Partnership for Conflict, Crime, and Security Research (PaCCS) Conflict Theme Calls to support Interdisciplinary Research Innovation on Conflict Closing dates for calls 1600hrs on Thursday 22 nd October 2015 Contents 1. Background... 3 2. Contribution from Research Councils... 4 3. Summary of the two calls... 4 Interdisciplinary Innovation Awards... 4 Interdisciplinary Research Grants... 4 4. Common aims of the two calls... 5 5. Eligibility... 6 a) Organisational Eligibility:... 6 b) Roles on Project:... 6 c) Investigator Academic Standing Eligibility:... 6 d) Contractual Eligibility... 7 e) PhD Studentships... 7 6. Interdisciplinary Innovation Awards Call... 8 a) Aims of Call... 8 b) Types of activity that can be supported... 8 c) Scheme Limit and Number of Awards... 9 d) Costing Proposals... 9 e) Application Deadline and How to Apply... 10 f) Attachments required... 10 g) Assessment Criteria Innovation Awards... 11 h) Timetable... 12 7. Interdisciplinary Research Grants Call... 13 a) Aims of the Call... 13 Page 1 of 33, July 2015
b) Types of activity that can be supported... 13 c) Application and Assessment Process... 13 d) Research Areas for Interdisciplinary Research Grants... 13 e) Scheme Limit and Number of Awards... 18 f) Costing Proposals... 18 g) Application Deadline and How to Apply... 19 h) Attachments required for Outline Stage of Interdisciplinary Research Grants... 19 i) Assessment Criteria... 21 j) Timetable... 22 Annex 1... 23 Information on the Partnership for Conflict, Crime and Security Research... 23 Annex 2: Background Information on the PaCCS Conflict Theme... 26 Annex 3: Guidance for completing attachments... 28 a) Case for Support... 28 b) Justification of Resources... 30 c) Curriculum Vitae... 30 d) Publications Lists... 30 e) Letters of Support... 30 f) Pathways to Impact... 31 g) Technical Plan (Innovation Awards only)... 31 h) Visual evidence (Optional)... 31 Contacts... 33 Page 2 of 33, July 2015
1. Background This document details two funding calls under the Conflict Theme of the Partnership for Conflict, Crime and Security Research. These calls have been shaped by a range of consultation activities, including: a commissioned scoping study on conflict research undertaken by the University of Exeter: Link to final report on the PaCCS website (opens in new window); a Town Meeting on 26 March 2015 involving approximately 40 invited participants from research and practitioner communities; an open on-line consultation on the PaCCS website; discussions with the PaCCS Strategic Advisory Group and Conflict Theme Leadership Fellow In finalising the focus for these calls, we have sought to concentrate on opportunities to build in distinctive ways from past research relating to conflict: including the Global Uncertainties Ideas and Beliefs, Leadership Fellowships, the Global Uncertainties Ethics and Rights in a Security Context, and Empathy and Trust in Communicating Online (EMoTICON) projects. We have also sought to complement rather than duplicate other developments in the field such as the current commissioning by the ESRC, in partnership with the UK security and intelligence agencies, of a Research and Evidence Hub on Understanding, countering and mitigating security threats. Similarly these calls seek to complement rather than duplicate the current (until end of July 2015) highlight notice for interdisciplinary applications relating to PaCCS under AHRC s Research Networking Scheme. The calls are also designed to complement activities under the other PACCS core areas of cyber-security and transnational organised crime, including a call under the transnational organised crime theme planned for late 2015, whilst also recognising the interconnections between these core areas. Projects funded through these calls will be expected to contribute to a wider programme of thematic activities organised by the Conflict Theme Leadership Fellow, Professor David Galbreath. In addition to providing networking and knowledge exchange opportunities for researchers funded through the calls, these will also provide opportunities to bring together researchers and non-academic partners to address other strands or priorities under the conflict theme, to respond to emerging issues and agendas in conflict research and to explore connections to other Research Council themes and initiatives (e.g. the Connected Communities Programme, PaCCS Science and Security programme, Page 3 of 33, July 2015
AHRC s Care for the Future and Translating Cultures themes, etc.). 2. Contribution from Research Councils The AHRC and ESRC are contributing to a common pot of up to 4m to these joint PaCCS calls on conflict to support interdisciplinary research innovation which crosses the remits of the two Councils; in addition, the EPSRC has indicated that it would be willing to consider co-funding projects on a case by case which cross into its remit, particularly in relation to the connections between conflict and digital technologies and/or cyber-security. We will welcome project applications that include co-funding, in-kind contributions or partnership support from other sources. 3. Summary of the two calls Interdisciplinary Innovation Awards: full proposals for up to 100,000 (fec) up to 18 months supporting the development of innovative, adventurous, higher risk, interdisciplinary research, including projects at an earlier stage of interdisciplinary evolution and/or led by early career researchers. The types of interdisciplinary proposal supported under this heading could include, for example, exploratory or pilot studies and/or support for the development of new interdisciplinary partnerships and collaborations. These proposals can address any topic of relevance to the PaCCS conflict theme; they may address the three areas outlined for the larger interdisciplinary grants but do not need to be restricted to these areas. We anticipate making approximately 8-12 awards under this category. Interdisciplinary Research Grants: outline proposals for between 400,000-800,000 (fec) for up to 4 years addressing the three interdisciplinary research areas detailed in this call which have emerged from the consultation as areas where there is strong potential for innovative interdisciplinary research between the arts and humanities and social sciences. We anticipate making approximately 5-7 awards under this category. Shortlisted proposals will be invited to submit full bids. Page 4 of 33, July 2015
