will receive a unique application identification (ID) number,
which must be used to log into the form again to make corrections/additions
and in all correspondence with the IPF program.
 3) Following an initial application review and selection process, candidates
short-listed as Finalists will be asked to submit further information to
complete their applications (including budget, timeline, recommendation
letters, etc).
 4) Finalists will participate in telephone interviews at the expense of IPF.
Successful applicants will be notified no later than January 30, 2005. The term
of the fellowship will approximate March 2005 through March 2006.
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The International Policy Fellowships (IPF) program is calling for proposals for its year
2005-2006 program, which is affiliated with the Central European University Center for Policy
Studies (CPS) and the Open Society Institute-Budapest. Broadly speaking, an open society is
characterized by a reliance on the rule of law, the existence of a democratically elected
government, a diverse and vigorous civil society, and respect for minorities and minority
opinions. Launched in 1999, the CPS works with a broadening circle of policy analysts and
institutions to promote the development of policy center networks throughout Central and
Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Mongolia, as well as countries in South and
Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. The Center undertakes policy research and
advocacy that furthers the open society mission and disseminates quality analyses in accessible
formats.
The CPS International Policy Fellowships are intended to support the analytical policy research
of open society leaders and connect these Fellows with professional policy networks and
opportunities. The program aims to improve the quality of analysis in countries where the Soros
foundations work by ensuring that these leaders are able to conduct research in their home
region while maintaining local affiliations and a high degree of mobility and intellectual
freedom. Fellows participate in policy seminars over the course of the fellowship year with
leading experts in their respective fields. Good policy analysis is characterized by elements
including a reliance on well-researched data; comprehensive, non-ideological assessment of
relevant factors and options; explicitly stated criteria for assessing options; consideration of the
interests and groups affected; and the clear presentation of feasible recommendations for action
as well as how these recommendations should be communicated and implemented. In
2005-2006, the IPF program will select teams of experienced policy fellows focusing on
topics of strategic importance to the Open Society Institute (OSI). Fellows will be
expected to contribute to policy debates and help shape new ideas within the OSI network
as an integral part of their individual policy projects.
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Outstanding Fellows from Eastern Europe may be nominated to participate in additional
training and research opportunities including a three-month International Junior Public Policy
Scholar Fellowship in Washington, D.C. in affiliation with the Woodrow Wilson Center’s East
European Studies program. The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the
United States’ official memorial to President Wilson, was established by congressional
legislation in 1968. Meant to reflect and continue Woodrow Wilson’s commitment to a deeper
understanding of issues crucial to global peace and stability, the Center serves as an
international, interdisciplinary, non-partisan scholarly institute which fosters scholarship in the
humanities and social sciences and encourages dialogue between the academic and policy
communities. East European Studies, housed at the Woodrow Wilson Center, provides a
non-partisan forum for bringing historical and contemporary understanding of the former
communist states of Eastern Europe and the Baltics to the nation’s capital and throughout the
country. For more details on the Wilson Center and its East European Studies program, please
see further details at the end of this announcement and visit the Center’s website at
www.wilsoncenter.org.
Terms of the International Policy Fellowship Award
Fellowships in the subject areas below may be awarded to applicants of any age to support
significant policy research focused on one country as well as research of a regional character.
Fellows will be assisted by high-level group advisors who will guide them in their work. The
fellowship has no publicized budgetary limitations, but budget proposals must realistically
reflect the financial requirements of individual, one-year research projects. Budgets will vary
depending on the Fellow’s country of residence and budgetary needs. This is a full-time or at
least half-time research fellowship. In addition to completing original research projects,
Fellows will be expected to attend three seminars in Budapest over the course of the
fellowship year, advise the Soros foundations network in developing strategies and
policies, and write a brief policy paper in their area of expertise to supplement their
longer research paper.
The program does NOT fund student scholarships. A relevant proposal associated with the
final stages of a PhD dissertation may be considered in exceptional cases.
Fellows will be provided with a one-year stipend, research-related expenses including travel,
needed communications equipment, publication costs, etc. to work full-time on research of their
design in one of the above areas. The amount of the award will vary depending on standards in
the Fellow’s country of residence and the budgetary needs of the proposal.
Fellows can choose to be based in their home countries or in another appropriate country in the
target region. Fellows will be expected to travel to Budapest and other parts of the region as
needed to participate in fellowship-related activities.
