Democrat Moon Jae-in wins South Korean presidential election

Ben McGrath

Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) won yesterday’s presidential election in South Korea, securing 40.3 percent of the total vote in what amounted to a landslide in a crowded field. Moon will be sworn into office today as the first Democrat since Noh Moo-hyun held power from 2003-2008.

While formal results have not been announced, Moon’s closest competitors, Hong Jun-pyo of the right-wing Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and Ahn Cheol-soo of the People’s Party, have both conceded after securing 25 and 21.5 percent of votes respectively. Yu Seung-min of the right-wing Bareun party and Sim Sang-jeong of the pseudo-left Justice Party are projected to have gained about 7 and 6 percent respectively. The turnout was a record 77.2 percent of voting population or 42.5 million voters.

Moon won the election by appealing to fears of a US-led war with North Korea, making promises to resolve the country’s worsening social and economic crisis, and capitalising on the impeachment of former president Park Geun-hye on corruption charges. He delivered his victory speech in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, the site of mass protests against Park who was removed from office on March 10, triggering yesterday’s poll.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer congratulated Moon, saying that the Trump administration looked forward to working together to strengthen the US-South Korean military alliance. However, while Moon has repeatedly emphasized his commitment to the alliance, he has called for a return to the so-called Sunshine Policy to improve relations between the two Koreas and defuse the current tense standoff between the US and North Korea.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Moon suggested that he would adopt a carrot and stick approach, saying: “If, in addition to stronger sanctions and pressure, we comprehensively push for active engagement, including dialogue, with the North, it might be possible for the regime to change its path.” He has promised to reopen the Kaesong Industrial Complex—a joint cheap labour zone inside North Korea set up under the Sunshine Policy—closed by Park Geun-hye in February 2016.

Moon’s approach might coincide with Trump’s apparent tactic at present—giving China a short window of opportunity to bully North Korea into abandoning its nuclear and missile programs. However, Trump officials have repeatedly declared that all options, including the use of military force, are on the table. In that event, Moon could quickly find himself at variance with Washington and subject to enormous pressure.

Former South Korean vice-foreign minister Kim Sung-han told the Financial Times that frictions between Seoul and Washington could emerge. “There is inevitably going to be some noise,” he said. Moon is likely to put more emphasis on dialogue, while Washington is more likely to take a hardline policy. This may prompt a conflict of opinions.”

Moon is already confronting a conundrum over the US installation of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile battery in South Korea, which became operational on May 1. Moon postured as an opponent of the deeply-unpopular THAAD system, criticized its accelerated deployment, promised to review the installation, but did not pledge to remove it from South Korea.

Moon is hoping to improve relations with China, which has demanded the removal of the THAAD battery amid concerns that its radar system can monitor Chinese missiles. Beijing has also retaliated economically against South Korean corporations. However, any attempt by Moon to dismantle the THAAD battery could cause a major rift with Washington.

Significantly, CIA director Mike Pompeo made an unannounced visit to Seoul just over a week prior to the election, undoubtedly to discuss not only North Korea, but a likely Moon win.

In the final weeks of his campaign, Moon stressed his agreement with the Trump administration and his support for the US alliance. He has called for a more prominent role for South Korea in North East Asia affairs and suggested that Washington should follow Seoul’s lead over North Korea. However, like previous Democrat presidents, Kim Dae Jung and Noh Moon-hyun, Moon will bend over backwards to avoid any rift with the US.

Moon worked as a lawyer before serving as an important campaigner for Noh Moon-hyun in 2002 and served as senior secretary to Noh from 2005-2006 and as chief of staff from 2007–2008. Despite tensions between then-President Bush and Noh, the latter dispatched South Korean troops to take part in the illegal US-led occupation of Iraq. When challenged over his defense policies, Moon points to his record as a conscript into the country’s special forces who are trained for sabotage behind the North Korean lines.