4. Common aims of the two calls The common aim of the two calls is to support research on conflict which is high quality, innovative, cutting edge, interdisciplinary and has significant potential impact and which addresses the wider objectives and principles of PaCCS as detailed in Annex 1. In particular, the calls seek to stimulate research which: will make a significant, distinctive and potentially transformative contribution to advancing the field of conflict research, for example by: bringing together knowledge, expertise, approaches, methods etc. in ways not normally combined in this area; filling strategically important research gaps; addressing unmet needs in policy and practice; or identifying emerging research challenges or leading edge fields of enquiry; is highly cross- or inter- disciplinary and which generates added value through developing cross-disciplinary collaborations and approaches between the arts and humanities and the social sciences (and more widely where appropriate, e.g. in respect to research on digital technologies); is highly collaborative, or co-produced, with non-academic partners; identifies clear pathways to impact and has the potential to meet the needs of non-academic beneficiaries and/or to change behaviours, policies, practices and/or technologies; is innovative and ambitious, including allowing for the higher degrees of risk which may be associated with such innovative, ambitious, cross-/interdisciplinary research; is independent and ethical, and addresses the potential risks or consequences for researchers, intermediaries, participants, other partners and wider communities associated with conducting research in the conflict field. In addition, through the calls, we are also keen to encourage applications which, where appropriate, explore opportunities for: international collaborative and/or comparative research the co-design, co-production and co-delivery of research with stakeholders and end users in public., private and/or third sectors development of future capacity for cross-disciplinary, collaborative research on conflict (early career researchers, skills, research methods, research resources and open data, sustainable networks / partnerships, etc.) Although the calls are focused on the PaCCS Conflict theme, we will welcome proposals that seek to explore the interfaces and interactions between conflict and other current core PaCCS areas (transnational organised crime and cyber-security). Page 5 of 33, July 2015
All funded award holders under these calls will be expected to collaborate with the Theme Leadership Fellow (Professor David Galbreath, University of Bath) to support networking, knowledge exchange, dissemination and research impact, the sharing of knowledge, data and research outcomes, and the wider development of interdisciplinary research agendas and capabilities in the conflict field. They will also be expected to contribute to relevant wider activities under PaCCS, including the PaCCS website and wider PaCCS engagement activities (such as those organised by the PaCCS External Champion and Communications Co-ordinator). 5. Eligibility The eligibility criteria apply to both calls. a) Organisational Eligibility: The application must be submitted by the Principal Investigator s (PI) Research Organisation. This organisation must be: a Higher Education Institution recognised by the ESRC or AHRC for submitting applications or an ESRC or AHRC-recognised Independent Research Organisation (IRO ) (PDF, opens in new window) Co-Investigators (Co-I) can be from an organisation that a) meets one of two criteria above b) is from UK business, third sector organisation or government body that meets the ESRC s requirements as detailed on its website: ESRC guidance on inclusion of UK business, third sector or government body Co-Investigators on ESRC proposals (opens in new window) c) is an international research organisation that meets the AHRC s requirements for International Co-Investigators as outlined in the Research Funding Guide (opens in new window). b) Roles on Project: Please refer to Section 3.2 and 3.3.1 of the Research Funding Guide (opens in new window) for details about the roles Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator that can be included on the project. c) Investigator Academic Standing Eligibility: An investigator (PI or Co-I) must either have a PhD or be of postdoctoral standing* and have the skills and experience to undertake the role outlined for Page 6 of 33, July 2015
them in the proposal. (*Postdoctoral standing in this case is interpreted as having an equivalent level of research experience and publications record to someone with a PhD). d) Contractual Eligibility: At the point of application an Investigator (PI or CO-I) must have; AND an existing contractual arrangement with an eligible Research Organisation (see Organisational Eligibility). This contractual arrangement can be paid or unpaid, permanent or fixed-term, full-time or part-time. either a contract duration that lasts beyond the end date of the proposed project or an undertaking from the Research Organisation that they will provide a contract duration that lasts beyond the end date of the project. The length of time beyond the end date should be sufficient for the Investigator to complete all the promised dissemination activities outlined in the proposal. The nature of the contract put in place for the undertaking of the research can vary from that which is in place at the point of application. Applications from early career researchers will be welcomed under these calls, particularly the Innovation Awards strand. e) PhD Studentships Project-linked / associated PhD studentships are not eligible for funding as a part of applications submitted under these calls. Page 7 of 33, July 2015
