The Kosovo Foundation for Open Society (KFOS) is inviting applications from qualified researchers for participation in its new project: Building knowledge of new statehood in Southeast Europe: Understanding Kosovo s domestic and international policy considerations. Aims The new project aims to: - Produce and disseminate to the wider region new knowledge about Kosovo s statehood and its complex policy making questions. - Gather together and provide necessary support to a number of young and dynamic researchers engaged in cutting edge analysis of contemporary Kosovo. - Engage the project participants in designing new and innovative dissemination ideas and tools. - Form a network of dynamic and promising young academics that will become the springboard for future research on Kosovo. The process A total of twelve to fourteen young researchers (from eligible countries and Kosovo) will be selected and provided the opportunity to realize, under guidance from experienced researchers, a comprehensive study on an aspect of policy making in contemporary Kosovo. Upon their selection all project participants will be placed in research pairs and will be assigned an experienced researcher/professor who will guide their research through continuous interaction (face to face meetings or email/skype communications). During the early phase of the project participants will agree with research supervisors and project coordinators individual research plans and networking/dissemination plans. The project participants will spend six months of data collection, analysis and drafting. During these six months they will have the opportunity to visit Kosovo for data collection and research networking purposes. Individual research papers by pairs of researchers will be submitted to the project coordinators and after a rigorous review and revision process they will be assembled together in an edited volume that will be published in Kosovo. Numerous activities disseminating project findings and publicizing the edited volume will be organized by KFOS and the project participants. The latter will receive all necessary support from KFOS to realize their dissemination plans. Finally, towards the finalization of the project, participants will engage in forming a research network that will continue planning of new research on Kosovo statehood and policy making in the future. Project participants will have
the opportunity to implement creative and innovative ideas for the formation and functioning of the network and KFOS will provide support to the plans that will be reached by participants as a group. The strengths Outstanding young researchers in the early stages of their careers are encouraged to apply. Selected participants will have the opportunity to: - Participate in an intensive but exciting kick off workshop in Thessaloniki during which they will attend master classes and get guidance and advice on their individual researches. - Receive research guidance from experienced researchers and professors for the entire duration of this project. - Visit Kosovo and spend several days engaging in data collection, interviewing for project purposes and meeting Kosovar policy makers and civil society as well as other project participants. - Publish their research in an edited volume that will receive plenty of publicity in Kosovo and the wider region. - Receive full funding from KFOS for all project activities (Thessaloniki kick off workshop, field trip to Kosovo, publication of edited volume etc). - Receive from KFOS a modest honorarium for their work. - Be members of an exciting new group of dynamic young researchers who will devise creative and innovative ideas for future research, dissemination and networking. Eligible countries The project is open to candidates from Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, and Cyprus. To the group of selected researchers from the above countries a number of young Kosovar researchers will be added to form the final pool of project participants. Topics to be investigated The project coordinators have identified a list of indicative themes for investigation: - State building and institutional development in Kosovo [institutional building and institutional reform; assessment of state building efforts; state building priorities and policy agenda for the future; international assistance for state building; EU conditionality and implementation of reforms; Kosovo s EU accession: process, challenges and obstacles, prospects] - Kosovo and democracy issues [democratic transition, reform and institution building; political parties and party system; elections and electoral system; functioning of democratic institutions and quality of democracy; foreign aid for democracy promotion; civil society and democracy]
- Kosovo security issues [security and defence agents and institutions; security considerations and policy planning; security sector reforms non-traditional security threats; human security; security cooperation] - Transitional justice and dealing with the past in Kosovo [judicial and nonjudicial forms of dealing with the past; uses of memory; collective memory and identity building processes; aspects of the reconciliation process; interpretations of history (history that unites and history that divides)] - The integration of the Serb community in Kosovo [political and social actors and institutions of the Serb community; electoral behavior; memory and identity building processes among Kosovo Serbs; institutional development; the local implementation of the Pristina-Belgrade agreements; building bridges between the Albanian and the Serb community] - Issues of heritage management and protection in Kosovo [revisiting Kosovo s failed UNESCO bid; understanding institutions and policies of heritage management; building constituencies for heritage protection; practices of commemoration and memorialization; heritage that unites and heritage that divides; heritage as a tool for reconciliation] Proposals for studies falling within these themes will be given a priority. However, the list is not exclusive and outstanding proposals focusing on themes not included in the above list will also be considered. Profile of project participants KFOS and the project coordinators expect that project participants will have adequate qualifications and research experience to perform the complex research tasks that will be required of them. Requirements are the following: - A Master s degree in a social sciences discipline; applications from candidates currently pursuing doctoral studies or have recently completed their doctorate are welcome and will be considered favorably. - Some research experience; this will be evidenced through academic and nonacademic publications, participation in research teams, research work in think tanks and NGOs etc. - Fluency in English and ability to conduct research and draft academic pieces in the English language. - Good knowledge of contemporary Balkans and keen interest to engage in public debates about the future of the region in the country of origin and beyond. - Being active in civil society, scientific or activist networks, especially with regards to issues of policy-making and regional cooperation in the Balkans. - Being keen social media user/blogger or willing to actively engage in new forms of dissemination and networking.
Selection process and kick off workshop Six to eight candidates from eligible countries will be selected. A number of young Kosovar researchers will also be added to the group of project participants. Candidates will be informed about the project organizers decision up to a week after their have submitted their application. All selected participants will be informed about their participation at the latest by Monday 27 June 2016. Upon their selection the project participants will be informed about being paired with other participants. All research pairs will be informed about the particular topics that they will investigate and logistical arrangements will soon be made for the kick off workshop, which will be held in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 12-14 July 2016. All project participants are required to take part in the kick off workshop in Thessaloniki. During the kick off workshop, and over two full days, the participants will: a) Be informed by the project coordinators about the entire concept of the project, timeframe and workplan for research and dissemination and all other relevant issues of the project implementation. b) Attend master classes by well-known professors on the specific aspects of the Balkan history as well as on the theoretical, conceptual and methodological considerations of studying Kosovo and Southeast Europe. c) Discuss in detail and tailor their research plan with assigned supervisors. d) Discuss in detail and tailor their dissemination plan with the project coordinators. e) Team up with other project participants and discuss and prepare a plan for the formation and the functioning of a sustainable research network made up of project participants and other experts. Deadlines and project timeline Project action Deadline Deadline for submission of proposals by applicants 22 June 2016 Formation of research teams and pool of project 27 July 2016 participants Kick off workshop in Thessaloniki 12-14 July 2016 Field visit to Kosovo 24-28 October 2016 Delivery of first draft of individual reports 1 December 2016 Finalisation of individual reports 15 January 2017 Publication of reports in edited volume 10 February 2017 Launch of edited volume in Kosovo 16 February 2017
Application process Applicants should send their full applications by email to Denion Galimuna at deniong@kfos.org by Wednesday 22 June 2016. Earlier applications are encouraged since the organizers will process applications as they come and will start making the selection of project participants even before the formal deadline for submission of applications expires. Applications should include the following: 1. Motivation letter explaining how the candidate fits the objectives of the project and the profile of participants. 2. Two-page proposal for a topic to be investigated. 3. One and a half-page proposal containing ideas for dissemination in home country and beyond as well as ideas for the building of a network of the researchers involved in the project and other experts. 4. CV and list of publications.