Domestically, the Noh administration continued the privatization of state-owned companies begun under Kim Dae-jung and oversaw the rapid increase of “irregular workers,” who have no job protection and earn significantly less than others doing the same work. Moon has made a number of pro-business pledges, including forming a “Fourth Industrial Revolution” committee to provide government support for technology companies and to turn South Korea into a nation of startups.

A day before the election, Moon visited Gangnam, Seoul, the capital’s wealthiest district, to address the business concerns over some of his campaign promises to secure working class votes. “We will show Moon’s determination to be backed evenly across the country,” one of his campaigners, Jeon Byeong-heon, declared.

In other words, despite pledges to enforce a maximum 52-hour work week and eliminate discrimination against irregular workers, Moon is more than willing to make concessions to big business. His other pledges include the creation of 810,000 jobs, mostly in the public sector as well as opening up new positions through job sharing—a policy that former right-wing president Lee Myung-bak used to cut workers’ salaries in return for hiring additional employees. All candidates routinely make such pledges only to cast them aside after being elected.

Backed by the significant sections of the ruling class, the Democrat presidents Kim Dae-jung and Noh Moo-hyun came to power in the midst of the economic and political turmoil triggered by the 1997–98 Asian financial crisis. They enforced the demands of International Monetary Fund and investors for far-reaching pro-market restructuring, leading to widespread sackings, the undermining of wages and conditions and deepening social inequality. The resulting widespread alienation among working people was a major factor in enabling the return of the right wing—Lee Myung-bak in 2008 and Park Geun-hye in 2013.

Moon’s election is likewise aimed at defusing widespread hostility towards the political establishment over declining living standards, anti-democratic measures and the growing threat of war and preventing the development of a political movement of the working class against the profit system itself.

More than half of young people in Europe would join a “large-scale uprising”

Andre Damon

It is not every day that young people are asked  by a major international agency whether they want to participate in a “large-scale uprising.” But this is exactly what the Union of European Broadcasters, the world’s largest alliance of public TV stations, did in a survey of nearly one million people between the ages of 18 and 35.

Asked, “Would you actively participate in a large scale uprising against the generation in power if it happened in the next days or months?”, more than half, 53 percent, said yes. In Greece and France, the figure was over 60 percent.

More than half of young people would join a mass "uprising"

The phrasing of the question seemed calculated to take the edge off the result, intentionally muddying the issue with the hint of an inter-generational conflict. But the responses to the other questions make clear the feelings that animated young people in saying they would join an “uprising.” The survey found that young people are overwhelmingly concerned about social inequality, oppose war and sympathize with refugees.

Asked whether “Banks and money rule the world,” nearly 9 out of 10 young people said they agreed, out of more than 500,000 people who answered the question.

Along the same lines, when respondents were asked whether the “gap between the rich and the poor” is widening, 89 percent agreed.

Asked whether “politicians are corrupt,” respondents were even more categorical, with only 8 percent replying “No, very few of them are.” The overwhelming majority responded with some form of “yes,” answering either “some are” or “virtually all of them are.”

Thomas Grond, Head of Young Audiences at the Union of European Broadcasters, told the WSWS that the figures showed a “catastrophic” collapse in trust in social institutions. “Trust in the media, in politicians, in religious institutions, these have all failed.

“A big part of the young population is not feeling that politics are taking them into consideration,” Grond said. “It’s about preserving the system, and there isn’t a lot of change. And where there is change, it’s backwards.”

Asked if he was surprised by the fact that so many young people said they would be willing to participate in a “large-scale uprising,” Grond answered bluntly: “Not really.” He said the poll showed that, despite their skeptical attitude toward social institutions, young people are broadly optimistic about the future, and “willing to participate” in political life. “Society is simply not giving them a chance to show what they are capable of,” he said.

Grond said he was surprised by the broadly felt opposition to nationalism pervasive among survey participants. “78 percent of young people in Germany said that nationalism is growing and that this is a bad thing,” Grond noted. This compared to just 11 percent who said the growth of nationalism was a positive development.

