The International Policy Fellowship Program (IPF) of the Open Society Institute has issued its annual call for fellowship proposals. Open Information Policy is one of the program's focal areas this year. Here are details concerning this area, taken from the IPF website at www.soros.org/initiatives/ipf : "Advanced by the internet, alternatives to long-standing intellectual property regimes have created an environment to re-assess the relationship between democracy, open society and new information technologies. The promise of open source technology with respect to civil society and the incalculable leaps in information production by means of open content and weblogs present a new platform for civic participation. Whether and in what form such promises can be realized lies at the basis of the research questions below. * Weblogs & Civic Discourse. How does the rapid expansion of weblogs alter news production and civic discourse? Can it counter ever-increasing concentration of ownership in the traditional mass media? How do traditional notions of editorial standards and journalistic professionalism apply to this new medium? Is the 'blogosphere' an enhancement of the public sphere, or does it threaten its disintegration? * Open Content & Sustainability. Open Access publishing is revolutionizing scientific publishing. New alternative licensing systems like Creative Commons support decentralized information production, by making it easier for creators to share and permit re-use and modification of their work, while retaining certain rights. What are the business models that are developing around these commons-based models of sharing freely online? These cases are by and large un-documented and seem to contrast starkly with well-established economic and legal norms that rest on notions of scarcity, exclusivity and controlled access. * Open Content & Standards. Wikipedia, a freely available encyclopedia, is a visible and widely cited example of collaborative, distributed knowledge production enabled by the Internet. Such models seem to have great promise for more equitable access to knowledge; yet they also run the risk of dispensing with editorial standards. How can quality standards emerge in a distributed environment? Are they robust enough to be relied upon? * Open Source: Ownership and Control of Communications Technology. Communications technology (both hardware and software, and the standards on which most communications networks are based) is a key part of today's infrastructure for civil society engagement. How do the different models of ownership and control of the knowledge underlying this infrastructure (expressed in technology standards and software, either open or proprietary) affect access and participation by civil society, in particular, civil society in developing countries? * Intellectual Property & Access to Knowledge: The case of Free Trade Agreements. Intellectual property laws are a powerful instrument for controlling access to knowledge, and in some cases to restrict free speech. New standards shaped by rich-country interests are now being globalized and imposed on poorer countries. In recent years, bilateral Free Trade Agreements have become an important part of this process. How do those free trade agreements undermine the rule of law and basic principles of democratic lawmaking in countries around the world that are signing these agreements?" *________________________________________________________________________* *CALL FOR PROPOSALS* *INTERNATIONAL POLICY FELLOWSHIPS, 2006-2007* *All applications must be submitted online by September 20, 2005 from_ __www.soros.org/initiatives/ipf_ * *________________________________________________________________________* The International Policy Fellowships (IPF) program is calling for applications for 2006-2007 fellowships. Launched in 1998 and affiliated with the Open Society Institute and the Center for Policy Studies (CPS) of the Central European University in Budapest, these fellowships support analytical policy research in pursuance of open society goals such as the rule of law, democratic elections, diverse and vigorous civil societies, and respect for minorities. Each year the IPF program invites research proposals that address critical issues in the development of open societies. Successful applicants will demonstrate originality, sound project design and the strong likelihood that their project may lead to significant impact on policy. The IPF program seeks to enhance the quality of policy research in the countries where the Soros Network operates, throughout Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Mongolia, as well as Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. It places strong emphasis on independent research that is both rigorous and appreciative of practical implications. Analysis and evaluation of existing policy contexts should be based on explicit criteria and fellows should be able to communicate their ideas and findings in a variety of professional and public settings. *Applicants are encouraged to submit individual, practical and policy-oriented research proposals in the following subject areas. The product of each fellowship will be a detailed analysis of a major issue to be published in English and translated into other languages:* *2006-7 Fellowship Issue Areas: General Framework: New Frontiers of Democratic Politics* * *The Challenge of Wider Europe* * *Open Society Promotion in Predominantly Muslim Societies* * *Combating Open Society Threats* * *Combating the Resource Curse * * *Roma Exclusion * * *Open Information Policy * *Main Terms of the International Policy Fellowship Award* * Fellows receive supervision and support from a senior policy analyst * Fellows are invited to Budapest in April 2006 for initial orientation to the program * Optional specialized policy research and advocacy training courses in Budapest * Monthly stipends commensurate with local salaries * Budget for reasonable research, communications, travel, publication and advocacy costs * Discretionary funding for conference participation *How to Apply* Applicants should carefully complete the online application form found at www.soros.org/initiatives/ipf, which includes a project summary, research proposal (maximum 4 pages), and a resume/CV including a list of publications. Applicants may also include a letter of reference from an affiliated organization and a writing sample on the chosen topic. Those who have no possibility to access the Internet should send an e-mail to fellows@osi.hu to discuss alternate application solutions. Applications sent by mail, fax or e-mail will not be considered unless given prior approval from IPF staff. Applications must be submitted online by* September 20, 2005*. IPF does not consider late applications.