Conference: Minorities, Nations and Cultural Diversity, Queen's University, Belfast, 9-10 November 2012‏

Minorities, Nations and Cultural Diversity
The Challenge of Non-Territorial Autonomy
9-10 November 2012, Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Deadline for paper proposals: 21 September
http://www.conferencepro.eu/nta

The European Centre for Minority Issues (Flensburg, Germany), jointly with The School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy at Queen's University Belfast, and the Department of Central & Eastern European Studies, University of Glasgow call upon interested scholars to participate in a multidisciplinary conference on the challenges of Non Territorial Autonomy (NTA) in a world of nation-states.
Cultural diversity is the norm in a world of nation-states. A recurrent problem is how to organise what are in fact, multi-ethnic and multi-nation states so that majorities and minorities are able to coexist and effectively participate in the life of the state, bolstering allegiance without suffering cultural alienation and without resorting to territorial secession. Multicultural liberal democracies sincerely champion equality and individual human rights, but often have considerable difficulties in accommodating culturally diverse minority communities. Territorial representation is only possible when minority communities inhabit a compact territorial space, yet in the majority of cases, minority communities do not reside compactly, making any territorial representation impossible. This situation often causes intractable problems for the functioning of democratic polities, and requiring modalities of non-territorial autonomy (NTA) as a solution.

The aim of this conference is to examine in theory, empirically and through the work of legal practitioners, the challenges, and possible solutions offered by different models of NTA for the effective participation of minorities in public life. Non-Territorial autonomy takes variety of different forms, such as Consociationalism and National Cultural Autonomy, but also forms of representation that de-territorialises self-determination, as in the case of indigenous communities, the juridical autonomy as with religious communities, or in the practice of some models of multiculturalism. We invite theoretical and comparative papers and case studies on NTA models that build upon theoretical consideration and/or consider empirical case studies.
The organising committee would like to welcome papers addressing the following issues:

Can NTA serve the goals of European integration? Can such models be incorporated into the EU minority protection framework?
Does NTA help resolve protracted territorial conflicts? Examples include, but are not limited to Bosnia, Kurdistan or Israel/Palestine?
What are the limits and/or possibilities of implementing NTA models in liberal democracies?
Can NTA models rejuvenate multiculturalism?
Can models of NTA enhance the integration of Diasporas?
What are the opportunities for Indigenous self-determination within the NTA framework?
Can models of NTA help the effective participation of minorities in post-colonial states? And, can NTA models help eliminate the cultural residues of colonialism?

This list is not exhaustive.

MODE OF APPLICATION
Applicants should submit a 300 word abstract and a short biographic statement (max 300 words) indicating institutional affiliation and if they wish to be considered for the early career subsidy at the website http://www.conferencepro.eu/nta

THE DEADLINE FOR THE SUBMISSION OF PAPER PROPOSALS IS FRIDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2012.
The selection committee will confirm the selection of speakers and make an offer and early career grant to selected candidates by 10 October 2012

CONFERENCE ORGANISATION
We aim to attract innovative contributions that develop theoretical arguments while embedding these in the context of case studies, thus we particularly welcome early career scholars to apply. For more information on the conference see http://www.conferencepro.eu/nta
Please note that the organisers would like to limit the number of presenters to around 40, presenting in a total of 14 panels in simultaneous 2 hour slots of two or three panels over the two days of the conference.
Plenary speakers will be nominated by early September and their names will appear in the conference web page.
An optional conference dinner will take place on Friday 9 November 2012.
The proceedings of the conference will be published in an edited volume.
Please note that the conference WILL NOT organise accommodation. The list of hotels, hostels and Bed & Breakfast will be placed at the conference website in the second half of August.
EARLY CAREER TRAVEL GRANTS
We will be able to offer £400 travel/accommodation grant to between 8 and 10 paper givers to support early career scholars, i.e. doctoral students within six months of submission and the holders of PhDs, awarded after September 1 2009. The preference to access grants will be given to affiliates of institutions outside the EU, although relevance and innovation of the paper will principally inform the decision of the selection panel.
If you would like to apply for a travel/accommodation grant, please state this clearly when submitting your paper proposal.
Questions regarding research on non-territorial autonomy and the remit of the conference should be addressed to ntaconference@qub.ac.uk
indicating in the heading of your email CONFERENCE REMIT.