6. Interdisciplinary Innovation Awards Call a) Aims of Call In addition to the Common Aims of the two calls, this call seeks to support the development of more innovative, higher risk, interdisciplinary research, exploratory or pilot studies and the development of new partnerships and collaborations. We are also particularly keen to receive applications led by early career researchers under this heading. In order not to limit innovation, we welcome interdisciplinary applications addressing any issue of central relevance to the PaCCS Conflict theme (See Annex 2 for further details). Proposals must draw on both the arts and humanities AND the social sciences but may also include contributions from researchers working in STEM disciplines. b) Types of activity that can be supported Innovation awards could, for example, support any of the following: new / novel collaborative partnerships / teams across disciplines and/or internationally and/or with non-academic other partners and/or bringing in researchers from outside the conflict field; proposals involving innovative development or piloting of methods or approaches, exploration of novel forms or sources of data or exploratory fieldwork, combinations or integration of different methods, data or approaches, and/or innovative applications of existing approaches to address different conflict research challenges; exploration of innovative concepts or research questions, under-explored data sources or emerging dynamics or manifestations of conflict which to date have received relatively little research attention; developing new opportunities and approaches for research co-creation and codesign and/or stimulating social innovation in conflict contexts where significant development work is required to deepen partnerships, trust, agendas and refine ways of working before the feasibility of further co-produced research can be fully assessed but where there are opportunities to learn from the development/ cocreation/ co-design process; proposals led by early career researchers (with appropriate mentoring and support from research organisations as appropriate); Page 8 of 33, July 2015
proposals seeking to bring together research across diverse conflicts/ conflict contexts in innovative ways; high risk, but potentially high reward, proposals where outcomes or possible impacts are very uncertain or the prospects of success lower than normal but where there is significant potential to learn from the exploratory process and/or from either success or failure. Notwithstanding their experimental or developmental nature, Innovation Awards should have the potential to produce significant outputs, outcomes and or learning that will contribute to the development of relevant research fields and include appropriate plans for disseminating the knowledge generated. Although further research applications may emerge from Innovation awards, proposals primarily aimed at the development of further research applications will not be funded. Where a proposal is seen as supporting the first stage towards a longer term research ambition, proposals will be expected to outline a vision for how that longer term ambition might be realised beyond the end of the project as well as what outputs are expected to emerge from the Innovation award itself. c) Scheme Limit and Number of Awards This call invites applications of up to 100,000 (fec) up to 18 months. Subject to quality, we anticipate funding approximately 8-12 innovation awards. Projects funded through this route could in due course inform the development of new applications (e.g. through Research Council responsive mode schemes, utilising the cross-council Funding agreement where appropriate), although there is no expectation that all proposals would lead to further applications. Resubmission of unsuccessful applications to this call to other Research Council schemes is not permitted. d) Costing Proposals All proposals should be costed on the basis of the full economic costs (fec) of the research and all costs that contribute to the full economic costs of the proposal should be included. Proposals should be costed using TRAC (Transparent Approach to Costing) methodology and should only include the costs required to support the research related to the proposal (that is, costs which fall outside the scope of the grant should not be included). Page 9 of 33, July 2015
Please see Section 2 of the AHRC Funding Guide for full details on how proposals should be costed. Research Funding Guide (opens in new window). The Research Council contribution is paid at 80% of the fec. e) Application Deadline and How to Apply Applications should be submitted through the Je-S system at the latest by 4pm on Thursday 22 nd October 2015, and will need to go through the appropriate institution submission process. You should submit your proposal using the Research Councils Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) System (https://je-s.rcuk.ac.uk/). To prepare a proposal form in Je-S log-in to your account and choose New Document, then select AHRC as the Council, Standard Proposal as the Document Type, Development Grants as the Scheme, PaCCS Interdisciplinary Research Innovation on Conflict - Innovation Awards 22 October 2015 as the Call/Type/Mode and then Create Document. Je-S will then create a proposal form, displaying the relevant section headings. Using the Help link at the top of each section will provide guidance relevant to that section of the form. Note that clicking 'submit document' on your proposal form in Je-S initially submits the proposal to your host organisation's administration, not to AHRC. Please remember to allow sufficient time for your organisation s submission process between submitting your proposal to them and the Call closing date. f) Attachments required In completing the Je-S application form you must include the following attachments for each proposal (for each attachment a font size no smaller than 11 should be used): Case for Support (6 sides of A4) Justification for Resources (2 sides of A4) Summary CV for the Principal Investigator and each Co-Investigator (1 side of A4 per CV) List of publications for the Principal Investigator and each Co-Investigator (1 side of A4 per list) Pathways to Impact attachment (2 sides of A4) Letter(s) of Support from each Project Partner (1 side of A4 per letter) Page 10 of 33, July 2015
