Thursday, September 29, 2011

2011 Emerald Digital Usage Award, in partnership with Student Competitions: Call for recommendations relating to online usage of academic publications

2011 Emerald Digital Usage Award, in partnership with Student Competitions


Call for recommendations relating to online usage of academic publications

Emerald Group Publishing Limited, in association with Student Competitions, is offering three cash prizes for business plans that contribute to the development of library electronic resources by analysing and developing practices which will increase online usage. Academic publishing is currently undergoing major changes, as print materials are converted to electronic format.

Emerald is dedicated not only to increasing usage but also to increasing the citation of research based on relevancy and practical implications, rather than on traditional rankings alone.

The winning business plan should actively promote and uphold the use of Library Electronic Holdings.

There will be one award of £1,000 for the winning business plan, and two awards of £500 each for highly-commended runners up.

Winners will also receive a certificate and a winners' logo to attach to correspondence. Ideas from the winning business plan will be disseminated to libraries globally to support the management of electronic holdings and the communities which use them.

Judging Criteria

Entries should:

  • Recommended strategies for increasing low usage;
  • Include ideas for promotion at journal and/or database level;
  • Outline replicable strategies to increase usage of electronic holdings within college/university libraries and corporate and public sector organisations;
  •  Demonstrate originality and innovation;
  • Specify the expected timescales;
  • Outline projected costs.
  • Consider a range of traditional and non-traditional marketing techniques.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Award, the lead researcher must be a current student or have completed a course of study no earlier than 2006.

Submission requirements

Applicants must be submitted online using the application form at: http://ww2.emeraldinsight.com/awards/usage.htm

The following documents will be required electronically:

  • A business plan providing potential solutions to increase the efficiency and decrease the cost of Library Electronic Holdings. It should not exceed 2,000 words (tables, notes, figures, appendices and reference lists, if provided will not be counted on total words);
  • A covering letter containing contact information of all contributors to the business plan, indicating who will be the main contact

Key Dates

  • The closing date for applications is 27 January 2012. 
  • Winners will be announced in March 2012.

Further Details

Monday, September 26, 2011

Just Published: Climate Change related Books by Dr. Pawan Sikka, former Advisor, DST

Useful Books written by Dr. Pawan Sikka, former Adviser, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India

  • Sikka, Pawan (2011). Climate Change - India in Focus: Mitigating Impacts of Global Warming. New Delhi: Uppal Publishing House, 2012. ISBN: 978-81-7658-0663. Price: INR 1295. Further Details
  • Sikka, Pawan (2010). Global Warming: India's Response to Climate Change, Disaster Mitigation & Adaptation. New Delhi: Uppal Publishing House, 2010. ISBN: 978-81-7658-0595. Price: INR 2500. Further Details

Other Books

Sikka, Pawan (2010). Chandrayaan and Beyond: Indian Space Exploration Programme – New Findings about the Moon. New Delhi: Uppal Publishing House, 2010. ISBN: 978-81-7658-0533. Price: INR 1195. Further Details

Sikka, Pawan (2009). Nuclear-Powered India: NSG-Clearance Indo-US Deal: Ushering in a New Dawn of the 21st Century. New Delhi: Uppal Publishing House, 2009. ISBN: 978-81-7658-025-60. Price: INR 1995. Further Details

Sikka, Pawan (2009). India's National Policies: A Vision of a New World. New Delhi: Uppal Publishing House, 2009. ISBN: 978-81-7658-0496. Price: INR 1450. Further Details

Sikka, Pawan (2008). Science Policy: New Strategies for India's Modernization. New Delhi: Uppal Publishing House, 2010. ISBN: 978-81-7658-0595. Price: INR 1995. Further Details

Call for Proposals – Rainfed Agriculture: Action Research on Support Systems

Call for Proposals – Rainfed Agriculture: Action Research on Support Systems

The RRA Network invites action research proposals for evolving and pilot testing robust support systems to stimulate inclusive growth in sustainable agriculture, livestock, fisheries and other production systems in rainfed areas.