Significantly, in Germany, where the ruling class is engaged in a campaign to rehabilitate nationalism and militarism—including by academics like Jörg Baberowski, who has said that “Hitler was not cruel” and was “no psychopath”—more than two thirds of young people said they would not be willing to fight in a war.

Throughout Europe, despite the relentless promotion of militarism and pro-war sentiments by the media, more than half of young people said they would refuse to “fight for [their] country.”

Beginning with Britain's June 23, 2016 referendum to leave the European Union, followed by the election of the fascistic billionaire Donald Trump as US president in November, the international media has been full of claims that the populations of the world’s advanced countries are engulfed in an upsurge of nationalism, militarism and right-wing sentiment.

The survey shows something quite different. Asked whether they believe “immigration makes for richer countries,” nearly three quarters said they agree.

These figures beg the obvious question: Given a nearly total discrediting of official politics, a general recognition that banks “rule the world,” widespread antiwar sentiment, and broad opposition to nationalism and xenophobia, why are right-wing, pro-austerity politicians advancing all over the world?

The answer is to be found in the record of what passes for “left” politics. Here are just a few examples:

• In the 2016 US presidential primary, Senator Bernie Sanders won 13.3 million votes by declaring himself to be a “democratic socialist” opposed to the “billionaire class.” The purpose of his campaign, however, was to maintain the political authority of the Democratic Party. Sanders endorsed Clinton, the candidate of Wall Street, after he was defeated in the primaries, ensuring that rhetorical opposition to the status quo would be monopolized by Trump. He has since campaigned throughout the country calling on young people and workers to back the Democratic Party.

• After Syriza (the “Coalition of the Radical Left”) was elected in Greece in January 2015 on a wave of anti-austerity sentiment, the government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras dutifully imposed the austerity demands of the European Union. Syriza and its international co-thinkers do not represent the interests of workers and working-class youth, but privileged sections of the upper middle class.

• In the most recent elections in France, Jean-Luc Mélenchon (Unsubmissive France) received 7 million votes on the basis of his rhetorical opposition to inequality and war. However, he worked to channel this sentiment behind the political establishment. He refused to call for a boycott in the second round of the election between Marine Le Pen of the fascistic National Front and the ex-banker Emmanuel Macron, implicitly backing Macron, who supports the expansion of war and a massive intensification of the assault on the working class.

Trump firing of FBI director touches off political storm

 Patrick Martin 

The surprise firing of FBI Director James Comey, announced late Tuesday afternoon, is a sign of a deep and intensifying crisis of the Trump administration. Trump’s firing of Comey smacks of desperation on the part of a White House under siege.

The firing sparked widespread condemnation by Democrats and some Republicans, along with demands for the appointment of a special prosecutor or independent commission to investigate charges of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 election campaign.

Powerful sections of the US ruling elite are moving against the Trump White House, which is so steeped in corruption that any one of a series of scandals, not just the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections, could leave it politically crippled.

There were numerous media comparisons to the “Saturday Night Massacre” during the Watergate scandal of 1973–74, when the attorney general and deputy attorney general resigned rather than carry out orders from President Richard Nixon to dismiss special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox. That effort to torpedo an investigation failed: ten months later, Nixon was forced to resign as president.

Unlike Watergate, however, there is no democratic principle being asserted, even in a limited fashion, by the Democratic Party opponents of the Trump administration. This is a conflict within the US ruling elite and its military-intelligence apparatus, driven largely by differences over foreign policy.

No significant evidence has been produced in support of the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US elections. The real purpose of the campaign of Russia-baiting is to push the Trump administration into a more confrontational foreign policy in Syria, Central Asia, North Africa and Eastern Europe, where US imperialism regards Moscow as its principal obstacle.

Trump has attempted to satisfy these concerns with last month’s missile strikes against Syria and a harsher rhetorical line towards Iran and Russia, but the divisions persist, as shown in the hearing Monday before a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The circumstances surrounding Trump’s decision to fire Comey remained murky Tuesday night, with the White House withholding further comment following the announcement of Comey’s firing at 5:41 p.m. Press reports suggest that the decision had been in preparation for at least a week, and that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who took office on April 26, had been commissioned to provide a rationale.

