[Air-L] Berkman Center Accepting Fellowship Applications for the 2015-2016 Academic Year

Tue Oct 14 09:05:56 PDT 2014

Dear Sky C and Air-L list,

Thank you for thoughtfully articulating these concerns, and for so clearly
providing this constructive critique and showing how the description of the
fellowship works to undermine the very goals and ideals it claims to
support. I resonate deeply with what you have written.

So many wonderful opportunities like this one are framed in such a way as
to appear to provide openness, but in actuality do restrict applications to
a group that (as someone I know put it) self-selects.

I had bookmarked this CFA thinking about the stimulating collaborations and
the research and writing that could come out of this fellowship. When I
began to consider logistics like funding, and funding that did not require
me to be elsewhere, etc., I began to feel the need to weigh the possible
benefits against the steep sacrifices required. Unfortunately when one's
own economic survival is in the balance, some of us are pushed reluctantly
into a more instrumental mindset. (Not to mention the issues of getting
visas for the USA).

In the end we must understand that a "commitment to diversity" is also
constrained, which inevitably limits the richness and variety of the
possible conversations at the table. But has it not always been this way in
academia: has anything ever been truly open? Is more frank transparency in
order, or should we have learned "read between the lines" by now?

Kindest regards,
carolina

On Tue, Oct 14, 2014 at 11:11 AM, sky <scroeser at gmail.com> wrote:

