The Third World Institute (Instituto del Tercer Mundo, ITeM) is seeking scholars and activists to participate in a research project intended to contribute to the second phase of the World Summit on the Information (WSIS) decision-making process.

Research will be focused on key issues of interest to developing countries and, based on it, position and briefing papers will be produced to advise Southern negotiators and working groups on the policy implications of the different proposals they will be considering during the Summit process.

During the preparatory process for the Tunis WSIS phase events (workshops and/or roundtables) will be organized with the aim of publicizing the research concluded or in progress and involving the different stakeholders in discussions on the issues under study. Some of the document authors may be invited to present their contributions at these events.

The project is open to receive research proposals focused on at least one of the following topics:

I. Funding mechanisms for the development of communications in the South

Examples of research issues that could be addressed under this topic include (but are not limited to): Institutional arrangments for ICTs provision in the South; Taxing ICTs as an equitable source of revenues; Sustaining social and technical networks after initial funding; ICT financing in the framework of a global partnership for development, Financing infrastructure development in places that lack basic telecommunications services.

II. Internet governance and global ICTs policies

Examples of research issues that could be addressed under this topic include (but are not limited to): Institutional arrangements for the democratization of the Internet; Southern civil society involvement in ICT policy definition; Social impacts and the definition of technological standards; Human rights protection and new ICTs.

III. Issues left out of the WSIS agenda

Examples of research issues that could be addressed under this topic include (but are not limited to): Linking WSIS Agenda to other multilateral processes; The impact of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in the development of global communications; A Southern civil society perspective of ICTs for Human Development; Effective mechanisms to bring down non-physical barriers to access (pricing, trade, patents and censorship policies); ICTs policies for poverty reduction, health promotion and environmental sustainability; ICTs policies for traditional knowledge protection; Education paradigms in ICTs from a multicultural perspective; etc.

Scholars and activists with expertise on these topics should submit a CV, a relevant writing sample and a one-paragraph description of research interests via e-mail by August 23, 2004 to Pablo Accuosto at wsis2@item.org.uy.

Participants will receive an honorarium for their involvement.

The project is particularly interested in participants from the developing world.

For more information about the project, please visit http://wsispapers.choike.org/
For more information about ITeM, please visit http://www.item.org.uy/