The New York Times reported on its website, “Senior White House and Justice Department officials had been working on building a case against Mr. Comey since at least last week, according to administration officials. Attorney General Jeff Sessions had been charged with coming up with reasons to fire him, the officials said.”

The argument for the firing elaborated in a three-page memorandum prepared by Rosenstein has no credibility. The memo focuses on Comey’s decisions about the investigation into Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, condemning him not for the substance of the decision that there was no crime to prosecute, but for holding a press conference to announce that decision and proceeding to attack Clinton’s conduct as “extremely careless.” The memo also criticizes Comey for the October 28 letter in which he informed Congress that the FBI was reopening the Clinton investigation, only 11 days before Election Day.

Trump’s expressed opinions are the direct opposite of the Rosenstein memorandum. Last July, he denounced Comey’s decision not to prosecute Clinton, while “lock her up” became a standard chant at Trump rallies and at the Republican National Convention. Later, Trump hailed the October 28 letter as an action in which Comey “showed guts.”

Earlier this week, Trump tweeted that Comey had been “the best thing that ever happened to Hillary Clinton,” and that his decision on the email server prosecution was “a free pass for many bad deeds.”

There are further contradictions. Attorney General Jeff Sessions declared during his confirmation hearing that he would recuse himself from any actions relating to the case against Clinton, because of his own role in the Trump election campaign. Yet he has now countersigned the decision to fire Comey, supposedly because of the FBI director’s actions in the Clinton investigation.

Sessions also said that he would recuse himself from decisions related to the ongoing investigation into possible collaboration between the Trump campaign and alleged Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. The firing of Comey removes the head of the agency conducting that investigation.

It is absurd to suggest that Trump fired Comey for his transgressions against Hillary Clinton, particularly when he has attacked the FBI director for going easy on her. Moreover, all the events cited in the Rosenstein memo took place before the 2016 election, while Trump reiterated his support for Comey continuing in office—he was serving a fixed ten-year term until 2023—as recently as February.

What has changed in the interim? On March 20, at a nationally televised House Intelligence Committee hearing, Comey confirmed for the first time that the FBI has opened an investigation into possible connections between the Trump campaign and alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections.

Since then, a series of former campaign advisers and aides has been interrogated by the FBI, each undoubtedly pressured to save their own skins at the expense of those higher up, in a chain leading inexorably to Trump himself.

Most serious appears to be the attention given to Trump’s former national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who has been publicly accused of failing to report significant income from individuals and businesses linked to Russia, and who was so close to Trump that he was actively considered as a possible running mate.

The extreme sensitivity in the White House to Comey’s role in the Russia investigation was indicated in the second paragraph of the official letter from Trump to Comey informing him of his dismissal. “While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau,” Trump wrote.

The White House apparently informed only a handful of congressional leaders ahead of the firing, including Senators Lindsey Graham and Dianne Feinstein, the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee subcommittee that oversees the FBI. Graham publicly endorsed the firing, while Feinstein did not oppose it.

Among other Democratic senators and congressmen, however, there was near-unanimous opposition.

Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois, speaking on the Senate floor, condemned the firing. “Any attempt to stop or undermine this FBI investigation would raise grave constitutional issues,” he said. “We await clarification by the White House as soon as possible as to whether this investigation will continue and whether it will have a credible lead so that we know that it’ll have a just outcome.”

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer noted Trump’s firing of acting attorney general Sally Yates, US Attorney Preet Bharara and now Comey, saying on Twitter, “If we don’t get a special prosecutor, every American will rightfully suspect that the decision to fire Comey was part of a cover-up.”

Even more significant were the statements from two leading Republican senators. Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, chairman of the Intelligence Committee, which is conducting an investigation into the Russian hacking allegations, declared, “I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Jim Comey’s termination. I have found Director Comey to be a public servant of the highest order.”