If you have any further questions, please email ther same address putting CONFERENCE APPLICATION and YOUR NAME in the header. Emails not addressed in this way will be significantly delayed.
We are looking forward hearing from the interested candidates.

Scholarship: European Fund for the Balkans - Fellowship Programme for Young Government, April 2013 –July 2013‏

Call for applications - Fellowship Programme for Young Government Officials from the Western Balkans - Supporting Excellence and Leadership in Governance 2012/13

April 2013 –July 2013

We are looking for the decision-makers of tomorrow who want to shape regional and European collaboration using their energy and enthusiasm

Aim:

The Programme aims to contribute to the development of effective and efficient state administrations in the region by offering a tailor-made fellowship and training programme for highly qualified young professionals from the central government of the countries of the Western Balkans (including cantonal level government in Bosnia Herzegovina and regional level government of Vojvodina in Serbia).[1]

Up to 20 scholarships are made available for civil servants from the Western Balkans to spend a three-month fellowship in government institutions in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.

To read the full Call for Applications follow this link<http://www.balkanfund.org/application2013/docs/Call%20for%20ApplicationsJuly2013.pdf>.

For a full description of the Fellowship Programme and application criteria visit this link<http://www.balkanfund.org/application2013/docs/Call%20for%20ApplicationsJuly2013.pdf>.

Guidelines through the Application process are available at this link<http://www.balkanfund.org/application2013/docs/Guidelines%20for%20ApplicantsJuly2013.pdf>.

To fill in the online Application form go to this page<http://www.balkanfund.org/application2013/application2013.php>.

DEADLINE for Applications: September 20, 2012


Call for applications - Fellowship Programme for Young Government Officials from the Western Balkans - Supporting Excellence and Leadership in Governance 2012/13<http://balkanfund.org/the-news/practicing-europe/84-fellowship-programme-20122013/355-call-for-applications.html>



[1] Applications from candidates in political positions will NOT be accepted

Conference: National Minorities between protection and empowerment, ECPR, Mainz, 11-16 March 2013‏

National Minorities between protection and empowerment, ECPR 2013 in Mainz
Deadline for paper proposals: 5 November 2012
http://ecprnet.eu/Joint%20Sessions/2013_Mainz/Default.aspx


ECMI is looking for papers for the workshop on National Minorities between protection and empowerment: Contemporary minority politics in Europe. The workshop is one of ECPR Joint Sessions of workshops taking place on 11-16 March 2013 in Mainz, Germany.
The workshop on National Minorities between protection and empowerment aims to look comparatively at the impact of the minority rights regime throughout Europe, paying particular attention to European organizations, member states and national minority communities.
The workshop is organized by Tove Malloy, European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI), and David J. Galbreath, University of Bath.
The comparative framework is based on the following questions:
- What is the relationship between the European approaches to minorities and the impact on the ground?
- How have the ethnic conflicts of the early Cold War period shaped national and regional methods of ethnic management?
- How can European organizations and member states move beyond management and protection towards empowerment?
Looking for papers
The workshop organizers are looking for papers that can critically engage with the relationship between minority protection and empowerment. Papers must address Europe and ethno-linguistic or ethno-cultural minorities whether 'old' or 'new'.
Papers must work within and across literatures that are closer described in the complete Workshop Outline.

