[kictanet] Call for Proposals: Commissioned Papers on ICTs, Climate Change and Development

[alice at apc.org]

** Please forward to relevant colleagues **

This is a call for proposals for the writing of commissioned papers on the
topic of ICTs, climate change and development.  Proposals should be sent
by 25 May 2010.

BACKGROUND

Recognising both the growing impact of climate change in developing
countries and the growing role of ICTs, Canada's International Development
Research Centre is funding a two-year project on ICTs, climate change and
development (see www.niccd.org).  The project is co-ordinated by the
University of Manchester's Centre for Development Informatics.

As part of the project, six thematic papers will be commissioned and
written during 2010 on various aspects of this topic.  The papers should
be 6,000-10,000 words in length, in English, and aimed at a "reflective
practitioner" audience by summarising current evidence and then producing
best practice strategic recommendations.  We are looking for "generic"
papers that draw evidence from, and relate to, all developing countries;
rather than individual region, country or project case write-ups.  Primary
research is not expected.

The papers should build on the Scoping Study produced recently as part of
the project - http://www.niccd.org/resources.htm - which reviews current
literature on ICTs, climate change and development (ICCD).  Section 4 of
this document identifies six ICCD thematic areas - mitigation, monitoring,
adaptation, strategy, disaster management/response, and ICT impacts and
issues.  We would be happy to receive proposals against these thematic
areas but we are also happy to receive proposals suggesting alternative
ICCD themes and alternative ways of conceptualising the field.

PROCESS / TIMESCALE

We require proposals to be sent electronically by 25 May 2010, and aim to
confirm accepted proposals by mid-June.  First drafts of the papers will
be due by the end of September 2010.  Final drafts will be due by the end
of November.  One author per paper will be invited (and funded) to attend
a discussion and presentation workshop on ICCD to be held in London in
mid-December.

The finalised copy of the paper will be made available online and
disseminated via the project network.  It is also our intention to publish
the papers as part of a book to be produced at the end of the project in
2011, and to produce a strategy brief summarising the paper.

PAYMENT

Authors will be contracted by the University of Manchester to produce a
draft version of the thematic paper, followed by a finalised version that
acceptably meets quality requirements following draft review comments.  We
will also seek authors' input to revision for the proposed book and to
summarisation for strategy brief production.

A payment of £1,200 will be made on acceptance of the draft paper, and a
further payment of £2,400 on acceptance of the finalised paper.

PROPOSAL

Proposals should be sent to: niccd.project at googlemail.com by 25 May 2010. 
They should consist of the following:

a) Title of proposed paper, and author(s)

b) Outline structure of paper including section and sub-section headings

c) 300-500 word executive summary of paper's rationale, focus and content

d) Two-page CV for each proposed author focusing particularly on past
publication
and contract research experience in ICCD or related areas

You are welcome to contact us in advance of the deadline if you have any
queries.  This call can be found at: http://www.niccd.org/themecall.htm

Richard Heeks & Angelica Ospina
Climate Change, Innovation and ICTs Research Project