IT for Change, a prominent organization at the intersection of technology and social change, has announced the second edition of its National Gender Fellowship for 2024. This initiative, supported by the European Commission and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, aims to foster original research on the complex relationship between digital infrastructures, inclusion, and women’s economic and social citizenship in India.
The fellowship, part of the project “Re-wiring India’s Digitalising Economy for Women’s Rights and Well-being,” invites early-career scholars, researchers, and practitioners to submit proposals for in-depth research projects. These studies should be based on fieldwork conducted during the fellowship period and examine the intricate dynamics of the digital economy, gender, and inclusion, with a particular focus on intersectional justice.
Overview of the National Gender Fellowship
The fellowship emerges against a backdrop of significant challenges faced by women in the digital age. These include limited access to digital technologies, precarious working conditions in the platform economy, and persistent wage gaps. Moreover, the often-idealized image of flexible platform work frequently masks the realities of intensified workloads, workplace surveillance, and algorithmic biases that disproportionately affect women.
IT for Change aims to generate evidence-based insights that can inform policies and practices promoting gender equality in the digital era. The organization encourages a range of methodological approaches, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods, to investigate the nexus between digital inclusion infrastructures, economic precarity, and gendered citizenship.
Research Themes
The fellowship outlines several indicative themes for research, including:
- Gender and Social Welfare in the Digital Age
- Women, Work, and the Platform Economy
- Women Entrepreneurs and Financial Technologies
- Women in E-commerce
- Gender and Policy Landscape
- Gendered Financial Inclusion
Eligibility
IT for Change welcomes innovative research proposals that combine fieldwork and primary data collection with current developments in the digital economy, gender, and inclusion discourse.
To be eligible:
- Applicants must be early-career scholars, researchers, or practitioners holding Indian citizenship.
- They should be women aged between 21 and 34 years as of October 1, 2024.
- Preference is given to candidates with prior experience working on digital economy and gender issues. However, it is not mandatory.
- The fellowship welcomes applications from PhD candidates but they are expected to propose an original research product for the fellowship.
Fellowship Benefits
- The National Gender Fellowship offers substantial financial support of INR 2,26,200 (approximately USD 2,750), to cover costs related to field travel for the research.
- The fellowship amount will be awarded in two installments, with a portion provided in advance and the remaining balance released upon successful completion and submission of the final output.
Application Process
- Interested candidates should submit their applications by August 26, 2024. The application should include a research proposal (under 1000 words), an author biography (under 500 words), and a budget allocation (300-500 words).
- All materials must be submitted in English as a single PDF file to the specified mail on the official website given below
- The research proposal should briefly describe the research question, objectives, and research location, and clearly state the methodological approach.
- Applicants are encouraged to include a concise literature review to demonstrate their intended research framework. The author’s biography should highlight relevant expertise and experience, while the budget allocation should provide a breakdown of how the funds will facilitate the achievement of fieldwork goals.
For more details and to apply, visit the official website at https://itforchange.net/node/2579
Additional Considerations
Selected fellows will be required to attend a mandatory two-day training workshop in Bengaluru towards the end of the year, with travel and accommodation expenses covered by IT for Change.
The resulting research will be published on the IT for Change website under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license, with the potential for cross-posting in other publications.
Application Deadline
August 26, 2024.