The proposed pilot initiatives must have a sizeable scale of impact and be embedded into ongoing government programmes such as RKVY, BRGF, IWMP, MGNREGS, NRLM and others. Innovative collaboration with these mainstream programmes to demonstrate a relevant paradigm of rainfed agriculture is desired.

Scale of impact and policy relevance are the important criteria for selection. The field-level pilot will complement the mainstream programme of the partner organisation, by building in action-research and analytical capacity. A budget of not more than Rs 1 crore must accompany each proposal.

Deadline for receiving proposals: 15 October 2011

Download guidelines for application here. Download format for proposal here.

Send in completed proposals by email to  secretariat@rainfedindia.org or rainfedindia@gmail.com . You can also send the proposal in hard copy to:This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The RRA Network
Secretariat - WASSAN
House No. 12-13-450, Street No. 1, Tarnaka, Secunderabad 500 017
ANDHRA PRADESH

Further Details

Friday, September 23, 2011

Research Training Course in Women's Studies: Concepts and Debates; at CWDS Delhi; 01 Nov - 09 Dec 2011

Centre for Women's Development Studies, Delhi


announces a Six Week Certificate Course
on
 

   Research Training Course in
Women's Studies: Concepts and Debates
(Sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research)


(Eligibility: A Master's Degree in the Social Sciences/ Humanities
or Mass Communication)
(Only students studying in Indian Universities can apply)

 

Proposed Schedule:

           Course Duration

:   1st November, 2011 to 9th December, 2011

           Timing :  10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
           Venue

:   Centre for Women's Development Studies

   

Online Submission for the Women's Studies Course
or
Download Application Form

Last date for submitting application: 5th October, 2011

 

Course Fee: Rs.2000/- (for Teachers); Rs.1000/- (for Fellowship holders); Rs.500/- (for Students/ others without Fellowship)
(Fee is payable by selected candidates only at the time of Registration)

 

 

*Note: Selected outstation candidates will receive accommodation in Delhi and AC III Tier Train Fare


Queries may be addressed to:

researchcourse@cwds.ac.in / researchcourse@cwds.org


 


Introduction and Rationale for the Proposed Course:

The Centre for Women's Development Studies is proposing to conduct an intensive six week research training programme for students, researchers and teachers who are interested in developing  research agendas on women and gender issues in the social sciences.   This course seeks to provide participants with the main theoretical and conceptual, as well as methodological issues in women's studies.    It is oriented towards the research questions that emerge from the inter-disciplinary and transdisciplinary concerns and debates that characterise the field. 


Structure of the Course:

The course will be structured around interactive sessions with CWDS and guest faculty, library consultation, assignments and preparation of a research proposal.

The course follows a cluster approach, and is structured around 10 thematic clusters or units.  Each of these clusters consists of a number of interactive sessions, library work and assignments to students, who will make presentations on the theme at the end of each cluster.  At an early stage of the course each student will identify his or her area of interest and begin working on a research proposal.  At the end of the course, each student will make a presentation of their proposal to the entire group and receive critical feedback.

The course will be conducted over a period of six weeks, five days each week (with the exception of holidays).  Each day will consist of at least two interactive sessions with the concerned faculty, in the morning and afternoon, including library consultation and reading.


The broad themes of the course are as follows:

I.          Introduction to Women's Studies in the Social Sciences and Humanities:  Questions of disciplines, interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity.  Women's studies and the Women's Movement.

II.         History – its significance and criticality for gender and feminism.

III.        Concepts in Women's Studies:  Patriarchy, Gender, Sexuality, Femininity and Masculinity, Feminism, and so on.

