What effect do international protection programmes have? How can civil society’s scope of action be shaped? In the Research Programme Martin Roth Initiative (MRI) experts conduct research on current issues in the field of foreign cultural and educational policy. Therefore ifa awards three to six-month grants and research assignments to scientists and cultural activists from the areas of art, culture, policy and media. The results are published in studies and discussion papers: ifa Edition Culture and Foreign Policy | MRI Publications.
In 2018 ifa and the Goethe-Institut initiated the Martin Roth Initiative. The joint project sponsored by the German Federal Foreign Office supports artists and cultural activists as well as civil society actors by facilitating temporary protection stays in Germany and secure third countries.
The programme scope Research accompanies the protection programme of the Martin Roth Initiative (MRI). Through ongoing and accompanying research, it is intended to open up the, thus far, under-researched field of protection programmes and to contribute to documenting the impact of protection programmes.
In particular, the intention is to gain insights on the effects and working methods of international protection programmes and their parameters. In this context, it should not only be possible to network with other programmes but the cooperation between them should also be improved while critically examining different working methods. In this way, the goal is to create resilient impact measures and to foster general improvements in the area of project orientation.
Interested scholars and practitioners from the academic, artistic or other sectors are welcome to apply for freelance research assignments. All calls for proposals by the Martin Roth-Initiative are published under 'Current Research Projects' on the ifa website Jobs and Careers.
This research project aims to map the existing temporary relocation programmes for artists and cultural workers in Latin America. What is needed to expand existing initiatives or create new ones? What is needed to build a bridge and create partnerships between art institutions and human rights organizations? What support do existing initiatives in the arts and cultural sector in Latin America need to include politically persecuted artists? What, in turn, must protection programmes for human rights defenders take into account to meet the specific needs of artists? The interim results of this research project was discussed with the community of practice in a workshop in October 2020. The project report is expected to be published in early 2021.
Laurence Cuny is a human rights lawyer, researcher and evaluator specialized in cultural rights and artistic freedom. She is a member of UNESCO's expert facility on the 2005 Convention on the diversity of cultural expressions. Her most recent publication is 'Freedom & Creativity: Defending Art, Defending Diversity', issued in May 2020.
This research project aims to give more insights into the growing collaborations between human rights organisations and arts institutions. It investigates the different types of shelter, and reflects on what risk and safety include for African artists. The approach highlights existing support systems, understanding how informal responses have been working to support artists in seeking shelter or relocation. Overall, the study is a beginning point for developing a better understanding of what the community of practice needs to support artists at risk in Africa. The interim results of this research project was discussed with the community of practice in a workshop in October 2020. The project report is expected to be published in early 2021.
Kara Blackmore is an anthropologist and curator who works at the intersections of art, heritage, displacement and post-conflict reconstruction. She has over 15 years of living and working experience in East and Southern Africa. She is affiliated to the Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
All grants and research commissions offered by ifa are updated regularly and can be found on the website under Jobs and Careers. All of the important information about the application process are given in each application.
No, unfortunately not. All grants and research assignments are tied to topics specified by ifa.
Typically, the minimum requirement is a university education with a master’s degree. Further prerequisites can be found in the application posting on the website under Jobs and Careers.
In the framework of a grant, ifa supplies a current monthly allowance of 1,500 euros for scientific work. This funding is tax-free. The grant holder must pay for his or her own health insurance. The funding is bound to the acceptance of the grant guidelines which are agreed upon before the project is awarded. During the grant period, the grant holder may not receive additional funding or be employed.
On the other hand, when accepting a research assignment, the research assignments recipient and ifa sign a project contract agreement. The research assignments recipient is responsible for tax treatment.
Yes, it is possible for universities and tax-privileged institutions to receive commissions.
The implementation of the research is the priority. The current scientific findings should be worked out concisely and precisely for those involved in foreign cultural and educational policy, and recommendations for future foreign cultural policy measures should be formulated.
Typically, the results of the research are published in a study, in print or on the internet. Often one of the agreed requirements is to conceive and implement an event, for example, a conference, colloquium or panel discussion.
This depends on the focus of the project. Typically, the projects are carried out in English or German.
It is generally assumed that every researcher has the necessary basic equipment such as a PC or laptop in order to work on their respective project. ifa has temporary workstations with PCs that can be used by the hour or by the day as well, for example, as part of research in the ifa Library in Stuttgart. While implementing the projects, ifa may work in part with partner institutions. If this is the case, the partner organisations usually provide a workspace during the project period. In this case, the research assignment recipient must be prepared to stay, for example, in Brussels or Bonn for the duration of the project.
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