To Apply: Application Requirements and Procedures
1. Affiliation and Residency
To qualify for a fellowship, applicants must be affiliated with a relevant policy-making or
research institution in their country of permanent residence (university, non-governmental
organization, government agency, policy institute, etc). Applicants must be permanent residents
of one of the following countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Bosnia-Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Egypt,
Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran and other countries of the Middle East, Morocco, Kazakhstan,
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Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldova, Mongolia, Nigeria, other
countries of North Africa, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Ukraine, Uzbekistan.
2. Language of Application
All applications must be in English and applicants must have excellent English-language
skills. The English skills of finalists will be evaluated during interviews to ensure that they can
participate actively in discussions in English with the expert committees and others in the Soros
foundations network about their area of expertise. However, it is not necessary that the project
proposed by the applicant be one in which English is the language used. Thus, an applicant may
propose a research and writing project in their own language, as long as the applicant is readily
able to translate and discuss the project and related topics in English.
3. Application Process
Applying for the IPF fellowship involves a process of four easy steps designed to simplify and
speed up the selection process:
 1) After carefully reading the application description and requirements, applicants
should complete the online application form located here by clicking this link:
application form. This form requests personal data and a brief summary of the project
as well as a fellowship research proposal (maximum 4 pages), a resume/CV including
a list of publications, an optional letter of reference from an affiliated organization,
and an optional writing sample related to the application topic.
 2) Once information has been entered into the online application form, applicants will
receive an unique application identification (ID) number, which must be used to log
into the form again to make additions or changes as well as in all correspondence with
the International Policy Fellowships program.
 3) Following an initial application review and selection process, candidates
short-listed as Finalists will be asked to submit further information to complete their
applications (including budget proposal, timeline, recommendation letters, transcript,
etc).
 4) Finalists will participate in interviews at the expense of IPF. Successful applicants
will be notified no later than January 30, 2005. The term of the fellowship will
approximate March 2005 through March 2006.
All application submissions must be entered online directly into the IPF application database
found at application form. Those who have no possibility to access the Internet (including from
public libraries, Internet centers, or national Soros foundations) should send an e-mail to
[email protected] or call the IPF offices at (36 1) 327-3863 to discuss the best alternate
application solution (we can call you back immediately to reduce your long-distance telephone
charge). Applications sent by mail, fax or e-mail will not be considered unless you received
prior approval from IPF staff to use an alternative method of application.
4. Application Contents
Again, all applications are to be entered online into the application form on the IPF web site at
application form. Applicants must provide personal contact information applicable through
2004 and early 2005 including e-mail address and fax number where possible and a brief
summary of the project as well a fellowship research proposal (maximum 4 pages), a
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resume/CV including a list of publications, an optional letter of reference from an affiliated
organization, and an optional writing sample related to the application topic.
The research proposal should:
 outline policy research focusing on one of the topics advertised;
 describe the research project objectives, methodology and procedures for fulfilling the
project;
 explain how the results of the research and policy recommendations might be utilized
in the relevant country and, if appropriate, more broadly to the region as a whole.
Those short-listed as Finalists will be asked to send complete applications including:
 Time schedule;
 Resources available (in particular, if other funding sources have been approached,
provided);
 Resources needed including a detailed budget;
 Transcript from the highest level of school completed;
 Two letters of recommendation; and
 One original, officially certified copy of English translations of the transcript and
letters of recommendation.
5. Application Deadline
The fellowship application must be submitted online and received by September 15, 2004 to be
considered. IPF will not accept late applications.
2005 Fellowship Issue Areas
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.
Note: Innovative proposals related to open society issues are welcome, even if they do not
correspond exactly with the topic descriptions listed below.
General Framework: New Frontiers of Democratic Politics
The increasingly global nature of international politics and society has raised a number of
fundamental questions with respect to democratic reform. How might we better understand the
reach of democratic ideas and their capacity for transferal? What are the opportunities for
meaningful policy change across borders? In which ways does the process of European
enlargement serve the interests of a more expansive open society? Which actors will be primary
(and how can we promote their advancement) in helping spearhead such efforts?
