Considering you happen to be in Copenhagen and meeting with TANTLab this Friday @alberto, here is a high level, initial list of potential H2020 topics in the next round worth discussion. It’s a quick scan for now. I’ve focused specifically on topics that offer potential for state of the art and radical ethnographic work while aligning with Edgeryders’ current strategies and ongoing curiosities. There are also some included that other potential partners have flagged, and I see worthwhile considering. Summary of each topic includes excerpts I see relevant and links to the full call.
More empirical and interdisciplinary research is needed to understand the various historical, geopolitical, socioeconomic, ideological, cultural, psychological, and demographic factors that drive these conflicts and violent extremism in these regions. The various ways in which these phenomena impact Europe also need closer scrutiny.
Proposals should produce country and regional analyses of the interplay between religion, politics and identity… Proposals should involve relevant actors (e.g. policymakers, religious leaders, representatives of civil society) to ensure mutual learning and take-up of results.
Expected Impact: The action will improve the knowledge base on violent extremism in the broader MENA region and the Balkans. It will ensure a step-up in mutual learning between the EU and third countries in light of common challenges.
A greater understanding of the social and economic effects and impacts of migration in Europe is needed in order to obtain an objective overview of developments and to address misperceptions.
Interdisciplinary research with combined insights from disciplines such as sociology, economics, history, anthropology, cultural studies and psychology among others is needed.
Furthermore, proposals should analyse the local and interactional dimension of integration processes and their effects on the provision of local services, workplace conditions, productivity and innovation. They should comparatively examine integration policies (labour market, education, health, civil rights, social welfare, housing, family policies, etc.), and the role of transnational institutions and networks in shaping integration at a local scale.
We considered the CSA last round and I have some contacts for potential coordinators.
The challenge is to identify the main drivers of inequalities in different urban and peri-urban contexts and to identify best practices and initiatives, including digital solutions and alternative participatory growth models, with potential for upscaling that can promote upward social mobility, social inclusion and cohesion, resilience and sustainable development.
Proposals should assess the scale, dimensions and drivers of socio-economic inequalities in urban and peri-urban settings across different city typologies, across Europe and across demographic diversities, paying particular attention to gender differences.
Expected Impact: By linking research, innovation and policy, the action will support urban strategies, policies and planning practices to promote equitable, inclusive and sustainable growth, including the uptake of new, participatory and alternative growth models.’
RIA, 1.5million (4.5million total), 2 stage call - first deadline 2 April 2019
We already have one potential partner who are leading a RIA in the WP interested in this call with us, and @winnieponcelet has also flagged interest
This is a good time to expand opportunities for science learning, in formal, non-formal and informal settings… Therefore, collaboration between formal, non-formal and informal science education providers, enterprises and civil society should be enhanced to ensure relevant and meaningful engagement of all societal actors with science and increase the uptake of science studies, citizen science initiatives and science-based careers, employability and competitiveness.
The proposed action targets the creation of new partnerships in local communities to foster improved science education for all citizens. This action aims to support a range of activities based on collaboration between formal, non-formal and informal science education providers, enterprises and civil society in order to integrate the concept of open schooling, including all educational levels, in science education.
Expected Impact: It is expected that in the short term the development of partnerships between schools, local communities, Civil Society Organisations, universities and industry should contribute to a more scientifically interested and literate society and students with a better awareness of and interest in scientific careers.
Exploring and supporting citizen science. After re-reading the text of the call, it seems we are on top of it, more than ever, and it would make no sense at all not to re-iterate CCCP. Also, there are going to be five funded projects instead of three. However, the question of why it was so poorly evaluated remains. We would need some intelligence around that proposal… As for how to improve it, we could give it more of an education spin. And I would love to involve Dorsaf and Yosser:
In line with the strategy for EU international cooperation in research and innovation (COM(2012)497), international cooperation is encouraged.
Open schooling and collaboration on science education. Interesting in and of itself. But this seems to me more of an innovation than a research action. Not clear what we, as SSNA researchers, could do: maybe only evaluate and reflect on the kind of stuff that Winnie likes to do. Doable; but this would probably be a relatively small project for us, given that the overall budget is 1.5M and most of it should go to actual schooling innovation.
Drivers and contexts of violent extremism in the broader MENA region and the Balkans. Very relevant, especially as it latches nicely onto our consulting activities. ER has some track record of operating in the region, and we could try to mount something with either UNDP or the WB. OICD will probably apply, right?
Social and economic effects of migration in Europe and integration policies. Also a fantastic challenge. It can be argued that this is one issue where ethnography has a role to play, as it helps embattled policy makers understand “what migration looks like from out here”. I’d love to work on this with economists: ethno + eco could be a nice combo on this issue.
