Summer School - Topics in Violent Online Political Extremism, 4 July - 9 2016, Hungary

The VOX-Pol Network of Excellence is a European Union Framework Programme 7 (FP7) funded academic research network focused on researching the prevalence, contours, functions, and impacts of violent online political extremism and responses.

This week-long VOX-Pol summer course is designed to provide PhD students, post-doctoral researchers, advanced MA students, civil society, policymakers and advocates, industry representatives, security professionals, journalists, and others with an introduction to the role of the internet in contemporary violent political extremism(s), including the ethics and practices of monitoring violent extremist content;  impacts on freedom of expression and privacy online; and how to research and contribute to ensuing policy debates.

The course will be run with a mix-method teaching style and includes lectures, discussion, small group work, policy lab and hands-on practicum, as well as a field trip to the Open Society Archives. Sessions will be led by experts from across fields, including research, policy making, internet industries, and civil society.

Topics to be covered may include, but are not limited to:

• State security and online privacy in the wake of recent attacks
• The internet and radicalization and recruitment into violent political extremist and terrorist groups
• Balancing security, privacy, and freedom of expression online in responding to violent political extremism and terrorism
• The content and functioning of violent political extremist online forums
• Ethical issues surrounding monitoring of violent political extremist content online
• The role of video in violent political extremism online
• Women/gender, violent political extremism, and online media
• Role of internet and social media companies in responding to violent political extremism online, including take-down requests, blocking, surveillance and filtering of extremist content
• Case studies of particular violent political extremist group’s use of digital media, including Jihadis, right wing extremists and others
• Case studies of violent political extremism on specific social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, YouTube, etc.)
• Online initiatives to counter violent extremism
• Critical responses to research on, reporting of, and governmental responses to the conjunction of violent political extremism and the Internet
• Research methods for studying violent online political extremism

Application process and prerequisites

Applicants will have an interest in the field of violent online political extremism and be able to demonstrate how the course will benefit their work and / or research. Applicants should submit a 1-2 page statement of interest that addresses the relevancy of this course to their research, work or field of inquiry; a writing sample that addresses specific issues related to violent extremism online (research paper, policy brief, published  article, case study summary, etc); a CV; and demonstration of sufficient English language proficiency.

In order to maximize the output and opportunities for participants the course will have a maximum of 25 students. Selected students will be asked to give a brief presentation of their work during the course.

There is no tuition fee for the course and scholarships towards travel costs and / or accommodation in the CEU residency halls are available to a limited number of select participants through the support of VOX-Pol.

How To Apply

Please read the following directions carefully.

Below is the list of the documents you need to prepare or arrange for submission:

1. Completed online SUN Application Form
2. Full curriculum vitae or resume, includingteaching and research projects, list of publications, if any, and two references with contact emails
3. Motivation Letter (max 1 page) - your reasons for taking part in this summer school
4. One Writing Sample in English (max. 20 pages)

Optional attachments:

• Presentation of the project you are currently working on and would like to present at the summer school
• Letters of recommendation

• A cover letter (max. 1 page) to support application for financial aid (mandatory for those who wish to receive financial aid)

1. Online Application Form

SUN's Online Application Form, delivered by Embark, enables the online submission of the application form itself as well as all other relevant documentation, including CV's and resumes, letter of recommendation, statements of purpose and application essays (such as research proposal, case study, paper proposal, writing samples, academic records, etc.), eliminating all paper mailing to the SUN Office.

In addition, applicants will be able to use this system to track their progress and learn the outcome of their admissions evaluation online. Admissions decisions will be available to applicants as soon as they are entered into the system.

Please note that you can only apply to one course.

The application form is password-protected. 

1. a) In case you have started an application for our program in previous years, you can use your old login and password and can log in as a "Returning Embark User" (right-hand side of the page). In case you cannot remember your old password, click on the "Forget your password?" link.
2. b) In case you have not started an application before, please register first in the "New User?" section (left-hand side of the page). For registration please click on "Create an Account" and provide the requested information. Embark will send you your password by email and then you can log in and start your application, this time already as a returning user.

Further user's instructions for the online application are included in the form itself.

Should you have questions regarding the application form, check the relevant Frequently Asked Questions.

2. Full curriculum vitae or resume, including teaching and research projects, list of publications, if any, and two references with contact emails

Please upload your Curriculum Vitae or resume, including teaching and research projects, list of publications, if any, and two references with contact emails.