In recent years, new approaches for engaging these questions—that is, those concerning the
expansion of democratic norms and ideas—have rapidly moved forward. Yet a host of newly
relevant issues (for example, problems of social integration, governance, and the broader
cultural divide) have emerged calling for rethinking, or at least re-imagining, their
inter-relationships. While research on such issues advances, clearly coordinated efforts at
policy relevant debate and discussion about them remain sorely needed. Next year’s proposed
IPF agenda seeks to do just that by bringing together related themes such as exclusionary
politics, Islam, and democracy promotion within the framework of IPF’s policy research
mandate.
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Reconceptualizing the burning issues of international integration and governance as they
confront social, cultural and political barriers represents the key challenge of establishing new
frontiers of democratic politics. It should be said that such “new frontiers” are not only
geographical. To be sure, we seek the expansion of democracy to regions and countries where it
does not yet exist. But we also seek to make it real where it is as yet only formal or nominal.
Through this investigation it is hoped that new policy relevant ideas can be generated to help
clarify and suggest innovative ways forward.
(1) The Challenge of Wider Europe
With the recent enlargement of the European Union, the borders of the union have been
redrawn toward the East and South. A host of new neighboring countries stand to gain from the
institution’s expansion of democratic norms and practices. Some states, for example in the
Balkans, are already on track for EU membership in 2007; others, for example Ukraine and
Belarus, have no current prospects. Nonetheless, thus far most EU policies on Wider Europe
have been bilateral in nature. How might a broader multilateral policy with respect to the new
neighbors be developed? What kinds of conditions and incentives can be placed on new
neighbors to encourage reform in areas of governance, human rights, information policy, etc.?
To what extent should cultural factors (e.g. Islam) be a factor in the design of a new
neighborhood policy? How active and engaged can and should new member states be in the
Wider Europe process? Is the idea of a European political project diluted by means of a Wider
Europe policy?
(2) Open Society Promotion in Islamic States
One of the central fault lines in the world today is the cultural, intellectual and religious
struggle within Islam. This struggle should be contrasted (and not confused) with the notion of
a “clash of civilisations” between the West and the Islamic world. The capacity of the Islamic
world to transform itself economically, socially, politically and culturally will certainly
influence the individual and collective fate of hundreds of millions of Muslims, but it will also
notably affect other parts of the world. In seeking to contribute to debates within the Muslim
world—especially in Arab countries—with respect to key themes of modernization, we seek to
support policy-relevant proposals that can address some of these core concerns.
Research and policy studies are sought that would examine questions such as the following:
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What might the experiences of countries such as Turkey, Malaysia, Tunisia, Morocco
and Indonesia bring to the larger modernization of Islamic societies?
Do culturally specific obstacles for economic development exist and, if so, how might
they be confronted and overcome?
How could negative impacts be limited from the inevitable clash between religion and
democratic values?
How could elites from Islamic states be mobilized and how might they contribute to
the modernization process?
Should large-scale programming in the West be organized that could contribute to
such objectives, and/or should centers of excellence integrated in the local cultural
context be created (with input from outside)?
What role could Turkey play in the global transformation of the Islamic world? What
is necessary for Turkey to become a leader in this regard?
(3) Russia: Combating Open Society Threats
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One common interpretation of Russia today asserts that the historical absence of a democratic
political culture impedes the establishment of sustainable liberal norms. Putin, it is said, is only
the latest figure in the longue duree of Russian anti-liberals. His progressive undermining of
political opposition, independent media and the business sector are thus part of centuries-old
developments.
Yet, while in Russia today alternative viewpoints and critical debate have indeed reached their
post-Soviet nadir point, political culture, as such, should not necessarily be seen as the primary
factor. Greater attention might be paid to specific political institutions and policies that have
resulted in the stripping away of open society gains. In this sense, Russia is not inextricably
bound to live in, at best, a benign authoritarian state, but can promote change via a more
reflective and democratic set of public policies.
We are therefore interested in concrete proposals that examine efforts in particular sectors
which can effectively address the open society deficits inflicting Russian politics and society.
Primacy will be placed on proposals that outline incentives to various stakeholders to engage
the policy sphere in a more inclusive and equitable manner. Proposals are also encouraged that
analytically consider how to undo and reconfigure damaging public policies.
(4) Combating Organized Crime
Among the countries of the former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe as well as
other emerging democracies, human trafficking, smuggling, money laundering, and other
unlawful activities that destroy public trust and human security are not uncommon.