Technical Plan (dependent on project) (max 4 sides) If digital outputs or digital technologies are essential to the planned research outcomes of your proposal, then you should complete a Technical Plan attachment. If your only proposed digital output or technology consists in webpages containing information about the project you do not need to complete a Technical Plan. You should note that for present purposes digital technologies do not include conventional software such as word processing packages and ICT activities such as email, which do not require any explanation or justification in this context. Please see Annex 3 for details on what to include in each of these attachments. g) Assessment Criteria Innovation Awards Full proposals are invited under this heading and will be subject to a streamlined peer review process involving consideration by a specially convened interdisciplinary assessment panel. The following will be taken into account when assessing proposals for Interdisciplinary Innovation Awards: the degree of innovation within the context of the wider conflict research field; the extent to which the proposal would support the development of genuinely interdisciplinary research approaches, drawing significantly upon and supporting mutual exchanges between both the arts and humanities and social sciences (and wider research fields where appropriate); the extent to which the proposal meets the specific aims of the call and the overall objectives of PaCCS and offers the potential to make an important contribution to the PaCCs conflict theme; the quality of the research process outlined, including: appropriateness of research agenda, approach and methods; the significance and importance of the research question(s) to be explored, added value to existing research and potential to lead to advances in knowledge and understanding in the fields concerned; whether the Principal Investigator (and any Co-Investigators) demonstrate the requisite skills to manage the proposed activities and whether there is a sufficiently broad range of expertise amongst the other named participants; where appropriate (e.g. for early career applicants), the extent to which the proposal would support the development of research capabilities or support research career development of applicants, including (where appropriate) provision of support or mentoring by research organisations and/or the suitability Page 11 of 33, July 2015
of the opportunities which the project will make available to support the development of the research staff and early career researchers on the project. the extent to which there are effective plans for management of the activities and the monitoring of progress, including appropriate consideration of ethical issues and how risks associated with the research would be managed and provision of a realistic timetable and feasible resourcing plan for achieving the aims and objectives of the proposal; the extent to which the proposal identifies an appropriate set of collaborative partners for the research and includes effective plans for developing collaborative relationships; whether the proposal demonstrates an appropriate strategy for exploring pathways to impact and for the dissemination and exploitation of outcomes; the extent to which the potential outcomes justify the costs (i.e. value for money); the extent to which what is proposed will have an impact beyond the lifetime of the award; allowance will be made for the higher degrees of risk which may be associated with conducting the sort of ambitious, highly innovative, interdisciplinary research in the conflict field which this call seeks to encourage; h) Timetable The timetable is: 16 July - Town Meeting (attendance optional) 22 October 2015 Closing date for Innovation Awards December 2015 / January 2016 - Assessment Panel meeting held January 2016 Notification of funding outcomes 1 st April 2016 Earliest Start Date for Innovation Awards to start Page 12 of 33, July 2015
7. Interdisciplinary Research Grants Call a) Aims of the Call In addition to the Common aims of the two calls, these awards seek to support research grants addressing one or more of the three strands outlined below which have emerged from the consultation as areas where there is strong potential for innovative interdisciplinary innovation between the arts and humanities and social sciences. Proposals should reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the call and must involve significant research contributions from both the arts and humanities AND the social sciences. In addition, proposals may include, where appropriate, contributions from researchers working in STEM disciplines. Proposals must include at least one Co-Investigator and at least one Co-I must be from a different disciplinary field to the PI. b) Types of activity that can be supported This funding route allows for more substantial, highly collaborative, interdisciplinary projects which are at a more advanced stage of development than innovation awards, but which still involve a high degree of interdisciplinary innovation and have strong potential pathways to impact. c) Application and Assessment Process A two-stage process will be followed for applications to this call with initial Outline proposals invited. These will be considered by an interdisciplinary assessment panel which will shortlist a smaller number of proposals for submission of full proposals. Individual feedback will not be provided for proposals that are unsuccessful at the outline stage. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal which will be subject to full interdisciplinary peer review, including provision for a PI response, prior to consideration by an interdisciplinary assessment panel which will both moderate reviewers comments and applicant responses and also consider issues around fit to the aims of the call in prioritising proposals. d) Research Areas for Interdisciplinary Research Grants Applications to the Interdisciplinary Research Grants call must address one of more of the following strands which have emerged from the consultation as areas where there is strong potential for interdisciplinary innovation between the arts and humanities and Page 13 of 33, July 2015