Senator John McCain, former presidential candidate and chairman of the Armed Services Committee, reiterated his support for a special investigating committee. “I have long called for a special congressional committee to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 election,” he said in a statement. “The president’s decision to remove the FBI director only confirms the need and the urgency of such a committee.”

United Nations University – WIDER PhD Internships for International Students 2017 – Finland

Application Deadline: 30th September 2017 23:59 EEST

Eligible Countries: All

To be taken at (country): Finland

About the Award: PhD interns typically spend 3 consecutive months at UNU-WIDER and are expected to return to their home institution afterwards. During their time in Helsinki, PhD interns prepare one or more research papers and present a seminar on their research findings. PhD interns may also have the opportunity to publish their research in the WIDER Working Paper Series.

Type: Internships

Selection Criteria: Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD programme and have shown ability to conduct research on developing economies. Candidates working in other social sciences may apply but should keep in mind that UNU-WIDER is an economics-focused institute. Candidates should be fluent in oral and written English and possess good quantitative and/or qualitative analytical skills. Preference is given to applicants who are living or working in developing countries and who are at later stages of the PhD.

Number of Awardees: Not specified

Value of Internship: UNU-WIDER provides a travel grant to cover the costs of travel to and from the location of your PhD granting institution, medical insurance (for medical and hospital services resulting from sickness and accident during your stay at UNU-WIDER), and a monthly stipend of EUR 1,600 to cover living expenses in Helsinki during the period of their internship. The programme does not cover expenses related to dependents.

Duration of Internship: PhD interns typically spend 3 consecutive months at UNU-WIDER and are expected to return to their home institution afterwards

How to Apply: If you are interested in participating in this programme you should complete and submit the application form.

As part of your application, you will be asked to upload your curriculum vitae. Your PhD supervisor will need to provide UNU-WIDER with a letter of reference, which should be emailed (by your supervisor) to the following address: phdreference(at)wider.unu.edu. The reference letter will also be used to certify that you are enrolled in a PhD programme at your university.

Please note we do not receive applications by email or post.

Visit Internship Webpage for details

Award Provider: UNU-WIDER

United Nations (UN) Al-Farra Memorial Journalists Fellowship Program 2017

Application Deadline: 21st May 2017

Offered Annually? Yes

Eligible Countries: See list below

To be taken at (country): United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

About the Award: The Programme is sponsored annually since 1981 by the United Nations Department of Public Information as a fellowship programme for junior and mid-level broadcasters and journalists from developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

It also provides journalists with an opportunity to gain first hand experience in the work of the United Nations. It is also an opportunity to meet journalists from other countries and exchange ideas with UN communication professionals.

Upon completion of the Programme, participants are expected to continue working in journalism or broadcasting and help promote better understanding of the United Nations in their home country. The Programme is not intended to provide basic skills training to broadcasters and journalists as all participants are already working as media professionals. The Programme also does not lead to employment by the UN.

Type: Fellowship

Eligibility: The Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship is open to junior and mid-level media professionals from countries with developing economies or economies in transition.

To meet the eligibility requirements, candidates must:

• be under 35 years old
• be a fulltime working journalist
• be proficient in English
• possess a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the start of the Programme (programme begins September 2017)
• be a national of a developing country or country in transition, as defined by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Number of Awards: Up to 8

Value of Fellowship:  

• It provides journalists with an opportunity to gain first hand experience in the work of the United Nations.
• It is also an opportunity to meet journalists from other countries and exchange ideas with UN communication professionals.
• Upon completion of the Programme, participants are expected to continue working in journalism or broadcasting and help promote better understanding of the United Nations in their home country.
• The Programme is not intended to provide basic skills training to broadcasters and journalists as all participants are already working as media professionals. The Programme also does not lead to employment by the UN.