IV.        State, Citizenship and Rights:

V.         Development:

VI.        Labour, Class and Gender

VII.       Culture and Representation

VIII.      Caste, Community, Family

IX.        Law, Justice, Equality

X.         Health and Disability


Further Details

International Workshop on Sciences and Narratives of Nature: East and West; 12-14 December 2011; Manipal, India

International Workshop on Sciences and Narratives of Nature: East and West

12-14 December 2011; Manipal, India

Sponsors and partners:
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Aid to Research Workshops and Conferences grant
  • Manipal University, Manipal, India
  • Situating Science Strategic Knowledge Cluster
  • Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS)
  • University of New South Wales (UNSW)

Hosted in Manipal, India, this workshop marks the second stage in a multi-stage collaborative initiative between Canadian, Indian and Southeast Asian scholars in the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS). Following the successes of the "Circulating Knowledge: East and West" workshop held at the University of King's College in July, 2010, the workshop will adopt a comparative approach to examine the rise of science and concepts of nature in the "East" and the "West".

Last date for the submission of applications: 30 September 2011


Thursday, September 22, 2011

CfPs: 1st Biennial Congress on Urban Green Spaces (CUGS 2012), New Delhi

1st Biennial Congress on Urban Green Spaces (CUGS 2012)

15 - 17 February 2012 at New Delhi, India

Organized by: Aravali Foundation for Education; Delhi Government; UNESCO

CUGS2012 will take critical look at the interface between urban human habitation and urban green spaces to build upon our understanding of the elements of urban green spaces and their interconnectedness with quality of life in our fast expanding cities. The Congress will deal with physical, spatial, economics, environmental, aesthetic, and other characteristics of urban green spaces under the following sub-themes:
  • Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Use Optimisation
  • Water Conservation and Pollution Control
  • Biodiversity, Livelihoods, Economics and Valuation
  • Civil Society and Educational Linkages
  • Technology, Management and Design - Options and Challenges
  • Policy, Planning and Governance
CUGS2012 will be of special interest to Urban planners and managers, policy makers, urban foresters, academics, NGOs and members of the civil society interested in urban greening activities. This will include professionals from multilateral and bilateral agencies, officials from government agencies at central, provincial and municipal levels responsible for urban planning and management, non governmental organizations, universities and corporate sector.

CUGS2012 will also have, as participants, students pursuing professional programs in the areas like urban planning, environmental science, forestry, floriculture, architecture and other relevant academic by way of poster session during the congress.

CUGS2012 will also provide an opportunity to private\public sector organizations involved in providing equipment and service relevant to management of urban green spaces to showcase their institutional strengths by way of participating in the CUGS exhibition during the course of the congress.

Call for Papers
We invite anyone interested or working on the issues relating to Commons to participate in the Conference. We encourage scholars and practitioners to submit abstracts for panels, individual papers, poster and videos. The panels, papers, poster and video abstracts should be submitted to the Conference Committee through the online submission process.
Paper Abstracts: Word Limit: 300 words. Identify the Conference Sub-Themes the abstract is relevant to (academic reviewers of your abstract will be assigned based on the sub-theme you indicate); provide a title for the abstract/paper; names and contact information for all contributing authors; 5 keywords (i.e. describing methods, region of study, etc). Note: Final paper should be received no later than January 31, 2012. It should not be more than 7,000 words.
Poster Abstracts: Word Limit: 300 words. Identify the theme or provide a title for your poster; indicate if your poster will present a project, conceptual work, or results from an empirical study, etc. In your abstract, you may include key elements of the script of your poster. Note: All Posters should be exactly 48 InchesX 36 Inches. Orientation can be Landscape or Portrait as per presenters discretion. Final posters should, preferably, be submitted a week before the start of the congress.
For each type of abstract, authors should indicate their Name, Title and Organizational Affiliation for all contributing and presenting authors, as well as the contact details for the corresponding author/presenter.
The Academic Review Committee Members will select papers based on quality and appropriateness to the Conference. Interested participants are encouraged to submit an abstract on their topic of expertise that will be suitable for discussion and debate, even if it does not necessarily fit in the stated sub-themes.

Funding for Participants
We are hopeful that CUGS may be able to partially fund a small number of participants. If you wish to be considered for partial funding, you must indicate this in your abstract during the online submission.