Practitioners and academics often use different definitions for organized crime. Some
concentrate on the origins, others the mechanism and outcomes of the phenomenon. Regardless
of the choice of definition though, most inquiries focus on the ambiguous relationship between
states and organized crime. At times, the state is controlled by and very useful to organized
crime. At other times, organized crime is controlled by and very useful to the state. Disruption
of this link is a compelling policy puzzle since it is the state itself which has power, resources,
and legitimization to become the center for action. The current call for policy research proposes
to address the possibilities of concentrated domestic and transnational actions to fight organized
crime.
One could outline three basic approaches to fighting organized crime: a criminal justice, a
regulatory, and a microeconomic approach. Therefore, research proposals may want to
investigate:
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>From which countries would examples of the criminal justice, the regulatory, and the
microeconomic approaches be valuable to study? Are approaches or countries more
important to understand?
Regarding the first approach, how might one examine the “link” between police,
prosecution, and courts? Would an examination of processing patterns in judicial
administration be a good way to start? Can the ‘link’ be disrupted through small scale
and selective measures—a research program, an awareness campaign, targeted
investigations, or demonstration projects? Or, must the response to organized crime be
comprehensive, with new, specialized and autonomous institutions for detecting it,
interagency task forces to combat it, and elaborate national programs for preventing it?
Regarding regulatory approach, how governments could become capable of
temporarily taking over (or at least effectively superintending) the administration of
specific markets and industries? How could state authorities impose new rules and
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regulations about the conduct of business? What are the lessons of imposing
temporary “masters,” and political control over an industry, the government to
cultivate market competition and, in conjunction with targeted prosecutions, put the
mafia out of business?
Regarding a microeconomic approach: How could governments encourage the private
sector to invest in informational systems to better track financial transactions, and
better communicate with their customers about illegal sources of income? Would the
involvement of business groups be beneficial, or perhaps essential, in an effort to fight
organized crime in your country? What are the signs and limits in their interests,
known or articulated?
What would a regional research template and course of action look like? And how
would that effort unfold? Would the establishment of multinational and regional
bodies, task forces, inter-governmental agencies be necessary? If so, under what
control and resource distribution?
Is organized crime a threat or a risk that is distinct in kind or degree from fields like
corruption, social inequality, poverty, authoritarianism, and the concentration of
political authority in closed associations? Does it compromise open societies through
intimidation, through economic exclusion, through political developments, what? Does
it corrode, deter, or supplant something?
(5) Democratic Governance, Transparency, and Accountability
Good governance includes the capability of citizens to hold the government accountable for its
actions and inaction. Monitoring the collection and use of public funds is key to influencing the
priorities and policies of government and curtailing corruption. Revenues generated from
natural resource extraction, collection of customs duties and other taxes, and public
procurement awards are all areas particularly susceptible to exploitation by government
officials seeking personal enrichment or seeking to line political party coffers. Transparency,
access to information and domestic and international public pressure represent part of the
available international toolkit for promoting accountability.
Research and policy studies are sought that would:
 identify and pilot new mechanisms for transparency and accountability;
 evaluate the efficiency of existing accountability mechanisms;
 address the universal applicability of existing country-specific mechanisms;
 offer policy options for improving the capabilities of civil society.
(6) Developing Socially Responsible Elites and the Challenges of Higher Education
The experience of many countries indicates that democratic development and larger
modernization depends to a significant degree on the level of elite preparedness: their
know-how, capacity to present coherent ideas of necessary changes, and ability to convince
citizens of their ideas.
The central issue herein is how to educate a new generation of responsible political and
scholarly elites who combine intellectual depth in their chosen discipline(s) with an awareness
of social and political problems in different parts of the world, realizing that while the creation
of new knowledge is a necessary academic precondition, it cannot be achieved by merely
copying Western standards and achievements. A policy has to be thought through as to how
new knowledge along the dimension of the “shifting boundary between the local and the
universal” can be created.
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Research and policy studies are sought that would investigate:
 transnational exchanges about home-made and internationally promoted higher
education reform concepts;
 striking a balance between undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate education
(including institutional and resource distribution aspects) and the underlying
ideologies;
 investments into old and new disciplines, interdisciplinary areas targeting political and
policy leadership, innovations, and social responsibility;
 policy implications of comparative and context-determined curricula research.