Master: International MA in Comparative Politics: Central and Eastern European Politics and Societies - Bruxelles, Bucharest, Wraclow, Cluj‏

International MA in Comparative Politics: Central and Eastern European Politics and Societies

This International Master Program is jointly organised by the Université Libre de Bruxelles, the University of Bucharest; the University of Wroclaw and the Babes Boyai University (Cluj)

BRIEF PRESENTATION

The two-year master program in comparative politics taught in English at the Political Science Faculty of the University of Bucharest is among the very few of its kind in Central, Eastern, and and South-East Europe. Our curriculum stresses both the theoretical and empirical dimensions related to the modern and contemporary evolution of politics and society in the region. The program is methodologically eclectic yet rigorous, with an emphasis on historical and political science approaches.
The master program is meant for students with a BA degree (180 ECTS) in political science, history, sociology, law, economics, philosophy, and philology, coming from Romania, Central and South-East Europe, EU and Non-EU coutries.
The courses focus on the historical roots of political processes, explore how can democratic institutions and practices be generated, challenged and sustained, recognize and cope with the particular features of the area, studying them in a wide comparative perspective.
The program looks for sophisticated analytical answers to such basic political questions as: 'why are some countries democratic while others are not?' 'why are some countries torn by ethnic conflict?' 'do constitutions matter?' 'what is the impact of global capitalism on state sovereignty?'
Addressing these and similar questions, the program offers courses in the fields of democratisation, nationalism and ethnicity, political elites and institutions, and constitutionalism. These processes are analyzed as embedded in their area- and country-specific particularities and contexts.
The program has been designated a political science resource by the Higher Education Support Program of the Open Society Institute. The program is part of a Consortium that includes the University of Bucharest, Universite Libre Brussels, University of Wroclaw, and the Babes Bolyai University of Cluj. Further academic partnerships with European and North American higher education institutions are actively sought.
The duration of the program is 2 years.

ADVANTAGES

MCP students can be awarded two Master diplomas, one from the home (Bucharest), and one from the host University (Universite Libre Brussels, University of Wroclaw). In this sense they will attend the first year in the department of political science of University of Bucharest and continue the second year in another one of their choice (Universite Libre Brussels, University of Wroclaw). Studying abroad will be the most rewarding and eye-opening experience of university life. Besides the one year mobility, the Master program offers the opportunity to take part in a series of study trips in Poland and Belgium. A series of joint activities (conferences and seminars) will be organized in the partner universities.
The MA in Comparative Politics will provide students with an intellectually stimulating analysis of the key issues in regional and European politics, such as the changing dynamics of state power, the dimensions of regime change, and the challenge posed to states by ethno-nationalism and political radicalisms.
Students, many of them international and exchange, will take part in small graduate seminars and thus benefit from the direct guidance of the professorial body. The faculty/student ratio (currently approximately 1:3) meets the most demanding standards of higher education.
Courses will be taught by academics with solid credentials in their respective fields of expertise; all faculty members have had extensive exposure to the international academic world.
Students will benefit because they will gain from the opportunity to study a specialisation within a broader subject area. The opportunity to study in a large, internationally renowned department in the only Romanian institution devoted solely to the social sciences.
A good preparation for further research work or for a career in media, political consultancy, international organisations, public administration or the private sector.

OPPORTUNITIES

With this Master program the graduates will be well prepared for various jobs opportunities requiring an in-depth knowledge of the political, economic and social issues at stake in Central and Eastern European Countries. The Master program prepares students for careers in academia, enterprises, public bodies, think thanks, NGOs, foundations, media, EU institutions and international organizations. Most of our graduates succeded in their pursuit for a successful career in a wide range of public and private institutions, in Romania and abroad.

STAFF AND COURSES
Central and Eastern European Politics, Damiana OTOIU (and invited lecturers)
Democratic Transitions, Cristina PETRESCU
Nationalism and Citizenship. Theoretical and Comparative Perspectives, Victor RIZESCU
European Fascisms, 1919-1945, Mihai CHIOVEANU
Comparative Ethnopolitics, Cristina PETRESCU
Modern Political Thought in Eastern Europe, Victor RIZESCU
Comparative Post-communism, Dragos PETRESCU
20th Century Genocides, Mihai CHIOVEANU
Electoral Behaviour in Central and Eastern European Democracies, Gabriel SEBE
Political Representation of Minorities in Central and Eastern Europe, Oana-Valentina SUCIU
Political Radicalism and Mass Democracy, Camil PARVU
Political Modernities in South Eastern Europe, Dragos PETRESCU
European Constitutionalism, Bogdan IANCU
A Comparative Approach to Political Elites, Alexandra IONASCU
Revolutions and Regime Change in Eastern Europe in the 19th and 20th Centuries, Silvia MARTON
Social Movements in Central and Eastern Europe, Claudiu TUFIS

