ISSC Newsletter May 2014

Apply for seed funding – deadline looming!

Transformations to Sustainabilityis a new Sida-supported ISSC programme that will fund and promote research on innovative processes of social transformation to secure equitable and durable solutions to some of the urgent global problems we face today such as climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty and inequality. How can we find solutions that will work and that are equitable? The deadline for proposals for seed funding is 31 May. For more detailed information please visit Transformations to Sustainability.
 

Bigger, bolder, better social science?

King’s College London, in collaboration with the ISSC, is launching the recently-published World Social Science Report 2013 at King’s College, 11 June 2014, with a reception afterwards. Confirmed speakers are our very own Heide Hackmann, Lee Davies (UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), John Urry (Lancaster University), Thomas Tanner (UK Overseas Development Institute, London), Bronwyn Parry (King’s College London), John Crowley (UNESCO), chaired by Denise Lievesley, Head of the School of Social Science and Public Policy, King’s. All welcome more info and register.
 

Introducing World Social Science Fellows

20 outstandingly talented early career researchers have been chosen to take part in a seminar on Global Social Governance this summer in London. The seminar will take place in London, UK 28 July-3 August 2014 in collaboration with the UK Academy of Social Sciences and the Centre for International Studies at the London School of Economics.

The ISSC is proud to announce a call for applications for World Social Science Fellows. Talented early career social and other scientists are encouraged to apply to participate in a seminar in Taiwan from 2-8 November 2014, Sustainable Urbanization — Transformations to Sustainability in Urban Contexts and become World Social Science Fellows. Deadline for applications is 16 June 2014, Midnight GMT+1 (Paris Time) 2014.

Looking ahead to the 2015 Forum

The countdown to Durban 2015 begins: 482 days! Check out the brand new website launched last week. If you register early, from 1 June 2014, you will qualify for a discount. The call for abstracts will open on 1 September. The third ISSC World Social Science Forum will be co-hosted by HSRC and CODESRIA. The overall theme is „Transforming global relations for a just world” which could include different topics including global inequalities, governance, patterns of production and consumption, access to health and education, climate change, human rights, social justice, and more! The forum aims to demonstrate the relevance of social science for public policies and social intervention.

Expert group meeting

How can we create social changethat is compatible with a just world? What type of critical thinking is needed to advance global justice? How can we avoid technocratic approaches that harm poor people and often result in them becoming further excluded?

These are some of the questions addressed at the recent ‘expert group’ meeting, Global justice, poverty and inequality in the post-2015 development agenda, organised by UNESCO and the ISSC in Paris 28-29 April. Distinguished experts invited from different organisations, countries and regions gathered to reflect on how to achieve global justice and how to empower excluded people to work towards eliminating poverty, inequality and injustice. Read on

Peer review transformed to the big screen

The first ever ethnographic film festivalin Paris was a runaway success with 89 short films screened over 30 hours from 42 countries on subjects ranging from working in a slaughterhouse in the United States to a girl in Mongolia who loves horses. Co-sponsored by the ISSC and the Society for Social Studies of Science, the filmfest is returning next year to the same venue, Ciné 13 Théâtre, considered „the best fringe theatre in the world” by filmfest director, Wesley Shrum. He should know, having often filmed at the Edinburgh fringe Festival and elsewhere. Listen to an interview with Wes about the festival and read on here.

Blog and be influential! 

Blogs are relatively easyif you are used to writing anyway. They don’t need peer-reviewing and you can publish them yourself. It is the readers who decide whether they like your blog or not, whether they are interesting or worthwhile. They will vote with their feet and click to the next item as soon as they get bored. Read on
 

Member update

The European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes is holding its 14th General Conference, Responsible Development in a Polycentric World: Inequality, Citizenship and the Middle Classes, 23-26 June 2104, in Bonn. Focusing on academic exchange, reflection and debate, there will be 41 panel sessions hosted by EADI members, independent organisations, and invited scholars. Each day, high-level international experts will speak at plenary sessions – including François Bourguignon – who will give the annual Dudley Seers Lecture: 50 Years of Development and Development Economics. It’s not too late to register. 
 

Welcome to Connie Bellonie

Connie joined the ISSC as the Transformations to Sustainability Admin Assistant a few weeks ago and is already very much a part of the team. Connie studied Journalism and Public Relations in Zambia, where she was born. She worked as editorial assistant at the Lusaka branch of the Pan African News Agency before moving to France to learn French. She later returned to Africa and lived and worked in Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroun and Madagascar. Connie’s work experience is as varied as the countries she has lived in: bilingual personal and marketing assistant, translator, sales assistant, and project coordinator in the petroleum, water treatment and development sectors. 
 

Upcoming Events

• Future Earth Young Scientist Networking Conference on Integrated Science – May 25 2014
• Beijing launch World Social Science Report 2013 – 5 June 2014
• IRDR Conference – June 6 2014
• International Economic Association 17th World Congress – June 6 2014
• London launch World Social Science Report 2013 – 11 June 2014
• Transdisciplinary Design Workshop – June 16 2014

For more upcoming events please visit the ISSC site