Duration of Fellowship: 4 Weeks

Eligible Countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan (Province of China), Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Apply: Apply Here

Visit Fellowship Webpage for details

Award  Provider: United Nations

Pop-Kultur Goethe Institut Talent Scholarship for Music Students from Developing Countries 2017/2018

Application Deadline: 21st May 2017

Eligible Countries: Developing or transition countries

To be taken at (country): Germany

About the Award: It’s going down on August 23rd and August 24th in a couple of locations at Kulturbrauerei Berlin. International professionals give personal insights into their work and share their expert knowledge through workshops, case studies and talks with you – lively and practical instead of dry and formal. Among them are Pop-Kultur acts such as Noveller, Throwingshade and Circuit des Yeux. More mentors & courses will be announced soon.

Once more the program offers spots to talents from all over the world. Hence, you’ll be able to network across borders.

Furthermore, in the run-up of Pop-Kultur from August 16th to August 22nd, we plan activities to experience Music City Berlin: studio visits, short mentorships in selected companies of the Berlin creative industries, listening sessions and meetings with scholarship holders of Musicboard Berlin GmbH. Other activities, such as visiting the evening program of the Atonal Festival, will be taking place during the week before Pop-Kultur.

Type: Training

Eligibility: 

• Every participant should prepare a short input talk (15 min.) in advance about his/her experience in the music field so far and the music scene in his/her respective country.
• Advanced English skills are crucial as there is no translation available. You will be tested in advance by the local Goethe-Institut.
• You need work experience in a specific music field. We require proof of at least 3 projects.
• You have to cover all additional expenses that might occur during your stay.
• If you are not boarding your flight or cancel the program on short notice, you are obliged to reimburse Goethe-Institut/Musicboard for accrued expenses.

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of Program: The participation fee, accommodation, travel expenses, hospitality (per diem of 10€) will be coveredby Goethe-Institut within the period of August 16th to August 26th 2017. Goethe-Institut will book flights, cover the costs and will help with visa issues. Additionally Musicboard will grant the talents a Festival Ticket plus access to Pop-Kultur’s networking area for professionals, provides for accommodation (breakfast included), health insurance and public transportation.

How to Apply: Apply in the Program Webpage

Visit Program Webpage for details

Award Provider: Goethe-Institut

European Institutes for Advanced Study (EURIAS) Fellowship Program for International Researchers 2017

pplication Deadline: 7th June, 2017 (4 pm GMT)

Eligible Countries: International

To be taken at (country): The Netherlands, UK, Germany, France, Hungary, Finland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Israel, Poland

About the Award: The European Institutes for Advanced Study (EURIAS) Fellowship Programme is an international researcher mobility programme offering 10-month residencies in one of the 19 participating Institutes: Aarhus, Amsterdam, Berlin, Bologna, Budapest, Cambridge, Delmenhorst, Edinburgh, Freiburg, Helsinki, Jerusalem, Lyon, Madrid, Marseille, Paris, Uppsala, Vienna, Warsaw, Zürich. The Institutes for Advanced Study support the focused, self-directed work of outstanding researchers. The fellows benefit from the finest intellectual and research conditions and from the stimulating environment of a multi-disciplinary and international community of first-rate scholars.

EURIAS Fellowships are mainly offered in the fields of the humanities and social sciences but may also be granted to scholars in life and exact sciences, provided that their proposed research project does not require laboratory facilities and that it interfaces with humanities and social sciences. The diversity of the 19 participating IAS offers a wide range of possible research contexts in Europe for worldwide scholars. Applicants may select up to three IAS outside their country of nationality or residence as possible host institutions.

Type: Fellowship

Eligibility: 

• Degree: At the time of the application, researchers must be in possession of a doctoral degree plus 2 years of full-time research experience after the degree. Exception is made for Law scholars who are eligible with a Master +6 years of full-time research experience after the degree. (PhD training is not considered in the calculation of experience).
• Mobility: Researchers from all countries are eligible to the programme. At the time of the application, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc) in the country of the selected host institute for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date -June 7th 2017 (short stays such as holidays and/or compulsory national service are not taken into account).
• Disciplines: The programme is open to all disciplines in the fields of humanities and social sciences. It also welcomes applications from the arts, life and exact sciences provided that:
  • the research project does not require any intensive laboratory work,
  • the research project interfaces with humanities and social sciences,
  • the applicant has a proven capacity to dialogue with other scientific disciplines,
  • the candidate applies to an IAS that welcome scholars outside the humanities and social sciences.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to check the IAS’ websites to learn more about the scientific orientation of the Institutes and their potential opening to disciplines outside the humanities and social sciences.
• Age: There is no age discrimination.
• Administrative: Applicants must provide full application forms, curricula, PhD diploma, publications, two letters of recommendation for junior applicants, detailed research proposals. Incomplete applications are not considered.
  Late applications are not considered (the online application platforms prevents applicants from submitting after the deadline)