> I think this would be a wonderful opportunity for many people, but I
> also feel like it's useful to point out how academia works to exclude
> many marginalised perspectives:
>
> The application page for this includes a statement about 'Commitment to
> diversity'. It also notes that: "Fellowships awarded through the open
> call for applications are rarely stipended. Some fellows receive partial
> stipends –the award of such a stipend is based on the nature of the
> responsibilities the applicant would assume while a fellow, and their
> relation, relevance, and application to Berkman’s funded projects. Most
> fellows receive no direct funding or stipend through the Berkman Center,
> but rather have obtained funding through other means, such as an outside
> grant or award, a home institution, or other forms of scholarship. ...
> Fringe benefits do not routinely accompany Berkman fellowships. Fellows
> must make their own housing, insurance, childcare, and transportation
> arrangements. ... At present, we do not routinely provide remote access
> to the University’s e-resources, however access is available within the
> libraries.  Fellows do not have the ability to purchase University
> health insurance or get Harvard housing."
>
> The contradiction involved there should be clear. What are the impacts
> of this on women and other economically marginalised groups?
>
> As the list of former fellows shows, this doesn't completely exclude
> women or people of colour. But I do wonder how many important voices are
> excluded because there's no way they can afford to relocate to Cambridge
> (remote fellowships aren't allowed), and no way they can afford to work
> for a year without any funding.
>
> It's not enough to state a 'commitment to diversity' if there's no
> economic commitment to diversity.
>
>
> On Fri, 2014-10-10 at 10:41 -0400, Rebecca Tabasky wrote:
>
> > Good morning AoIR friends,
> >
> > The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University has
> > opened its annual call for fellowship applications. This opportunity is
> > for those who wish to spend the 2015-2016 academic year in residence in
> > Cambridge, MA as part of Berkman's community of pioneers, and who seek
> > to deeply engage in the collaborative, cross-disciplinary, and
> > cross-sectoral exploration of some of the Internet's most interesting,
> > challenging, and compelling issues.
> >
> > Applications will be accepted through Friday December 12, 2014 at 11:59
> > p.m. Eastern Time, and applications will be **submitted online through
> > our Application Tracker tool at: http://brk.mn/1516app
> >
> > We invite applications from folks around the globe working on a broad
> > range of opportunities and challenges related to Internet and society,
> > which may overlap with ongoing work at Berkman or will expose us to new
> > opportunities and approaches. We encourage applications from a diverse
> > group of scholars, practitioners, innovators, engineers, artists, and
> > others committed to understanding and advancing the public interest who
> > come from -- and have interest in -- countries industrialized or
> > developing, with ideas, projects, or activities in all phases on a
> > spectrum from incubation to reflection.
> >
> > More information about this call for applications may be found below and
> > at http://brk.mn/fellows1516.
> >
> > More information about the Berkman Center Fellowship Program may be
> > found at http://brk.mn/fellows.
> >
> > A Fellowship Program FAQ may be found at http://brk.mn/fellowsfaq.
> >
> > Through this annual open call, we seek to advance our collective work
> > and give it new direction, and to deepen and broaden our networked
> > community across backgrounds, disciplines, cultures, and nations.  We
> > welcome you to read more about the program below, to share this
> > announcement with your networks, and to apply!
> >
> > With thanks,
> > Becca
> >
> > ---
> > **
> > *
> > <http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/getinvolved/fellowships/opencall20142015
> >*Open
> > Call for Fellowship Applications, Academic Year 2015-2016
> > <https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/getinvolved/fellowships/opencall20152016
> >***
> >
> > About Berkman's Fellowship Program*
> >
> > "The Berkman Center's mission is to explore and understand cyberspace;
> > to study its development, dynamics, norms, and standards; and to assess
> > the need or lack thereof for laws and sanctions.
> >
> > We are a research center, premised on the observation that what we seek
> > to learn is not already recorded. Our method is to build out into
> > cyberspace, record data as we go, self-study, and share. Our mode is
> > entrepreneurial nonprofit."
> >
> > Inspired by our mission statement, the Berkman Center's fellowship
> > program provides the opportunity for some of the world's most innovative
> > thinkers and changemakers to hone and share ideas, find camaraderie, and
> > spawn new initiatives. The program aims to encourage and support fellows
> > in an inviting and rigorous intellectual environment, with community
> > activities designed to foster inquiry and to identify and expose the
> > common threads across fellows' individual activities.
> >
> > Fellows actively participate in exchanges through a weekly fellows hour,
> > fellows-run working groups, and a wide-range of Berkman Center events
> > and interactions. While engaging in both substance and process, much of
> > what makes the fellowship program rewarding is created each year by the
> > fellows themselves to address their own interests and priorities. These
> > entrepreneurial, collaborative ventures -- ranging from goal-oriented to
> > experimental, from rigorous to humorous -- are what ensure the dynamism
> > of the fellows, the fellowship program, and the Berkman community.
> >
> > Additionally, with Berkman faculty, students, staff, and other