ADMISSION/ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES
mcp@fspub.unibuc.ro
admiteremaster@fspub.unibuc.ro

Contact
Mihai CHIOVEANU (mihai.chioveanu@fspub.unibuc.ro)
Bogdan IANCU (bogdan.iancu@fspub.unibuc.ro)
Alexandra IONAȘCU (alexandra.ionascu@fspub.unibuc.ro)
Camil PÂRVU (camil.parvu@fspub.unibuc.ro)
Email: mihai.chioveanu@fspub.unibuc.ro
Visit the website at http://www.fspub.unibuc.ro/fspub/programe-de-studii/master/comparative-politics

Job: Research Assistant on Moldova‏

Varieties for Democracy (V-Dem) is looking for a Country Research Assistant on Moldova. Your contribution as Country Research Assistant will be compensated with an honorarium. The funding for the project, as with most pure research projects, is limited. However, we can offer you compensation of US$ 750. The candidate should be a resident or national of Moldova.

Quality of Government Institute, University of Gothenburg, the Kellogg Institute, and University of Notre Dame are involved in a new project to measure democracy: Varieties of Democracy. It is based primarily on coding by experts. We have conducted a pilot study in twelve countries. We are now in the second phase, which involves 41 countries from around the world. In this phase we want experts to complete surveys on important aspects of democracy, such as civil liberties and political parties.

We are now in the next phase, which involves 41 countries from around the world, including Moldova.

For every country there are a series of largely factual questions that need to be resolved. These questions span all sections of the V-Dem questionnaire. We do not expect Country Research Assistant to possess intimate expertise in all of subject areas. You will be assigned to code approx. 50 questions. Consequently, we expect that you will rely on publicly available sources.

V-Dem is not intended to produce a single measure of overall democracy. Instead, we create distinct measures of electoral, liberal, participatory, majoritarian, consensual, participatory, deliberative, and egalitarian democracy, and their specific components. V-Dem will cover all countries from 1900 to the present. It will make public all codings free of charge, in a user-friendly interface. These features together, distinguish V-Dem from extant democracy indices. V-Dem is expected to advance our understanding of the historical process of democratization as well as our understanding of the causes and effects of democracy.

If interested in the position, please email me at sg2355@columbia.edu<mailto:shpetim.gashi@gmail.com> at your earliest convenience.

One Month Study Visits to Austria (for BiH, KS, MK, CG, SRB)‏

One Month Study Visits to Austria

http://www.wus-austria.org/project/0/33.html

Target area: Higher Education Development
Sub-target area: Academic Mobility and Cooperation
Target countries: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia
Target groups: Higher Education Institutions, Individuals
Duration: until further notice
Partners:

University of Graz

Österreichische Austauschdienst Gesellschaft - OeAD-GmbH

Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research
Budget line: Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research


Project Description

NEW CALL OPEN!

Deadline for applications is September 1st, 2012.



Size of grant and conditions:

1) Monthly grant rate
a) for graduates: 940 EUR
b) for graduates over 30 years with a PhD degree: 1,040 EUR
2) Accident and health insurance, accommodation
a) If necessary, the OeAD-GmbH will take out an accident and health insurance on behalf of the grant recipient.
b) The OeAD-GmbH will endeavour to provide accommodation (student hall of residence or flat) for recipients of grants who wish to get accommodation arranged by the OeAD. Monthly costs: 220 to 470 EUR (depending on how much comfort the recipients of grants want). An administration fee of 18 EUR per month is payable to the OeAD-GmbH for arranging accommodation. The costs for insurance and accommodation have to be paid out of the grant by the recipient of the grant.


General:

The main purpose of the scholarship is to enable scientific staff of universities to do research at Austrian universities in the context of master or doctoral studies (an age limit of 45 years applies). targeted countries: Applicants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, FYR of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia.