3. Motivation Letter (max 1 page)

In the Motivation Letter please describe your reasons for taking part in this summer school.

4. One Writing Sample in English (max. 20 pages)

Please upload an English-language document related to thecourse theme. This could be a published piece (e.g. an article) or an unpublished work in progress.

Optional attachments:

• Presentation of the project you are currently working on and would like to present at the summer school
• Letters of recommendation
• A cover letter (max. 1 page) to support application for financial aid (mandatory for those who wish to receive financial aid)

Applicants who wish to apply for financial aid are expected to upload a cover letter in which they specify their reasons.

All application materials must be submitted electronically with the online application form. CEU does not accept application documents by e-mail or fax. Candidates who may experience difficulties with the online submission of their documents should contact the SUN Office.

CEU does not return application documents, or copies thereof under any circumstances. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Inquiries

If you need help or more information during the application process, please feel free to contact the SUN staff:

E-mail for inquiry and correspondence: summeru@ceu.edu
Tel: (36-1) 327-3811
Fax: (36-1) 327-3124
Skype (free Internet telephone): ceu-sun

Notification

The SUN Office will notify applicants about the selection results around the end of April. Please check the 'Important course dates' section on the relevant course web sites for earlier or later planned notification deadlines. The final decision is not open to appeal.

Financial Aid

As the number of scholarships available is limited,funding offered by institutions or individuals is welcome so that we can invite more well qualified applicants. When choosing the financial aid package, please consider if you or your institution can contribute to the program expenses. Faculty and Ph.D. students are advised to approach their home departments for travel grants; researchers may have research grants available which can cover their participation; professionals may turn to their employers to fund their training at SUN. You can also consult some non-CEU funding opportunities listed in our FAQ section. While selection of applicants will be based on the academic merit of the applications, those willing to bear the participation costs fully or partially will be preferred in case of equally strong applications.

Financial aid is available in the following categories:

• tuition waiver
• accommodation grant
• travel grant (full or partial)
• Participants from Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union and Mongolia, as well as those coming from emerging countries worldwide can apply for financial aid in all categories listed above.

• Participants from developed countries are expected to pay tuition fee. However, there are a limited number of tuition waivers available on a competitive basis. Those who wish to apply for a tuition waiver should send a separate cover letter specifying their reasons.
• Participants are NOT eligible to receive financial aid if they attended two CEU funded Summer University courses within a four-year period.
• In case an applicant is accepted to two courses, which is only possible if the two courses are run consecutively, financial aid is only available for attending one course.

SUN Packages

All packages will include the following:

• a minimum of 24 tuition hours per week
• a certificate of attendance
• access to course E-learning page (with readings, assignments, etc.)
• access to CEU facilities (Library, IT services, sports centre including the use of the indoor swimming pool, tennis courts)
• some social and cultural events depending on the course schedules (e.g. welcome and farewell reception / outings /fieldtrips / film screenings, etc.)

1. Fee-Paying Package

Financial aid: N/A
Participant's own contribution: tuition, travel, accommodation, health insurance and living expenses

Payment deadlines

• April 30(Early Bird fee)
• May 28 (Full tuition fee)

Cancellation Policy

In the event of cancellation, CEU will refund the tuition fee as follows:

• Before May 28 - CEU will fully refund the tuition fee.
• Between May 28th and 14 days prior to the course starting - 80% of the tuition fee will be refunded. 
• Within 14 days of the course starting - no refund for tuition fees will be given. 

2. Financial Aid packages

• Tuition Waiver
  Financial aid: tuition fee waived
  Participant's own contribution: health insurance, travel, accommodation and living expense.
• Partial SUN Scholarship
  Financial aid: tuition fee waived and free accommodation in a double room
  Participant's own contribution:health insurance, travel and living expenses
• Full SUN Scholarship
  Financial aid:tuition fee waived; free accommodation in a double room and a full or partial travel grant
  Participant’s own contribution: health insurance and living expenses.

The Full SUN Scholarship includes a full or partial travel grant which can be applied for on a competitive basis and will be available in a limited number. Visa costs and short domestic trips are not reimbursed. The citizens of the following countries are not eligible to apply for a travel grant: Bosnia, Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and the western part of Ukraine and qualify therefore for a Partial SUN Scholarship.

This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

http://www.summer.ceu.hu/violent-2016