> > affiliates, fellows help to develop and advance their own work and
> > Berkman Center projects, and they learn and teach through courses, skill
> > sharing, hacking and development sessions, cultural productions, and
> > other gatherings.
> >
> > Fellows are essential to the Berkman Center as nodes of intelligence,
> > insight, energy, and knowledge-sharing. From their diverse backgrounds
> > and wide-ranging physical and virtual travels, Berkman Center fellows
> > bring fresh ideas, skills, passion, and connections to the Center and
> > its community, and from their time spent in Cambridge help build and
> > extend new perspectives and initiatives out into the world.
> >
> > Current fellows have shared reflections on their experiences here, and
> > provide great insights and specifics from an insider's view.  Sara
> > Watson writes <http://www.saramwatson.com/blog/the-year-at-berkman>,
> > "Berkman became a supportive community of people I can count on to a
> > read a draft of something I write before I post it, or to talk through a
> > difficult decision and urge me to find my own voice. Parts of my work
> > this year were challenging in unexpected ways, and I'm thankful to have
> > had the support of this inspiring and encouraging group."  Nathan Matias
> > says
> > <
> https://civic.mit.edu/blog/natematias/why-you-should-apply-to-be-a-berkman-fellow
> >,
> > "As a fellow, you'll be part of an amazing, supportive network of people
> > who will help you, challenge you, and work with you to make your work
> > more socially conscious, more visible, more effective, and more
> awesome."*
> >
> > About Berkman Fellowships*
> >
> > An appointment that defies one-size-fits-all description, each Berkman
> > fellowship carries a unique set of opportunities, responsibilities and
> > expectations. All fellows engage issues related to the fairly limitless
> > expanse of Internet & society issues, and are committed to the
> > intellectual life of the Center and fellowship program activities. Some
> > fellows work as researchers directly on Berkman Center projects. Other
> > fellowships consist of independent work, such as the research and
> > writing of a manuscript or series of papers, the vision and planning of
> > an action-oriented meeting, or the development and implementation of an
> > initiative or a study on issues related to the Berkman Center's areas of
> > inquiry.
> >
> > Fellowship terms typically run the course of the academic year, roughly
> > from the beginning of September through the end of May. In some
> > instances, fellows are re-appointed for consecutive fellowship terms.
> >
> > While we embrace our many virtual connections, spending time together in
> > person remains essential. In order to maximize their engagement with the
> > community, during their fellowship terms fellows are expected to
> > routinely spend time in and conduct much of their work from Cambridge,
> > in most cases requiring residency. Tuesdays hold particular importance
> > as it is the day the fellows community meets for a weekly fellows hour,
> > in addition to it being the day Berkman hosts our public luncheon
> > series; as such, we ask that fellows commit to spending as many Tuesdays
> > at the Center as is possible.*
> >
> > Qualifications*
> >
> > We do not have a defined set of requirements for the fellows we select
> > through our open call; we welcome applications from a wildly diverse
> > range of people.
> >
> > Fellows come from across the disciplinary spectrum and different life
> > paths, and are at all stages of career development. Some fellows are
> > academics, whether students, post-docs, or professors. Others come from
> > outside academia, and include lawyers, philosophers, activists,
> > technologists, entrepreneurs, journalists, and other types of
> practitioners.
> >
> > The commonality among all Berkman fellows is an interest in the
> > intersections of the Internet and related emergent technologies, social
> > change, and policy and regulatory developments, as well as a commitment
> > to spending their fellowship exploring those dynamics in concert with
> > others.
> >
> > To learn more about the work and interests of our current community of
> > fellows, you can read their bios
> > <http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/fellows>and find links to their
> > outstanding work, check out their blogs
> > <http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/planet/current/>, and
> > <https://twitter.com/berkmancenter/current-people-projects>find them on
> > twitter <https://twitter.com/berkmancenter/lists/current-people-projects
> >.*
> >
> > Commitment to Diversity*
> >
> > The work and well-being of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society are
> > strengthened profoundly by the diversity of our network and our
> > differences in background, culture, experience, national origin,
> > religion, sexual orientation, and much more. We actively seek and
> > welcome applications from people of color, women, the LGBTQIA community,
> > and persons with disabilities, as well as applications from researchers
> > and practitioners from across the spectrum of disciplines and methods.
> > The roots of this deep commitment are many and, appropriately, diverse.
> > We welcome your inquiries, comments, and ideas on how we may continue to
> > improve.*
> >
> > Stipends, Benefits, and Access to University Resources*/
> >
> > Stipends/: Fellowships awarded through the open call for applications
> > are rarely stipended. Some fellows receive partial stipends --the award
> > of such a stipend is based on the nature of the responsibilities the
> > applicant would assume while a fellow, and their relation, relevance,
> > and application to Berkman's funded projects. Most fellows receive no
> > direct funding or stipend through the Berkman Center, but rather have