The role of WUS Austria is to promote the program and provide information to interested persons; further information can also be obtained at the Institute of International Law and International Relations/University of Graz, which is in charge of selecting the candidates. Implementation of the program is carried out by the Austrian Exchange Service (OeAD-GmbH), which takes care of accommodation arrangements and payment of the grant. The grant letter sent by the OeAD-GmbH can be used for obtaining a visa if applicable.

For the application form, contact details and further information on the program please take a look at the section "Important Documents & Links"
http://www.wus-austria.org/project/0/33.html

Summer School: Public Policy at Mother Theresa, Skopje‏

Call for participants for the School of Public Policy |Mother Theresa|

The call for participants for the third generation of students of the School of Public Policy |Mother Theresa| is now open. The School is organized by the leading Macedonian think tank Center for Research and Policy Making from Skopje (www.crpm.org.mk), under the auspices of the Council of Europe Schools of Political Studies Program. The School advocates for good governance and responsible policy making based on the democratic rule of law and liberal impartiality, multiculturalism and tolerance. Our goal is to create a learning environment where mutual understanding prevails among leaders from across the political spectrum, to provide a platform for them to work together for the common good while preserving their ideological differences and political competitiveness, and to lay the foundations for a constructive political dialogue today and in the future. We believe in the work of Mother Theresa and her being a unifying figure of the Macedonian society. In a comprehensive survey of the values held in Macedonia, 78% of the Macedonian citizens of all ethnic backgrounds saw Mother Theresa as a unifying figure. Our aim is also to provide an opportunity for students to meet other students – to promote dialogue and a better understanding between politically active and democratically oriented people from different Macedonian backgrounds. Lecturers and guest speakers of the School are practitioners, academics or experts recognized in their field of competence.

Organizing the School of Public Policy |Mother Theresa| CRPM has committed itself to the following objectives:
• to provide training and development in liberal democratic values and practice;
• to encourage the development of responsible and ethical leadership also accepting the principles of Mother Theresa to aid “in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.”
• to provide opportunities for political and civic leaders from across the spectrum of public life to come together to discuss a wide range of current political, social and economic issues;
• to encourage transparent public policy making process which takes into account the core principles of good governance and the different public interests and opinions;
• to enhance public dialogue and media debate by fostering appreciation of the values of liberal multiculturalism, encouraging participation, inclusion and the free exchange of ideas.

The typical School activities are: four weekend courses, weekly lectures and a World Forum at the Council of Europe. The subjects of the weekend courses are: Improving Public Policies in the Western Balkans, Euro-Atlantic enlargement, Multiculturalism in theory and practice. The fourth topic of the weekend course is flexible but it is always related to the Council of Europe program and current and important topics for discussion for Macedonia and the region. All participants must speak and write fluent English and Macedonian. Participants must attend all the weekend courses, while the weekly lectures are optional. They are expected to fulfill the tasks assigned to them at the lectures. Diplomas by the Council of Europe and CRPM are awarded at the end of the academic year. The selection of the participants after a public call for participation is published in the main dailies of the country and is distributed via the internet is made each fall. Each generation typically starts the activities holding the first course at the end of the calendar year.

Participants are young leaders (ages 24-40) in the public and private sectors, selected with the following criteria: advanced knowledge in the field of public policy; readiness to work on improving liberal democracy in Macedonia and minimizing poverty in the country; and multicultural values. In the selection process we take into account that participants with different political, social, cultural, gender and ethnic identities in the country are represented. We expect the participants to be fully involved in the whole educational process. We see them as future partners, who will together with the lecturers and guests, build a new political and governmental culture. For applying you will need to submit the following documents:

- Curriculum vitae
- Letter of motivation (not longer than one page)
- Two recommendations (optional)

Please send the required documents to: crpm@crpm.org.mk and montenigr@yahoo.com not later than 20th August, with subject: Application for the School of Public Policy |Mother Theresa|. Only short listed candidates will be contacted. Please note that in the selection of the candidates we will pay special attention to the professional, regional, ethnic, and gender balance of the group. The call is open only to Macedonian citizens.

For more information visit: http://www.crpm.org.mk/?page_id=6