Call for papers

For the first year, we herewith place a call for five papers. The focus of the papers are as follows:

1. Mapping and conceptual analysis of gender policies, practices and strategies of Dutch development NGOs and DGIS
2. Review of evaluations of gender policies and gender mainstreaming in Dutch NGOs, the Ministry for Development Cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a selection of other bilateral agencies
   
3. Mapping and analysis of the field of gender and development studies in Dutch academia
4. Reflection on thinking about women's empowerment, gender equality and development in academic literature and debates
5. Case analysis of the processes and strategies to integrate gender equality concerns into the review process of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness
   

In all papers, we seek a multi-layered analysis that encompasses ideas and conceptual approaches to gender mainstreaming, the policies and practices involved as well as the actions of key-actors in the different arenas. Yet, the different papers have a different emphasis. We seek to disentangle different dimensions of institutional practices. In some papers, thinking and interpretations of gender, empowerment and gender mainstreaming find a central place (e.g. paper 2 on evaluations of gender mainstreaming, and 4 on theoretical debates on GAD, empowerment and gender mainstreaming). Other papers focus more on mapping practices, policies and strategies (e.g. paper 1 on development agencies, and paper 3 on academia). It is important to consider both what is written about gender mainstreaming strategies and policies, as well as mapping the practice in different sectors (Ministry, NGOs and academia). Both dimensions allow for different conceptual reflections. We feel that disentangling the different dimensions of gender mainstreaming and empowerment policies, strategies and research allows for a better understanding of how ideas and practices of gender mainstreaming take shape. It also allows to exploring at which levels and in what ways ideas and/or practices are successful or facing difficulties in gender mainstreaming. This rich and diversified analysis from different levels and with different foci will provide a rich basis for further discussion and reflection in, and hopefully beyond, the On Track with Gender Trajectory.

Call for papers

For three of the five papers indicated above, we hereby place a call for papers. Paper 1 and 4 will be prepared by CIDIN. For paper 2, 3 and 5, we are inviting authors to submit a proposal for the writing of those papers.

PROCESS
The papers will be prepared in a participatory process which allows for the exchange of experiences and insights among gender experts in Dutch organizations and agencies. At the start of the process (January 2009), the author(s) should convene a meeting with experts on the possible content and guiding questions of and materials to be analyzed in the paper. Three months later (in the second half of March 2009), the author(s) meets again with this group of experts to discuss the first draft of the paper. The aim of these two meetings is to:
(1) stimulate exchange and dialogue between different stakeholders in gender mainstreaming and
(2) to create a mechanism for input and feedback on the writing process.
During the writing process, authors and their advisors in the reading committees can exchange materials and versions of the papers through intranet facilities of the DPRN On Track with Gender Trajectory.

The five papers have to feed into a workshop of the On Track with Gender Trajectory which will take place in May 2009, and will provide the basis for the further development of the next two phases of this trajectory. The papers will not necessarily be presented in full at the workshop itself. The On Track with Gender Steering Committee wants to build on the insights of the five papers for both the actual design of the program of the workshop in May 2009. The insights of the papers will hence play a central role within that workshop.

Proposals

Authors who wish to write one of the above papers, are invited to submit a proposal. The papers can be written by one author or two authors working together. Authors should have demonstrable writing experience, and should have knowledge and expertise in the field of women's empowerment, gender equality, and gender mainstreaming, as well as international cooperation, and organizational and institutional development.

Proposals should be one-two pages, max, including proposed research questions, indication of type of analysis, preliminary outline of paper, time line, budget, background on author(s). The proposal should specify which materials - and when relevant, which organizations and/or institutions - will be included in the analysis, and how the selection for these materials, organizations and institutions has been made. The proposals should be accompanied by a short curriculum vitae, indicating past and present professional affiliations, relevant expertise and recent relevant publications.

Proposal for the writing of the papers should be send to Anouka van Eerdewijk or info@ontrackwithgender.nl. They should be received by the On Track with Gender Steering Committee on December 1st 2008 latest.

The proposal will be reviewed in week 49 and 50 by a small committee of members of the Trajectories Steering Committee. The decisions on acceptance will be communicated to the applicants in week 51 or 52.