> > obtained funding through other means, such as an outside grant or award,
> > a home institution, or other forms of scholarship./
> >
> > Benefits/: Fringe benefits do not routinely accompany Berkman
> > fellowships. Fellows must make their own housing, insurance, childcare,
> > and transportation arrangements./
> >
> > Office Space/: Most Berkman fellows work out of the greater-Boston area
> > and spend a significant amount of time at the Berkman Center. There are
> > many desks and workspaces available for flexible use at the Berkman
> > Center, though few fellows are given their own permanent desk or office.
> > We endeavor to provide comfortable and productive spaces for fellows to
> > work, even if it is not the same space each day. Fellows are welcome to
> > host small meetings and gatherings at the Center and on the Harvard
> campus./
> >
> > Access to University Resources/: Fellows are allowed physical access
> > into Langdell Library (the Harvard Law School Library), and fellows are
> > able to acquire a Special Borrower Card
> > <http://hcl.harvard.edu/info/admittance/#special_borrower>for privileges
> > with the Harvard College Libraries.  At present, we do not routinely
> > provide remote access to the University's e-resources, however access is
> > available within the libraries.  Fellows do not have the ability to
> > purchase University health insurance or get Harvard housing. Berkman
> > fellows often audit classes at Harvard University, however must
> > individually ask for permission directly from the professor of the
> > desired class.*
> >
> > Additional Information about the Berkman Center*
> >
> > The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University is a
> > research program founded to explore cyberspace, share in its study, and
> > help pioneer its development. Founded in 1997, through a generous gift
> > from Jack N. and Lillian R. Berkman, the Center is home to an
> > ever-growing community of faculty, fellows, staff, and affiliates
> > working on projects that span the broad range of intersections between
> > cyberspace, technology, and society.  To learn more about Berkman's
> > current activities and interests, consider watching a video of a Fall
> > 2014 lunch talk
> > <http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2014/09/openhouse> led by
> > Berkman's Faculty Director Jonathan Zittrain. *
> >
> > Frequently Asked Questions*
> >
> > More information about fellows selection and the application process can
> > be found on our Fellows Program FAQ
> > <http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/getinvolved/fellowships/faq>.*
> >
> > Required Application Materials*
> >
> > 1.) A current resume or C.V.
> >
> > 2.) A personal statement which should a) frame your motivation for
> > applying for a Berkman Center fellowship and b) outline the work you
> > propose to conduct during a fellowship. This statement should be roughly
> > 1,000 -- 1,500 words or should be a multi-media equivalent.
> >
> > 3.) A copy of a recent publication or an example of relevant work.  For
> > a written document, for instance, it should be on the order of a paper
> > or chapter - not an entire book or dissertation - and should be in
> English.
> >
> > 4.) Two letters of recommendation, sent directly from the reference.
> >
> > In addition to the above materials, we ask applicants to share some
> > additional information in a form as part of the application.
> >
> > 1.) Disciplinary background: Up to three disciplines in which you have
> > been trained and/or have worked.
> >
> > 2.) Tags: Five tags that describe or represent the themes, issues, or
> > ideas you know about and on which you propose to conduct work during a
> > fellowship at Berkman; and five tags that represent work, themes,
> > issues, or ideas that you do not currently know much about, but would
> > like to explore and learn more about during a fellowship year.  Each tag
> > should be one- to three- words or terms.
> >
> > 3.) Berkman projects of interest. *
> >
> > To Apply for a 2015-2016 Academic Year Fellowship Through Our Open Call*
> >
> > Applications will be submitted online through our Application Tracker
> > tool at:
> > http://brk.mn/1516app<
> https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/apply/jobs/11?apptracker_id=3>
> >
> > Applications will be accepted through Friday December 12, 2014 at 11:59
> > p.m. Eastern Time.
> >
> > Instructions for creating an account and submitting an application
> > through the Application Tracker may be foundhere
> > <https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/node/9392>.
> >
> > Note related to recommendation letters: Recommendation letters will be
> > captured through the Application Tracker, and will require applicants to
> > submit the names and contact information for references in advance of
> > the application deadline.  References will receive a link at which they
> > can upload their letters.  We recommend that applicants create their
> > profiles and submit reference information in the Application Tracker as
> > soon as they know they are going to apply and have identified their
> > references - this step will not require other fellowship application
> > materials to be submitted.
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> > Join the Association of Internet Researchers:
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>
>
> --
> Due to security concerns with Gmail and other Google services, I'm
> switching over to Riseup. From now on, please email me at:
> skyc at riseup.net
> _______________________________________________
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-- 

-- 
Carolina Cambre PhD
Assistant Professor, King's University College @ Western University
http://ualberta.academia.edu/mariacarolinacambre/About

http://www.bloomsbury.com/us/the-semiotics-of-che-guevara-9781472505293/