Selection Criteria: The selection of applicants who are eligible for a fellowship is competitive, merit-based and conducted through an internationally independent and recognized peer review process. It meets the highly demanding excellence standards of the participating Institutes for Advanced Study.

The EURIAS Fellowship Programme undertakes a detailed qualitative assessment according to the following criteria:

• Scientific excellence of the applicant:
• Quality of the research proposal:
• Relevance of an IAS residency:

Selection Procedure

– Scientific assessment by two international reviewers
– Pre-selection by the international EURIAS Scientific Committee
– Final selection by the IAS academic boards
– Publication of results (January 2018)

Number of Awards: For the 2018-2019 academic year, EURIAS offers 54 fellowships (26 junior and 28 senior positions).

Value of Program: All IAS have agreed on common standards, including the provision of a living allowance (in the range of € 26,000 for a junior fellow and € 38,000 for a senior fellow), accommodation (or a mobility allowance), a research budget, plus coverage of travel expenses.

How to Apply: Applications are submitted online via www.eurias-fp.eu, where you will find detailed information regarding the content of the application, eligibility criteria, selection procedure, etc.

Visit Program Webpage for details

Award Provider: European Institutes for Advanced Study (EURIAS)

Rory Peck Awards for News Cameramen and Camerawomen in Disaster Areas 2017

Application Deadline: 3rd July 2017

About the Award: The awards welcome self-funded work and entries from local freelancers, especially those living and working in regions where it is difficult to operate. The Rory Peck Awards are uniquely dedicated to the work of freelance cameramen and camerawomen in news and current affairs worldwide. They celebrate creative, technical and journalism skills and highlight the important contribution that freelancers make to the newsgathering industry.

Across three competitive categories the awards honour quality of camerawork but also take into account individual endeavour and journalistic integrity.

Type: Awards

Eligibility: 

• Rory Peck Award for News (maximum duration: 10 minutes)
• Rory Peck Award for News Features (maximum duration: 30 minutes)
• Sony Impact Award for Current Affairs (maximum duration: 60 minutes)

All entries must have had their first broadcast (television, agency feed or recognised online news publisher) between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017.

All entries must have been shot by the entrant(s) who must be a freelance cameraman or camerawoman. For the purposes of the Rory Peck Awards, the term “freelance” is defined as someone who is gathering and generating stories for professional broadcast and online news and current affairs platforms. He/she will not have a permanent or rolling contract or salary but may be on a retainer with one or more organisation(s), work to commission or be paid by the piece. This can include those who, at times, may be required to supplement their income by other means.

All entries must be submitted and titled as broadcast (television, agency feed, recognised online news publisher).

Entrants may submit one entry per category, but cannot submit the same entry twice.

Selection Criteria: Across all categories the awards recognise quality of camerawork, but also take into account individual endeavour and journalistic integrity.

Value of Program: Not stated

Timeline of Program: This year’a awards night is on Monday 23rd October

How to Apply: Once you have submitted your online entry form, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions of how to deliver your digital master material. If you do not receive this email, or if you have any questions, please contact Kate Garner at awards@rorypecktrust.org

Entries not in English must be accompanied by a detailed and accurate storyline and translation, uploaded with the online entry form or emailed with the Word entry form to awards@rorypecktrust.org.

Visit Program Webpage for details

Award Provider: Rory Peck Trust

Important Notes: Entry forms are also available in Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish on request.