(7) Public Health and the Roma
The public health situation of minority communities, particularly the Roma, stands as a huge
barrier (akin to poverty) to the expansion and strengthening of democratic norms. The Roma of
Central and Eastern Europe are in the unique position of suffering the worst health problems of
both the industrialized and the developing world. This poor health status is created and
exacerbated by rampant discrimination throughout the countries of the region. Yet efforts to
promote the health of Roma populations often fail to confront the effects of this
discrimination—segregation in education; near universal unemployment in some communities;
inadequate housing and food; poor access to health services, clean water and sanitation; lack of
social integration; minimal political participation; disparities in income distribution—all of
which shape health. The OSI Network Public Health Program via the International Policy
Fellows program seeks to engage six policy fellows to research and recommend strategies that
would improve the health of Roma communities.
Research and policy studies are sought that would provide:
 critical analysis of current national health-related legislation and policies which have a
disproportionately negative impact on the health of Roma;
 critical analysis of obstacles to full health insurance coverage and clear and actionable
strategies for overcoming these obstacles;
 critical analysis of obstacles to health services usage and clear and actionable
strategies for overcoming these obstacles;
 methods for monitoring the national health goals and indicators established by the
Decade of Roma Inclusion;
 strategies for introducing or strengthening medical, public health and public policy
training on providing accessible health care services for underserved populations;
 economic and feasibility analysis of a specific infrastructure improvement and its
potential health impact.
Candidates must be a full-time resident of one of the following countries: Bulgaria, Croatia,
Czech Republic, FYR Macedonia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia & Montenegro, and the Slovak
Republic. Roma women and men are especially encouraged to apply.
(8) Policymaking in Transition Contexts: The Leslie Carol Eliason Memorial Fellowship
In memory of IPF veteran professor, mentor and trainer Leslie Eliason, the program has
established an annual fellowship to research the challenges of policymaking in
transition/democratizing contexts, lessons learned and recommendations regarding the reform
of public policymaking in particular policy field(s) and country/region(s), and the implications
of these lessons for relevant policy priorities on the international agenda.
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As Professor Eliason has stated regarding her most recent work: “The most important lesson I
have learned is... Context, Context, Context. And when I say context, I mean not only national,
regional, and local (i.e., geographical), but also institutional and with respect to policy field...
Of course there are some similarities that overarch location and field. But the trick is being able
to discern when and how context matters. And that is something that we are still learning by
doing. So part of our endeavor must be to cumulate our experience in such a way that we can
begin to say with greater assuredness when and how context matters and when a particular
policy or approach is likely to succeed and when it is unlikely to work.”
International Junior Public Policy Scholar Fellowship, The Woodrow Wilson
International Center for Scholars
Each fellowship year, the East European Studies program of the Woodrow Wilson Center in
Washington, D.C. sponsors and hosts one to two outstanding young IPF Fellows from Eastern
Europe to carry out a proposed three-month research project as an International Junior Public
Policy Research Scholar in residence at the Center. The fellowship, carrying a $9,000 stipend
and requiring on-site residency for the duration of the grant, is limited to scholars from
countries covered by the Wilson Center’s East European Studies Program—namely the former
communist bloc including the Baltic states and former Yugoslavia but not the NIS states,
Ukraine or Germany. This grant will count as the final three months of the International Policy
Fellowship award and is only valid during the specific award year. Final selection of the
nominated scholars is made by the Woodrow Wilson Center’s East European Studies program.
The Woodrow Wilson Center provides access to research facilities and libraries (the Library of
Congress, university libraries, the National Archives, etc.) and relevant faculty as needed. The
Center also helps arrange introductory visits to relevant actors and organizations in
Washington, D.C. influencing policy, including the U.S. Congress and Senate. Incoming
scholars are also provided with administrative assistance and information regarding affordable
housing, health care, and processing of required documentation. However, housing and visa
arrangements are the ultimate responsibility of the selected scholars.
To be considered for a Woodrow Wilson Center scholarship, finalists of the International
Policy Fellowships program who are short-listed and requested to submit a full application must
describe how this grant will further their IPF research project. The Woodrow Wilson Center is
especially interested in sponsoring scholars focusing on the following issues: international
governance (regionalization, decentralization); the rule of law; public administration; civil
society and institution-building and the role of non-governmental organizations; media;
minority rights; economic reform and management; Southeast Europe Stability Pact projects;
organized crime; and north-south tier development issues including strategies for closing the
gap.
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