WE NO LONGER ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FOR THIS SUPPORT PROGRAM.

The International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC) recognizes the value of researching and documenting civil resistance campaigns and movements (which in this call we refer to collectively as “movements”—whether they are local or national, reformist or revolutionary) while they happen, or shortly thereafter. In order to ensure that there is a mechanism to support local partners—such as activists, scholars, and journalists—in recording, documenting and analyzing movements, ICNC has set up a Rapid Field Research and Data Collection Program.

View Rapid Field Research projects selected so far

This ICNC grant opportunity has a rolling application process and interested applicants can submit their proposals at any time during the year.  It usually takes up to 4 weeks for ICNC to review a submitted application and get back to an applicant with a decision, though a longer review period is also possible depending on the ICNC staff schedule or how complex the proposal is that might necessitate a review by ICNC external collaborators.

Click here to apply  [CLOSED]

Information about ongoing or recent civil resistance movements tends to be limited.  In some cases, governments may block media coverage through media restrictions or active repression of journalists.  In other cases, journalists may choose not to cover a movement, or may provide only superficial coverage of a movement’s dynamics. Movement activists are also often not focused on documenting their activities (either deliberately or because they lack the resources to do so), and movement leaders may consciously avoid public identification to protect themselves.

Yet, we know that when researchers get access to movements, speak with key people who are involved, and get the story of how and why a movement emerged, grew, organized, united people, made decisions, strategized, chose tactics, waged struggle, and adapted to changing circumstances, they can access deep and rich accounts of great value to both scholarly and practitioner communities. These unique accounts can live on beyond a particular campaign or a movement, offering important lessons for others in their own country and around the world.

We also know that unless a clear and deliberate effort is made to seek out and document this information, it may be ignored, go undiscovered, or get lost over time.  Our Rapid Field Research and Data Collection grants support local partners taking the first steps to gather information, document, research, and analyze civil resistance movement dynamics.

ICNC is interested in civil resistance campaigns and movements, which are understood as sustained collective efforts (that may be local, regional, or national) in which ordinary people engage in nonviolent tactics (such as strikes, boycotts, demonstrations, acts of noncooperation, and building alternative institution) to achieve demands related to human rights, freedom, or justice. Relevant campaigns and movements may have succeeded, failed, or still be in the middle of their struggle. The larger and/or more impactful the campaign or movement, the more interested ICNC is in its discovery.  However, in highly repressive political environments, even small campaigns and movements may be very notable and are of interest.

A grant awardee documents (through quantitative or qualitative methodologies or both) key information and examines and offers initial qualitative or/and quantitative analysis of at least some, though not necessarily all, of the below queries:

• the relationship of the selected case to other movements or acts of civil resistance within the country. For example, is the selected case a continuation of earlier mobilization that took place in previous years, or related to other mobilization that is going on simultaneously in other parts of the country?
• key actors, such as leaders or active members of the movement; its supporters, neutrals and opponents;
• how the movement emerged;
• how the movement developed: e.g. how it sequenced its movement-building actions as well as tactics to challenge its opponent;
• how the people in the movement organized themselves, made decisions, and coordinated (or failed to coordinate) their actions;
• why the movement made its particular strategic and tactical choices;
• documentation (for example, as a descriptive list, as images, as audio or video recording) of the particular civil resistance tactics a movement executed;
• how the movement decided on its short- and long-term goals;
• how the movement built unity and possible coalitions, and whether and how such unity and coalitions were maintained;
• if and how the movement attempted to reach out to neutral groups and the opponent’s allies to try to shift their positions, and with what results;
• how the movement gained knowledge of organizing techniques and strategies of civil resistance, and its methods of sharing this knowledge with—or training—its supporters;
• how the movement prepared for and faced repression, and the impact of that repression on the movement;
• how the movement maintained nonviolent discipline, and dealt with possible groups that engaged in violence;
• how the movement harnessed and managed various resources at their disposal: human; financial; material and non-material;
• if and how the movement chose to engage with external actors, and shifts in outside attitudes toward a movement;
• the movement’s achievements, if any, including reaching short-term goals and potentials for long-term impact.

ICNC offers a support grant in the amount of up to $2,500 for an individual or an organization to conduct rapid field research, data collection, and initial qualitative or/and quantitative analysis on a specific ongoing or recently ended a nonviolent campaign or movement.

Applicant must submit:

1.      A 1,700-word proposal that will include:

a.       background on the civil resistance campaign or movement they wish to research (500 words)

b.      an explanation of how they intend to do their research and collect data, and what information and data they expect to gather and, if applicable, any tentative findings that they expect to find (500 words)

c.       professional background information, including the applicant’s qualifications to do the proposed research (500 words)

d.      how you intend to use your research, and any plans you may have for publishing or promoting it (200 words)

2.      A budget to account for the grant, which can be up to $2,500.

3.      CV

4.      A list of previously written (preferably published) work, if any

Within 75 days after the applicant’s selection, a grant recipient will need to produce and submit:

o   a 4,000-word, English-language report that includes initial qualitative or/and quantitative analysis of the selected campaign or movement (approx. 10 pages single spaced), addressing the topics listed in this call under “Information to collect.”

o   Video recordings (with English-language subtitles or a transcript), audio recordings (with an English-language transcript), or English-language written transcripts of at least five interviews with a movement’s participants and other relevant actors;

o   If possible, original video footage that shows various actions and tactics of the movement;

o   If possible, original photos of the movement, its leaders/members, or movement’s actions;

o   Any movement’s memorabilia and collectibles: e.g. leaflets, posters, logo, graffiti, buttons, stamps, clothing, movement merchandise, etc. (can be captured in an electronic format).

Click here to apply  [CLOSED]

This ICNC grant opportunity has a rolling application process and interested applicants can submit their proposals at any time during the year. It usually takes up to 4 weeks for ICNC to review a submitted application and get back to an applicant with a decision, though a longer review period is also possible depending on the ICNC staff schedule or how complex the proposal is that might necessitate a review by ICNC external collaborators.