GDCT MEDIA FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 2005
GDCT MEDIA FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 2005
The Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust
Excellence in Research, Investigations and Reporting on Tribal Identity of Gujjars, Democracy and Development
The Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust, a multi-disciplinary non-governmental Human Development initiative based at Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) has planned a media fellowship program for young, entry level to mid career, sensitive and professionally committed journalists keen to develop a deep insight into the social, cultural and economic mosaic of Jammu and Kashmir. The fellowship will allow them to take time off their routine beats to research and publish articles/photo-essays on the issues concerning less privileged, that need to be high on the national agenda but do not find mention there for a variety of reasons. The fellowships are designed to support pursuits of in-depth, creative field research on these concerning the marginalized tribe of Gujjars and writing about their issues with adequate evidence -qualitative and quantitative -to impact and influence the public policy and the domain of political, social, economic and cultural consciousness The program encourages innovative, multi-disciplinary, theoret
ical engagements and research on the issues that emerge on the intersection of discourses on tribal identity of Gujjars and the social transformation. These include:
Human Security
Education
Healthcare
Economic Security
Cultural, Ethnic Identity -contexts and threats
Political Participation
The focus, however, on the projects that explore the interface between tribal identity and these issues within the terrain of contemporary social structure and non-traditional formulations of security.
The fellowships are an important step towards encouraging professionally organized work on identity of the Gujjars in Jammu and Kashmir. The scheme is meant for the perceptive and far-sighted professionals who seek to bring important questions of tribal identity -threats and security -to their work on politics, human and social development, culture, conflict and peace issues. The paradigm of research and studies undertaken are generally expected to provide comprehensive information on hitherto ignored issues that pertain to the tribal identity and character of the Gujjars, their responses to and condition in the conflict. The broader question, which a GDCT research fellow is expected to address on identity and crisis of the Gujjars, is to offer holistic options for non-violent transformation among marginal communities, which are getting further marginalized in conflict. The stress is on the potential of research, study and line of investigation to impact and catalyze change in such settings of social and p
political trivialization.
The Fellowship Program
There are five fellowships under three different categories spread over a period of six months to one year:
1: Voices from the Margins Fellowship
A National Media Fellowship is offered to the media persons, scholars, researchers and activists not based in Jammu and Kashmir but having a proven tack record of their professional involvement in the areas and issues of Jammu and Kashmir. The aim of this fellowships is to extend financial support to the researchers not based in Jammu and Kashmir to foster an understating of Gujjars and put their issues on the national canvas. The fellowship award carries an amount of Rs 75,000.
2: Rana Ali Hassan Chouhan Memorial Short Duration Fellowship
In this category three journalists with a professional commitment towards social responsibility, based in Jammu and Kashmir, shall be awarded. The fellowship brief involves extensive field research, political, historical and social study of Gujjars -their lifestyle and the issues elaborated above. Each fellowship carries an award of Rs 40,000.
3: Gujjars under Lens Fellowship.
This fellowship is meant for photojournalist. The photojournalists are required to explore and capture the lifestyle of Gujjars by traveling and staying with. The fellowship carries and award of Rs 40,000. At the end of photo research the fellow is expected to mount an exhibition for which the GDCT undertakes extend another grant of Rs 10,000.
General Guidelines
1. The fellows will be selected by screening of their research proposals and evaluation by the members of an eminent jury.
2. Once the fellows are selected they will have to submit a detailed proposal outlining the thematic sequence, work-plan, method and design of research, areas to visited details of proposed interviews and bibliographic account of books, journals, research papers etc to be consulted.
3. During the fellowship duration each fellowship is required to get published a reasonable number of articles/photo-essays in leading newspapers, magazines or other journals. Each copy of the articles/photograph has to be sent to the GDCT's fellowship monitoring cell in advance.
4. The end product of the fellowship is expected to be a publishable monograph.
5. There are no provisions of contingency fund except for the serial number three for which the amount of support shall be worked out in consultation with the fellow and its approval from the expert committee.
6. Normally the fellows are not expected to take a complete leave of absence from their routine duties, however, if they do so the GDCT may think of some additional support where the case is justified.
7. The copyrights of the end product of the research project shall rest with the author; however, the GDCT shall enjoy complete legal authority in using the matter in whatsoever form. But in each case the author shall be acknowledged.
8. The language of the end product can be English, Hindi, Urdu or Gojari. However, effort shall be appreciated if the work in Hindi, Urdu or Gojari is submitted with English translation. For this, the fellow shall be paid an additional amount of Rs 5,000.
9. Fellowship program details, scheduled and proposal format can be obtained from the office of Program Director personally, by post or through e-mail.
10. Fellowship proposal and application form complete in all respects should reach the office of Program Director not later than February 28, 2005.
11. The selected fellows will be informed through letter, e-mail by or before March 10, 2005. Applicants are strongly suggested against making any inquiries regarding their selection.
12. The selected fellows will be required to make a presentation of their proposals and explain the research methodologies at a function organized by the GDCT in the month of March 2005. Exact date shall be communicated upon their selection.
13. The fellowship period commences from April 1, 2005.
14. The selected fellows will be required to sign an agreement with the GDCT committing them to adhere to the guidelines and program schedule. The fellowship amount will be released in three phases in accordance with the research progress.
Proposal Guidelines
Send your proposals along with a covering letter, detailed CV, past work samples (published and bylined) and two letters of reference along with detailed reply to following points:
A: Project Abstract:
Broad outline of the theme, subject and significance in not more than 200 words.
B: General Information
How does the proposed project add to otherwise impact existing work in thefield? What sources, research method and analytical techniques will be used in the project? Give justification for the fieldwork? What will be the nature of the end product of your project? Which other financial resources will be available to you during the period of fellowship?
C. Personal History
Describe your goals for personal professional development and how this project would contribute to your goals.
Please share any personal experiences that might have shaped your interest in this project.
D. Education
E. Professional Experience
F. Other Information
What other projects/research work have you carried out in the area of your proposed study?
Please indicate any fellowships, grants and professional honours or awards that you might have received or any other accomplishments that you feel will contribute to this project
CONTACT FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND SEND YOUR PROPOSALS TO:
ZAFAR IQBAL CHOUDHARY Program Director GDCT Media Fellowship Program 2005 J&K Center for Media Research and Documentation Second Floor, 89/5, Trikuta Nagar Jammu J&K 180004 Phone/Fax -0191-2475244 Mobile 09906014916 Emails: zafar_choudhary@rediffmail.com gdctfellow@rediffmail.com jammucmrd@rediffmail.com
GDCT MEDIA FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 2005