Microsoft 4Afrika Paid Internships for Young African Graduates 2017

Application Deadline: Deadlines vary for different regions.

Eligible Countries: All African countries

To be taken at (country): Internships are available across the African continent

Eligible Fields: There are internships available across the African continent in three distinct areas: sales, marketing and technical and we ask you to apply for one of these paths depending on where your skills and passions are. e. If you are successful in your application, you will be matched to great roles with Microsoft partners

About the Award: The Interns4Afrika program offers talented young people a unique experience with a dynamic and agile technology organization on the African continent. You will work for 6 months with a Microsoft partner on real projects, collaborating and learning from your colleagues. Whether you’re aspiring for a future in sales, marketing or technology, this is your chance to kick-start your future

To give you the best chance of success 4 weeks of your internship will be dedicated to developing world class business and technical skills. We’ll support you to rapidly develop your capabilities through the (virtual) classroom and the great work you will do.The competition for a place on Interns 4Afrika is tough but if you are entrepreneurial with a passion for technology, are keen to continue learning and have a flexible can-do attitude we want to hear from you. Join us today, and help shape the Africa of tomorrow.

Type: Internship

Eligibility: Apply if:

• You are able to commit to completing full time internship for 6 months
• You are currently in education or have graduated from an Undergraduate or Postgraduate course within the last 12 months
• You have a BA/BSc in a business related or IT degree
• You are based on the African continent and You have right to work in the country in which you are currently located

Number of Awardees: Not specified

Value of Internship: All interns will be paid a salary and will be located at and employed by the partner organization for the six-month internship period.

Duration of Internship: 6 months

How to Apply: You can download the Interns4Afrika application form here. Please complete the form electronically and email it to the Interns4Afrika team at y4Afrika@microsoft.com . Please also include an up-todate copy of your CV as an attachment to the email.

Don’t forget to sell yourself on your application form and CV as the competition for this internship is tough!

Visit Internship Webpage for details

Award Provider: Microsoft

Deutsche Welle Digital Heroes Online Competition for Bloggers in Nigeria 2017

Application Deadline: Friday, 26th May 2017. 

Offered Annually?  No

Eligible Countries:  Nigeria

To be taken at (country): Nigeria

About the Award: Do you have ideas that will help the environment in Nigeria? Do you want to be recognized as being a digital hero for environmental issues in Nigeria? If your answer is yes, we are excited to invite you to join our blogger contest “Digital Heroes – Generation Nigeria”.

Eligibility: 

• Bloggers must be at least 18 years old at the time of submission.
• Bloggers must be active on social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, etc.)
• All files submitted for the competition must be a product of your own work.
• Submitted links should be posted on one of your social media platforms.
• Each blogger is allowed to submit only one entry (for only one category).
• Your entry must cover issues involving the environment.
• The competition language and the language of entries is English.
• You cannot submit any work that has been published or broadcast by Deutsche Welle.

Entries will be accepted in three journalistic formats:

• Video (max. 3min.)
• Photo gallery (max. 10 photos)
• Article (max. 5,000 characters)

Selection Criteria/Procedure:

1st phase:

• A jury of experts will evaluate the entries, based on criteria such as clarity, narrative structure, research, innovation, authenticity and originality. The jury will choose the top three entries from each category.
• Out of these nine finalists, the jury will choose the winner of the grand prize: a two-week internship at Deutsche Welle, Germany.
• Decisions of the jury are final and are not subject to legal appeal.

2nd phase:

• All nine finalist entries will be published on DW.com/africa. The audience will then determine the ranking and winners from each category with a public online vote.
• The voting starts on Monday, June 5, 2017.

Number of Awardees: 9

Value of Competition: Grand prize: Two-week internship at DW in Germany.

• 1st prize: GoPro camera
• 2nd prize: Smartphone
• 3rd prize: iPod

In addition, all nine winners will be invited to attend the awards ceremony to be held on July 5, 2017 in Lagos, Nigeria.

Duration of Program: 6 weeks

How to Apply:  Apply Here

Name of Provider: Deutsche Welle (DW)