Last date for submission of abstracts with request for travel support : November 15, 2011
Last date for submission of abstracts without request for support : November 30, 2011

Submission of Abstracts: http://www.cugs.in/abstractForm.html

Further Details: http://www.cugs.in/abstracts.html

Monday, September 19, 2011

CfPs: National Seminar on the Status of Agri-Business in India; 18-19 Nov; Presidency University, Kolkata

National Seminar on the Status of Agri-Business in India

18-19 November 2011

Organised By Department of Sociology, Presidency University, Kolkat
a

Call for Papers
Last Date for Submission of Abstract of the paper 31st October, 2011
Abstract may be emailed to drsamitkar@gmail.com or couriered to Dr Samit Kar, Convener, National Seminar, Department of Sociology, Presidency University, Kolkata 700 073.

CfPs: "ICRA Bulletin: Money & Finance"

Call for Papers : ICRA Bulletin: Money & Finance


The ICRA Bulletin: Money & Finance invites original, previously-unpublished research papers on topics related to macroeconomics, money, banking and finance for publishing. The text of the paper should be comprehensible to the non-specialist reader; mathematical and technical details, if any, in support of the analysis and policy conclusions in the text may be placed in an appendix. Authors will receive an honorarium of Rs. 25,000 for every paper that is published in the journal. The word count for a paper, including the abstract, notes and references, should not exceed 11,000. All graphs and charts accompanying a paper should have been prepared in MS Office (Word/Excel).
Please send your paper, along with an author bio, to
Prof. Mihir Rakshit, Editor-in-Chief, at proj_monfin@hotmail.com [preferred],
or
at Director, Monetary Research Project, ICRA Limited, B 245, Lake Gardens, Ground Floor, Kolkata 700045.

The decision of the Editor-in-Chief on whether or not to publish any research paper will be final.

CfPs: ISEE 2012 Ecological Economics and Rio +20:Contributions and Challenges for a Green Economy

ISEE 2012: Ecological Economics and Rio +20 : Contributions and Challenges for a Green Economy
12th Biennial Conference of the International Society for Ecological Economics


29 May - 1 June, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2012 ISEE Conference Call for Papers
ISEE is a nonprofit, member-governed organization dedicated to advancing understanding of the relationships between the economy, ecology and society, for the mutual well-being of people and nature. ISEE conferences are transdisciplinary and have been held biennially since 1990. ISEE 2012 has been conceived to dovetail with the Rio+20 UNCSD Earth Summit. The Earth Summit has been charged with developing a road map for international cooperation toward a "Green Economy" and for promoting institutions necessary for sustainable development. ISEE 2012 will address UNCSD themes as well as other key debates within ecological economics and environmental policy. It will promote dialogue with the Summit through a final ministerial panel and the participation of policy makers. The challenge for Ecological Economics at this Summit is to contribute to designing innovative alternatives, to address market and institutional failures, as well as to better understand ecological and economic systems.

Conference Themes
  • Greening the Economy: Measuring green growth; The energy question; Sustainable consumption; (Un)sustainable cities?
  • The Political Economy of Green Development: Food security: who sows? who reaps?; The economics and politics of climate change; Pollution and politics; Challenges of community resource governance.
  • Environmental Justice, Ethics and Values: Global agreements: is convergence possible?; Balancing nature: people, biodiversity and resilience; Governing environmental behaviour; Mores and morals: toward an environmental ethic; Political ecology and ecological conflicts.
  • Methodological Challenges: Feminist economics and ecological economics: can the twain meet?; Behavioural economics and economic behaviour: beyond homo economicus?; Economics and Ecology: transdisciplinary conversation.

Abstract Submission
There will be three tracks for abstract submissions: Panels (for long presentations), Roundtables (for short interventions) and Posters. Submissions can be in the form of individual abstracts or as full Panels and Roundtables. Full Panels/Roundtables require a cogent theme, a brief introduction giving the rationale, names of session chair(s), and abstracts/papers of all contributors. Alternative innovative formats, including performances, films and installations, would also be welcome for consideration.
Abstracts should be a maximum of 700 words and must be submitted online via the conference website: www.isee2012.org. All abstracts for Panels and Roundtables will be reviewed by an international review panel (see schedule below). Abstracts for poster presentations will be evaluated by the ISEE Local Organizing Committee.Acceptance of all abstracts will be based on relevance for ecological economics and the conference theme, originality, and overall quality. Official notification of abstract acceptance or rejection, or optional poster presentation will be emailed to the corresponding author on 15 December 2011.
Conference organisers will make every effort to seek funding to reimburse travel costs and participation fees of those from non-OECD countries and for student researchers (with proof of university attendance). Those needing funding must submit a full paper in advance.