social sciences. Applications for Interdisciplinary Innovation Awards may also address these strands but are not limited to these strands and may address other issues of importance to the PaCCS conflict theme. Proposals addressing the intersections and interconnections between / across these strands will be welcomed. Proposals which explore, where relevant, the connections with other core PaCCS areas (transnational organised crime and cyber-security) will also be welcomed. The three strands are defined below: Strand 1: New Perspectives on the Changing Character and Mosaic of Conflict, and Transitions to and from Conflict, through Time This strand seeks to encourage proposals exploring how novel interdisciplinary perspectives or approaches combining the arts and humanities and social sciences can transform our understanding of how and why the character and mosaic of conflict, its emergence, and of post-conflict legacies and transitions, is changing, or has changed, through time and what the implications of this might be for current or future policy and practice in relation to conflict. Proposals which, for example, challenge, disrupt or critique current orthodoxies or ways of thinking about conflict, explore new theories or languages of conflict or novel sources or ways of mining, analysing, combining or interpreting data will be welcomed. Potential research areas under this heading include, but are not limited to: novel interdisciplinary approaches to improving our understanding and analysis of the changing character, lifecycles, patterns, evolution, impacts and cultures of conflict(s) through time including transitions in its scale, diffusion, complexity, intensity and duration; developing more effective ways to avoid or break out from recurrent cycles and heritages of conflict and violence; disrupting or challenging linear, binary or Western views of conflict; and/or, improving understanding how different conflicts or ways of conducting conflict may inter-relate and/or become entangled (e.g. emergence of hybrid forms of conflict, or the changing connections between conflict and transnational organised crime); innovative ways of exploring the changing roles of, and inter-relationships between different actors in, or groups affected by, conflict such as: changing roles in conflict of women, children, migrants and/or other key groups in society; interactions between state and non-state actors; emergence of conflict leaders and the ways that networks, coalitions and collaborations between different Page 14 of 33, July 2015
actors form and evolve; how diffuse or fragmented groups, interests or networks may get drawn into complex webs of conflict; proxy forms of conflict; cutting edge interdisciplinary approaches to early stage identification of the emergence, re-emergence and/or escalation of conflicts and/or the transition to violent conflict, as well as opportunities to de-escalate conflicts, and the potential to learn from past experience e.g. in relation to early interventions; new ways of thinking about the impact of wider cultural, historic, geo-political and societal trends (e.g. globalisation; migration and mobility; shifts in global power relations, changing state roles and changes to global governance; changing patterns of cultural attitudes, inter-actions, faiths and beliefs, gender roles etc.; urbanisation; poverty, economic development and inequalities; resource scarcity; technological change, including (but not limited to) links to the digital age strand; connections to corruption, transnational organised crime and others forms of criminal activities e.g. in terms of financing conflict; changing patterns of global power, trade and governance; colonial legacies; etc.) on the evolution and emergence of different forms of conflict; hidden or below the radar forms of conflict and the emergence of alternative forms/modes of conflict or ways of prosecuting conflict. Strand 2: Community Experiences of, and Responses to, Conflict Applications under this strand should use interdisciplinary research approaches to transform our understanding of the changing role communities play, or could play, in conflict and/or to break new ground in the ways that conflict research is conducted or co-produced with communities and related community-focused organisations and/or our potential to learn from community-engaged research. Proposals under this heading may focus on any stage in the conflict lifecycle including: responses to the threat or potential (re-) emergence of conflict; experiences of, and responses to, on-going conflict, including, for example, engagement / interactions with humanitarian, state, social, cultural, creative arts and other forms of, interventions; and transitions from conflict and post-conflict legacies. Proposals exploring the dynamics of community roles across different stages of conflict would also be welcomed. Potential research areas under this heading include, but are not limited to: cutting edge community engaged / participatory / co-produced research/ fieldresearch, mobilising local / grassroots knowledge and experiences, leadership, capabilities, creativity, civil society and community and cultural assets; Page 15 of 33, July 2015
innovative approaches to exploring the interactions between different communities and community groups affected by conflict and between communities and other actors and organisations (e.g. states/ governments; military organisations; gangs, criminal networks or terrorist groups; NGOs, civic, cultural, heritage and humanitarian organisations, women s or faith groups; etc.) including the role of intermediaries and translation across cultural / organisational boundaries; bringing together different combinations of disciplinary approaches to explore questions such as how do vulnerable communities respond to insecurity and how might their resilience to conflict be increased? How are different groups and generations within communities recruited into conflict networks and/or drawn into escalating or perpetuating conflicts? How can communities live productively with conflict and can conflict act as a stimulus for wider social and cultural change or community activism? new insights on civilian and other experiences of emotions relating to, and roles in, conflict (or the threat of conflict), including those of different groups within communities e.g. subaltern voices, women, children, youth, disabled groups, older groups, refugees / displaced / exiled/ trafficked populations, wounded or traumatised victims, orphaned, bereaved, dispossessed or impoverished, minority