Innovative solutions for inclusive and sustainable urban environments. I am personally interested in cities, and love this topic. I see a collaboration with Milano and an involvement of Sander (co-author of the famous work on scaling in cities spearheaded by Bettencourt & West – massive academic firepower). Our focus could be on coops, collectives, co-housings, but also their economic models (“new and participatory models of growth that foster sustainable and equitable prosperity”).
Enhancing social rights and EU citizenship. I do not see a lot of scope for us here. The field is very well researched; it seems most of what they want is some innovation around statistical indicators and evaluations for harmonization measures.
Absolutely. You may recall that I pushed for a Tunisian partner in CCCP - the Centre for Arab Women in Training and Research and while they were interested they didn’t have capacity. At the SwafS Info Day earlier this year involvement of Associate Countries, of which Tunisia is one, is encouraged so I am likewise very interested to engage Tunisian Edgeryders.
Open schooling and collaboration on science education
Noted and good point. Perhaps, lower in priority, I’ll keep an eye out on who are setting up consortia in case we can offer a minimal value add in SSNA.
Drivers and contexts of violent extremism in the broader MENA region and the Balkans.
My thoughts exactly and hence it coming in first for me. And indeed I also thought it could be a good fit for OICD. I’ll start a google doc for us to begin gathering our thoughts and we can take it from there.
Innovative solutions for inclusive and sustainable urban environments.
Yes. I have a few Cities networks that I had discussed this with in the last round. I’ll reach out again and see where they’re at/ if they bite.
Enhancing social rights and EU citizenship.
Noted and agreed.
I can take on the intel sure. For me, priority queue will be 1 then 3. Extremism in MENA/ Balkans because
a) I think the Extremism in MENA/ Balkans has legs
b) based on the last round, there are so many players in the cities calls and it can end up taking a lot of energy that sees a potential proposal go nowhere
c) you and TANT already have momentum around it so let’s see how that unfolds.
see and review all the info published (the SwafS Work Programme, including the introduction, call conditions, and related topics, + policy presentations + FAQs available on the Participant Portal) (I will also review what I haven’t already in this - eg. policy briefs).
We can also reach out to the rResearch Executive Agency about the proposal evaluation itself, if things weren’t clear.
Main takeaway when I reiterated our approach was that it wasn’t that we were necessarily off the mark but that Swafs 15 is to fund hands on citizen science. Of course the question of what’s “hands on” in the move towards participatory action research/ participatory politics etc. came up but again, it seems to be very competative and they want hands on hands on. That being said it is suggested we look at a new topic opening this round specifically for research on citizen science and RRI I believe that it’s SwafS-16-2019: Ethics of Innovation: the challenge of new interaction modes. Take a skim @alberto, it could be quite the interesting lever indeed. He finished by saying that based on our approach the key is to go for a topic that hits the centre of the concentric circles of various SwafS topics.
Not a valid argument. It would be for CAPS: RECODE got 14/15, still not funded. But CCCP was, indeed, unfundable, no matter how competitive the call, because it missed the acceptability threshold in one of the dimensions.
Interesting. David Lane had a framework to look at this stuff. Could be a good fit for Sander. I will reach out.
Dear Both @alberto and @anique
I read your discussion about two point that I would like to jump in if you are interested:
Extremism in MENA/ Balkans and my focus is MENA; We can talk about the prior research , prior inititative and what is lacking from practical side.
Citizen science: we launched a small community in Tunisia that adress and work on Citizen science.Let me know if you are looking for external cooperation beyond EU.
what do you think ?
Lovely to hear of your interest @khaoula! Indeed we’ve looked at incorporating our existing communities like yourselves into our EU research projects in the past and continue to be enthusiastic to do so. We’re in the early stages of exploring partnerships and concepts for these proposals. I see you’re from El Space, can you perhaps share more on what you do there - eg. disciplines/ techniques/ activities in addition to citizen science - so I can better understand how you might be able to fit into a combination of work packages? (If you’re not aware, a work package is a group of tasks that a partner undertakes on an EU research and innovation project. One of the keys in strong proposals and partnership consortia is to have a comprehensive, diverse and complimentary mix of work packages to address the scope and impact of the topic).
ELSPACE is a social innovation hub in Tunis. You could take a look in what we are doing here.http://www.elspace.org/
Our main methodology is using co -creation approach with local communities. We conduct training for social innovators to launch their own initiatives from their own needs.
For Extremism in MENA : I recommend a participatory action research that include different stakeholders and the users themselves.In Tunisia , we conducted several research about the factors,enablers and inhibitors of extremism and a very interesting reseracher from our partner Sari Scheinberg, PhD coud help in the establishement of this research . Also , @Adnen bel haj Yahia from ELSPACE co founders run a resarch with US institution around Extremism.
Citizen science: we are launching the next week a fablab in the heart of Tunis ELFABSPACE
We cantacted OK Lab from stuttgart and by december 2018 we will implement the first device to track air pollution in the most polluted cities in Tunisia.
It still emerging and in this case experementation and technology transfer could be very valuable.