Conference Deadlines
15 November 2011 – Session, paper, poster abstract submissions
15 December 2011 – Author notification
2 March 2012 – Pay registration fee online to ensure inclusion of abstract in conference brochure
29 May 2012 – Conference begins

CfPs: National Research Conference on Climate Change; at IITD; Nov 5-6, 2011

National Research Conference on Climate Change

November 5-6, 2011

Venue: Indian Institute of Technology Delhi


Call for Papers
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) are jointly organizing a National Research Conference on Climate Change to be held at IITD on November 5-6, 2011 which is supported by the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation.
We invite abstracts from faculty and other researchers, students, and practitioners in the areas relevant to climate change. Selected abstracts will receive a slot for presentation or for the poster session. There will also be panel discussions involving invited speakers from a range of backgrounds.
Submissions should include title, author affiliation(s), contact details, and an abstract of less than 250 words. Submissions should be sent to nccconf@gmail.com by September 30, 2011.
Limited funding is available for travel and local expenses for suitable candidates (including junior scholars).
  • Abstract submission deadline: September 30, 2011
  • Acceptance notification: October 15, 2011

Monday, September 12, 2011

"AANCHAAR: An Innovation!" by S. Fayaz Ahmad

AANCHAAR: An Innovation!
Theoretically any new product which finds a place in the market becomes innovation.

by S. Fayaz Ahmad

Greater Kashmir, 24 August 2011

Innovation is not a new thing. Arguably it is as old as human civilization. Rightly argued, that there is something inherently "human" about the tendency to think about new and better ways of doing things and to try them out in practice. But in our times innovation is now a buzz word around the globe. Without it our world would look very different.
To many, Kashmir is not an innovative state; rightly so. If we take some parameters to gauge the innovative performance of the valley; consider R&D spending, patent data and product output, then the results are very depressing. But at the same time if we try to study and explore the informal sector in Kashmir then the story is not that bleak. It is rather very different.
There are many good innovations in Kashmir which go unnoticed, thus remain unprotected under the current Intellectual Property Regime. One such example is our Anchaar or Achaar (Pickle). Anchaar - a traditional Kashmiri pickle is not something which is only traditional but it has a great significance as a good innovation. Now the question is how this is an innovation and how it contributes to the economic growth of the valley?
Joseph Schumpeter known as the father of innovations and one of the most original social scientists of the 20th century defines innovation as the introduction of new products, new methods of production, new sources of supply, new ways of doing business and new methods to exploit the market. Similarly Kanter (1983) defines innovation as the generation, acceptance and implementation of new ideas, process, products or services.  Innovations can be of many types, it can be incremental or what we call marginal innovations which basically are continuous improvements or radical innovations. Schumpeter further argues that innovation is the outcome of continuous struggle in historical time between individual entrepreneurs who are advocating novel solutions to particular problems and social inertia. He also added an important modification to the definition of innovation by calling 'imitators' as also innovators.
Contextualizing the Schumpeterian definition on Anchaar, one thing becomes clear that this is an innovation. People involved in this trade not only exploit the market but are also exploring new business methods. Anchaar is not a new product. But the way it is being exploited in the market makes it new for the consumers who willingly pay for it. Theoretically any new product which finds a place in the market becomes innovation.
The second part which deserves attention is that this traditional innovation - or call it traditional knowledge - like any other innovation needs to be protected under the modern IPR regime else China or some other country will start selling on our behalf. Pashmina is a good example, people sitting in Amritsar, Nepal and Beijing are violating the trade mark of "Kashmiri Pashmina" and we are happily purchasing them at Srinagar.
To recognize and respect our rich cultural heritage is inevitable. We can't dream of a developed state or a live nation by escaping it. Cultural heritage plays a decisive role in the rise and fall of nations. Even David Laudes, Harvard historian, who has spent much time of his academic life studying wealth and poverty in the world concludes by arguing that the rise and fall of nations is not determined by climate and natural resources, military might, financial muscle, technical expertise or even inherent biological traits but culture is the decisive factor, he says.