faith groups, sectarian groups, former combatants, imprisoned, etc.; novel perspectives on conflict as a barrier to, or driver of, wider cultural or social change within communities; interconnections between conflict and social justice, activism, exclusion, repression etc.; connections with digital strand for example in terms of innovative use of digital media by communities in conflict contexts, how digital media can influence trust (and mis-trust) building between communities and the development of virtual and at distance conflict communities; transforming the potential to learn across, and assess the comparative performance of, different community interventions, including cultural, heritage, multi-media and creative arts initiatives, in different community and cultural contexts (e.g. through comparative work) and to critically reflect upon what lessons can be learnt about how community engagement might more effectively shape the design of community initiatives in the future; new thinking about how communities commemorate and memorialise conflict and how restitution is made for past conflicts; how communities may address losses Page 16 of 33, July 2015
of cultural heritage as a result of conflict or related events such as displacement of communities; transitional justice and dealing with unresolved community grievances; the legacies, heritages, conflict identities and residual forms of conflict in post-conflict communities or the transition from conflict; the intergenerational community dynamics of conflict; critical reflection / perspectives on the role, agency, risks and ethics of research, researchers, intermediaries and participants in community conflict contexts. Strand 3: Conflict in the Information Age This strand of the call seeks interdisciplinary proposals which either: (i) (ii) exploit the transformative potential of digital methods or information technologies (in their widest sense) and/or of digital data and of new ways of gathering, analysing and combining data to support interdisciplinary research innovation on conflict, and/or examine the ways that developments associated with the emergence of the information age (either alone or in combination with other media, old or new) are transforming the character and mosaic of conflict or potential responses to it/ and/or the ways that different communities engage with, or experience, conflict. There are therefore also potentially significant opportunities under both (i) and (ii) for proposals which explore the interconnections with strands 1 and 2. There are also opportunities to connect with wider research on the information age for example under the PaCCS cyber-security theme and cross-council Digital Economy Programme. Potential research areas under this heading include, but are not limited to: use of leading edge, interdisciplinary, digital research methods, creative (re-) design of digital/information technologies and/or innovative analysis/ mining (e.g. visualisation, data mash-ups etc.) of digital data (e.g. social media or big data) to transform our understanding / ability to track conflict dynamics (emergence, spread, prosecution, language and narratives, role of different actors, etc.); innovative interdisciplinary approaches to explore the role of social and other digital media in changing the dynamics of conflict, including: use of digital media as modes of threatening, recruiting to, escalating, organising, perpetuating and transmitting / broadcasting conflict; impact on issues such as agency and Page 17 of 33, July 2015
responsibility in conflict; role of digital technologies as an enabler of distancing, sectarianism, othering, crossing traditional physical /geographical boundaries, or generating fear; and/or, the use / design of digital technologies in post-conflict contexts; new thinking on the ways that opposing sides in conflict present and justify their ideas, grievances and aspirations - past, present and future - through different media; e.g. use of language, narratives, imagery, performance and other representations (e.g. of past / heritages, faiths/beliefs etc.); developing novel insights on the forming and shaping conflict identities and networks in the information age, including interactions with factors such as gender, youth and cultural identities, etc; exploring new perspectives on different media ecologies e.g. interaction between new and old media in conflict situations; re-thinking regulation, control and state interventions and technology design in the information age to reflect the role that digital and information technologies are playing in changing the lifecycle of conflict and address the challenges of balancing freedoms, rights, privacy, censorship, detection and protection from harm. e) Scheme Limit and Number of Awards This call invites applications of between 400,000 and 800,000 (fec) and up to 4 years duration. Subject to quality, we anticipate making approximately 5-7 awards under this category. f) Costing Proposals At Outline stage you are required to provide a summary budget. All proposals should be costed on the basis of the full economic costs (fec) of the research and all costs that contribute to the full economic costs of the proposal should be included. Proposals should be costed using TRAC (Transparent Approach to Costing) methodology and should only include the costs required to support the research related to the proposal (that is, costs which fall outside the scope of the grant should not be included). Page 18 of 33, July 2015
The AHRC acknowledges that Outline projects may not necessarily be fully formed at the point of submitting the outline proposal and it is permissible for components such as costs and partnerships to be provisional at this stage. The main purpose of the outline stage is to assess the potential of proposals to realise the aims of the call to which they are responding. Please see Section 2 of the AHRC Funding Guide for full details on how proposals should be costed. Research Funding Guide (opens in new window). The Research Council contribution is paid at 80% of the fec. g) Application Deadline and How to Apply Outline Applications should be submitted through the Je-S system at the latest by 4pm on Thursday 22 nd October 2015, and will need to go through the appropriate institution submission process. You should submit your proposal using the Research Councils Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) System (https://je-s.rcuk.ac.uk/). To prepare a proposal form in Je-S log-in to your account and choose New Document, then select AHRC as the Council, Outline Proposal as the Document Type, AHRC Outline as the Scheme, PaCCS Interdisciplinary Research Innovation on Conflict - Research Grant Outlines 22 October 2015 as the Call/Type/Mode and then Create Document. Je-S will then create a proposal form, displaying the relevant section headings. Using the Help link at the top of each section will provide guidance relevant to that section of the form. Note that clicking 'submit document' on your proposal form in Je-S initially submits the proposal to your host organisation's administration, not to AHRC. Please remember to allow sufficient time for your organisation s submission process between submitting your proposal to them and the Call closing date. h) Attachments required for Outline Stage of Interdisciplinary Research Grants In completing the Je-S application form you must be include the following attachments for each proposal (for each attachment a font size no smaller than 11 should be used): Case for Support (4 sides of A4) Summary CV for the Principal Investigator and each Co-Investigator (2 side of A4 per CV) Publications List for the Principal Investigator and each Co-Investigator (1 side of A4 per publications list Page 19 of 33, July 2015
Letter(s) of Support from each Project Partner (if project partners are involved) (1 side of A4 per letter) Please see Annex 3 for details on what to include in each of these attachments. Page 20 of 33, July 2015
i) Assessment Criteria The following will be taken into account when assessing proposals for Interdisciplinary Research Grants: the degree of innovation and ambition within the context of the wider conflict research field; the extent to which the proposal involves a genuinely interdisciplinary research approach, drawing significantly upon and supporting mutual exchanges between- both the arts and humanities and social sciences (and wider research fields where appropriate); the extent to which the proposal meets the specific aims of the call and the overall objectives of PaCCS and offers the potential to make a significant contribution to at least one to the three strands identified within the call and an important wider contribution to the PaCCs conflict theme; the quality of the research process outlined, demonstrating excellence in terms of the research agenda, approach and methods and planned outputs; the significance and importance of the research question(s) to be explored, added value to existing research and potential of the outcomes to lead to transformative advances in knowledge and understanding in the fields concerned; whether the Investigators and wider research team demonstrate the requisite skills and experience to manage the proposed activities and whether there is a sufficiently broad range of expertise amongst the named participants; the extent to which there are effective plans for management of the activities and the monitoring of progress, including appropriate consideration of ethical issues and how risks associated with the research would be managed and provision of a realistic timetable and feasible resourcing plan for achieving the aims and objectives of the proposal; the extent to which the proposal includes an appropriate mix of collaborative partners for the research and effective plans for supporting collaborative working and/or research co-production throughout all stages of the project; inclusion of a well-developed strategy for pathways to impact and for the dissemination and exploitation of outcomes; the extent to which the potential outcomes justify the costs (i.e. value for money); the extent to which what is proposed will have an enduring impact beyond the lifetime of the award; the suitability of the opportunities which the project will make available to support the development of the research staff and early career researchers on the project. Page 21 of 33, July 2015
At the outline/shortlisting phase the panel will consider the extent to which proposals have demonstrated strong potential to meet all of these criteria at the full proposal stage. j) Timetable The outline timetable is: 16 July 2015 - Town Meeting (attendance optional) 22 October 2015 Closing date for outline proposals December 2015 / January 2016 - Assessment Panel meeting held January 2016 Notification of shortlisting outcomes April 2016 - Closing Date for full proposals Summer 2016 - Notification of funding outcomes Autumn 2016 Interdisciplinary Research Grants to start Page 22 of 33, July 2015
Annex 1 Information on the Partnership for Conflict, Crime and Security Research The Partnership for Conflict, Crime and Security Research (PaCCS) is an interdisciplinary partnership that brings together security research and other activities that are sensitive to the changing global context and have an impact in the prediction, detection, prevention and reduction of security threats. By working together across disciplines, researchers have greater opportunities to develop their joint knowledge to address areas of particular concern in the medium and longer terms. The Partnership aims to generate an evidence base founded on excellent and innovative research with significant potential for impact. The PaCCS has grown out of the RCUK Global Uncertainties Programme which began in 2008. Following a five year review of the programme in 2013 it was decided to change to a partnership model that allows for greater flexibility of funding and responsiveness to new opportunities with the focus on a narrower set of thematic areas. Significant continuities remain, and a key stream of work under the new partnership will continue facilitating knowledge exchange and supporting impact from previously funded and current activities. In order to remain adequately placed to respond to current and future challenges to global security, the Partnership is open to new opportunities for research and is committed to revisit its priority areas on a regular basis. Initially, PaCCS has identified as priorities the the core areas of: Conflict