(S. Fayaz Ahmad is a Research Scholar at the Center for Studies in Science Policy, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and author of forthcoming book "Unsung Innovators of Kashmir". He can be reached at fayazjustinternational@gmail.com)

Source: http://greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Aug/24/aanchaar-an-innovation--15.asp

Sunday, September 11, 2011

CfPs: International Conference on Climate Change, Sustainable Agriculture and Public Leadership; 7-9 Feb 2012; New Delhi

International Conference on Climate Change, Sustainable Agriculture and Public Leadership

7-9 February 2012

Venue: NASC-ICAR, Pusa Road, New Delhi, India

Organized by: Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) and National Council for Climate Change Sustainable Development (NCCSD)

Concept Note
India is identified as one of the countries that will have greater challenges from global warming (IPCC 4th Assessment report). Developing the countries are vulnerable to changes in climate change which will have a greater impact on food security not only to India, but also globally affecting poor and vulnerable people. The impact is already being felt increasingly on agricultural crops, on milk yields and on fisheries due to uncertain or delayed rainfall, floods, and increase in temperature. There is a need to start not only planning but also implementation on mitigation and adaptation measures to meet the challenges providing assured yields from agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries to farmers, animal holders and fishermen and ensure that they are not thrown behind poverty line in the entire developing world.
The Government of India has initiated series of efforts in this regard. The overall goal of these efforts is : to have real impact in supporting low carbon solutions for economic development in India/assist India in meeting the challenge of climate change, and at the same time to contribute to reaching food security targets and to provide sustainable livelihood.
The implementation of National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and ICAR's National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) form part of this strategy. It is now further needed to evaluate :
  • Adequacy of scientific information regarding the cause and effect relationships pertaining to global warming and climate change,
  • Preparedness of scientific Institutions and communities to comprehend & develop locally relevant mitigation and adaptation measure.
  • Institutional mechanism including capacity building to improve preparedness of stake holders to work in a concerted manner.
  • Fiscal and non fiscal measures to support transitions to a resilient regime of production and consumption
  • Identification and fostering of local institutions/community expertise to complement bottom-up and top-down initiatives by the Government at all levels, and
  • Use of knowledge economy and successful experiences which already exist.
In view of the above, the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) and National Council for Climate Change, Sustainable Development & Public Leadership (NCCSD), plan to develop a larger Framework Programme to address the immediate and long-term needs not only for India but also for developing world to meet the challenges emerging from climate change on Agriculture, Environment and Water sectors or related fields.

Conference Themes
  • Sustainable Agriculture
  • Eco agriculture
  • Need for mainstreaming agriculture
  • Climate Change & Agriculture: Impacts, Solutions & adaptations
  • Knowledge economy
  • Climate correlates & Carbon Credits
  • Emerging trends of mitigation and adaptation
  • Public Leadership
Conference Sub Themes
  • Role of Agriculture and Sustainable Development in mitigating Global Warming Applications of Knowledge and Community Education
  • Challenges ahead : Role of Entrepreneurial and Educational Leadership and Public Policy
  • The deliberations would include presentation of research, experiments, experiences, policy analysis and new project ideas.
Important Dates
  • Abstract of the Papers (400 Words Maximum) on the selected subject to be submitted before: 15 October 2011
  • Abstract and Full paper to be submitted through email to info@climateagri.org
  • Acceptance of the paper will be intimated by 1 November 2011
  • Submission of the full paper has to be made before 15 December 2011
  • Last date of registration along with the registration fee: 15 January 2012

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

FYI: MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th edition)

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th edition)

by Modern Language Association (MLA), USA

Pages: xxii & 292 pp.
Published: 2008
Reprint Publisher: Affiliated East-West Press Pvt Ltd., India
Price: Rs. 160

"The style bible for most college students."
—Newsweek

Widely adopted by universities, colleges, and secondary schools, the MLA Handbook gives step-by-step advice on every aspect of writing research papers, from selecting a topic to submitting the completed paper. For over half a century, the MLA Handbook is the guide millions of writers have relied on.

The seventh edition is a comprehensive, up-to-date guide to research and writing in the online environment. It provides an authoritative update of MLA documentation style for use in student writing, including simplified guidelines for citing works published on the Web and new recommendations for citing several kinds of works, such as digital files and graphic narratives.

Can also buy online from Flipkart.

CfAs:: JENESYS East Asia Future Leaders Programme 2011 "Energy Security - Working Toward the Development of Sustainable Energy Management System"

JENESYS East Asia Future Leaders Programme 2011

"Energy Security - Working Toward the Development of Sustainable Energy Management System"


The Japan Foundation will organize an East Asia Future Leaders Programme to Japan in March 2012 under the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Programme. It is funded by the Japan-ASEAN Integration fund, and aims to deepen understanding of the different facets of the Japanese society including politics, diplomacy, economics and culture and to form the basis of future vision and construct firm solidarity among Asian countries which will promote mutual understanding of the future generation of the East Asia Community.

Implementation of this Programme will be officially approved by an outsourcing agreement with the ASEAN Secretariat expected in August 2011.
Duration: March 5-16, 2012 (12 days)
Place: Tokyo, Oita Prefecture, Okayama Prefecture, and Osaka
Participants: A total of about 27 people with one or two individuals each from the 10 ASEAN countries, South Korea, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

Targeted Candidates:
Young leaders who are taking active roles in "Energy Security" and "Sustainable Energy Management" in the Asia and Oceania region.
Public Administration: Central or local government policy makers or officials, international organization officials, politicians, etc.
Academia and Education: Educators working in schools, universities, and other educational organizations within communities, as well as researchers.
NGO/NPO and Community: Those promoting 'Disaster Prevention' through CSR, etc
Media: Journalists promoting energy security and sustainable energy management.

Application Deadline: before/on Friday, 28th October, 2011


CfPs:: Seminar on Building Competitiveness in a Globalised World: Lessons from India's Plantation Sector; 23-24 Jan 2012

Seminar on Building Competitiveness in a Globalised World: Lessons from India's Plantation Sector
23 - 24 January 2012
Organized by: Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, India

Call for Papers
Plantation sector is no more a mere foreign exchange earner but a key sector in India's inclusive development strategy. This is on account of its critical role in employment generation, (especially women labour) livelihood of small and marginal growers and backward communities, balanced regional development and in fostering environmental sustainability. This is, perhaps, the only sector where competitiveness determines decisively the ability to foster inclusive development on account of intense competition from desperate exporters with hardly any domestic market. However, our understanding on the varied constraints in the sphere of production, processing, marketing, trade, employment and innovation confronted by the sector is at best rudimentary which in turn undermines our ability to undertake informed policy making. The proposed seminar intends to take stock of these issues with special focus on plantation crops (preferably tea, coffee, spices and natural rubber). Comparative studies are especially welcome.

The seminar is being organized by the National Research Programme on Plantation Development (NRPPD) instituted by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India.

The broad themes include, but not limited to;
  • Production conditions (focus on small holders)
  • Marketing, price formation and price trends
  • Market integration and trade performance
  • Labour related issues
  • Innovations in plantation: organizational, institutional and technological

Important dates:
  • Submission of detailed abstracts : 30th September 2011
  • Intimation after peer review : 7th October 2011
  • Submission of full papers : 10th January 2012
Detailed abstracts (not less than 600 words)/full papers may be submitted at nrppd@cds.ac.in. Authors of selected papers will be offered travel support and local hospitality.For further details contact Prof K J Joseph, coordinator of the program kjjoseph@cds.ac.in

Saturday, September 3, 2011

2011 Emerald/IAM Indian Management Research Fund Award:: Call for Indian management research proposals

2011 Emerald/IAM Indian Management Research Fund Award: Supporting knowledge creation and dissemination for the social good in India


Call for Indian management research proposals

This year, Emerald and the IAM – Indian Academy of Management – are delighted to offer a research grant for an Indian project in the field of management research. There will be one award of £2,000 (approximately US$3,000 equivalent) for the winning research project, and two awards of £500 each for highly-commended runners up, to fund or part-fund these projects.