Transnational Organised Crime Cyber-security Further details about PaCCS and the activities supported by the Partnership can be found on its website at http://www.paccsresearch.org.uk/ Objectives and Key Principles The Partnership for Conflict, Crime and Security Research (RCUK Global Uncertainties Programme) will deliver high quality and cutting edge research that will help improve our understanding of current and future security challenges. It will look for opportunities for this research to deliver impact by helping those who seek to address and counter these challenges in government, businesses and societies, while considering the inter-relationships and trade-offs between security, individual freedoms and privacy. OBJECTIVES: To generate a strong research and evidence base with an initial focus on conflict, transnational organised crime and cyber-security; To fund innovative cross-disciplinary collaborative research and Page 23 of 33, July 2015
methodologies in the security field; To facilitate knowledge exchange and high uptake of research knowledge by policy-makers, practitioners and decision-makers in the public, private and third sectors; To develop enhanced capacity of UK researchers to conduct, lead and communicate high quality cross-disciplinary security research, including through effective international partnerships. KEY PRINCIPLES In planning and implementing activities under the auspices of the PaCCS the members agreed to adhere to the following key principles for collaboration: Human Security The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 established that everyone has a right to life, liberty, and security of person. The PaCCS will focus on security at a variety of levels community, national, regional and global while recognising that the individual remains the main referent for security. Independence The partners emphasise the importance of independence, transparency and impartiality and will work without compromise or political bias to pursue a research agenda reflecting the wider needs of society. Impact: Linking Research to Policy and Practice The Research Councils expect that the researchers they fund will seek to make a positive societal and economic difference. For further information please see the RCUK Mission and Statement of Expectation on Economic and Societal Impact. PaCCS is seeking to build a knowledge base that has high potential to change behaviours, policies, practices and technologies. PaCCS will support and encourage researchers to co-design, co-produce and codeliver their research with stakeholders and end users. The Partnership will also adhere to these principles and will furthermore seek to foster networks which link research base expertise with end users. Cross-disciplinary Research Responding to the breadth and complexity of challenges facing researchers and practitioners in the security field will entail both building on disciplinary strengths and effective linking through and across disciplines. PaCCS will therefore facilitate and support high quality cross-disciplinary research. Partnership within and beyond RCUK The challenges in this area cut across many disciplinary silos. The Partnership will add value to the activities of individual members, by bringing both additional resources and a broader range of disciplinary perspectives to bear on key research Page 24 of 33, July 2015
questions. PaCCS activities should therefore be jointly designed and co-funded by at least two Research Councils. Councils will also seek to build strategic partnerships, as appropriate, with funders beyond RCUK, including international partners, government, third sector organisations and business. Agility The thematic content of PaCCS will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that our collaborative efforts are agile and able to exploit opportunities, respond to needs, inform debates and are well placed to anticipate future trends. Page 25 of 33, July 2015
Annex 2: Background Information on the PaCCS Conflict Theme The scope of the PaCCS Conflict theme potentially includes human conflict (both violent and non-violent) anywhere around the globe, past present and future and at a variety of levels community, national, regional and global (while recognising that the individual remains the main referent for security). Recent decades have seen significant changes in the mosaic and character of conflict, and changes in the roles played by different actors involved in violence. While many countries and subnational areas experience cycles of repeated violence, weak governance and instability, 1 such cycles of conflict are not inevitable and new areas of violent confrontation continue to emerge across the globe. Conflict is complex, contextspecific and multi-causal, and understanding and addressing issues of conflict therefore require inter- and cross-disciplinary approaches. A broad range of expertise needs to be brought together to understand a wide range of factors that affect conflict including, for instance, unresolved historical grievances, enmities and fears; resource scarcity; environmental insecurity, migration; poverty and inequality; lack of social cohesion; weak state institutions; corruption, and identity politics. Further cross-disciplinary research is needed to deepen our understanding of the nature of conflicts, how they have arisen and are perpetuated, their regional and global impacts, and appropriate approaches and tools for conflict prevention, resolution and post-conflict development. Questions which activities funded by the Partnership might seek to address include (but are not limited to) the following: What is the life cycle of conflict and what are the most effective ways to avoid or break out of recurrent cycles of conflict and violence? What is the relationship between conflict and endemic violence? How are the causes and consequences of intra-state and secessionist conflicts changing? Do we need to reconceptualise conflict to reflect the complexity of current conflicts and the difficulty of fitting them into existing categorisations (inter-state, intra-state)? What is the relationship between state and non-state actors in specific contexts, and how can we better understand issues around state-sponsorship and 1 WDR, 2011 Page 26 of 33, July 2015