Applications should address the creation and dissemination of knowledge for the social good with a specific orientation toward benefit for India.

Eligibility

The main member of the research team must be based in India.

Judging criteria

Each application will be judged, by a panel of experts, on the criteria below. The research must:

  • Be of significance, and in particular, illustrate how it will benefit the social good.
  • Demonstrate originality and innovation.
  • Make an outstanding contribution to theory and its application.
  • Illustrate the appropriateness and application of the methodology.
  • Demonstrate sound implications for theory and practice.

Application requirements

Each proposal must be submitted using the online application form at:
http://ww2.emeraldinsight.com/awards/indianmgmt.htm

The following documents will be required electronically:

  • A summary stating specific goals, outcomes and benefits of the research. This should not exceed 2,000 words (note that tables, figures, appendices and reference lists, if provided do NOT count to the 2,000 word total).
  • A covering letter containing full contact details (affiliation, full address, telephone number/s and e-mail address) for all researchers involved in the project. Please state clearly which researcher will be the main point of contact.

The 2,000-word summary must:

  • Display clearly a statement of purpose and intent.
  • State clearly the methodology(ies) applied and explicitly describe the research process.
  • State expected research outcomes and expected impact and possible application.
  • Specify the expected timescales of the research process.
  • Outline projected costs and total research grant required.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is 1 February 2012.
Winners will be announced in April 2012.

Last year's winner

Last year Emerald was delighted to receive almost 60 research proposals of outstanding quality. The winning research proposal was "Development Of Rural Healthcare Provisions In India: From The Perspective Of Effectuation" by Niharika Garud, Indian Institute Of Management Bangalore, India

"Winning the Emerald/IAM research award is exciting and a significant achievement for my research in rural healthcare sector. I feel honored and privileged to receive this recognition by prestigious and esteemed scholars. By participating in the Emerald/IAM award process, I was able to evaluate my work critically, and by doing so, I was able to articulate my ideas and be more precise about my research objectives. Being found worthy of the award and being recognized for my work in itself is a great reward which motivates other institutions to acknowledge and support this research further. The award motivates me to put more effort and strive harder to understand and solve social issues. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Emerald and Indian Academy of Management for supporting academic research around the world."
 

Nepal Conference on improving research infrastructures with social media; 31 October to 3 November 2011

Nepal Conference on improving research infrastructures with social media

31 October to 3 November 2011

From 31 October to 3 November 2011 the Focuss.Info Initiative, Integrated Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) and Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) organise a conference in Nepal.

The overall objective of the Nepal Conference is to help institutes in Nepal, Bhutan and Northern India to develop effective 'infostructures' by promoting and inducing students, researchers and practitioners in the field of global development studies, knowledge intermediary and research how they can use the latest information sharing and collaboration tools. By giving the participants the skills and abilities to use these tools, the participants of the Nepal Conference can create cross-disciplinary, cross-cultural and cross-border networks in which the exchange of information and knowledge improves and the access - a fundamental human right that strengthens democracy - enhances.

The Nepal Conference will be set up as a back-to-back conference:

* 2-day conference for media, communication, information and knowledge professionals from Nepal, Bhutan and Northern India on 31 October-1 November 2011

* 2-day conference for academic and scientific professionals in global development aid from Nepal, Bhutan and Northern India on 2-3 November 2011.

On Tuesday 1 November the participants of both conferences will all meet during a social event in the evening.

If you want to become a participant during one of the two conferences, please apply for a ticket via our application form on http://www.focuss.info/nepal/

The deadline to apply for the Nepal Conference is on Monday 12 September 2011 at 12h00 (GMT +5:45)