Deadline: March 31, 2015
The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) invites entries for the 2015 Electoral Integrity Graduate Student Essay competition. The award will be presented to the author (or authors) of an outstanding graduate student essay written in English based on the paper’s significant contribution to the theory and practice of electoral integrity.
Theme
Recent decades have seen growing attempts by the international community and domestic stakeholders to strengthen electoral integrity. Yet their quality remains problematic, with multiple flaws and failures evident throughout the electoral cycle. The theme for this year’s essay competition is in line with a workshop on electoral integrity held prior to the 2015 APSA annual meeting in San Francisco.
This workshop, sponsored by EIP and the Elections, Public Opinion, and Voting Behavior organized section (EPOVB), is titled “What Works? Strengthening Electoral Integrity” and it will explore the following question:
What the most effective policies and types of strategic interventions which rectify common electoral problems and thereby improve the quality of elections?
Awards Details
The author (or authors) of the winning paper will receive
- an award of $750
- a further award (up to US$1,000) for the costs of attending the award ceremony at an international meeting.
The 2015 award will be presented at the American Political Science Association annual meeting in San Francisco, CA, 2 September 2015.
- The award recipient will also have the opportunity to present their paper at a relevant policy-makers conference (to be determined in consultation with International IDEA).
Eligibility
- The essay is open to graduate students worldwide
- Essays must be written in English
Application instructions
Papers are welcome from students enrolled in a graduate program (at Masters Level, Doctoral Level, or equivalent) at any time from 1 January to 31 December 2014 at an accredited university, regardless of gender, age, nationality, race, ethnicity, or citizenship.
To be considered, all applications must include:
- A paper written in English should be between 25 to 50 double-spaced pages, inclusive of reference matter;
- A cover page listing all the authors, contact details, title and a short 100 word abstract;
- A curriculum vitae;
- A photocopied document demonstrating your student affiliation during 2014.
Co-authored papers will be considered for the award, but only if all authors were graduate students during 2014. The winning paper will be selected by a three-person award committee. The award recipient will be notified in May 2015.
Please submit applications by email to [email protected] or by mail to:
Electoral Integrity Project
Department of Government and International Relations
259 Merewether Building (H04)
University of Sydney, NSW 2006
Australia
For more information, visit Graduate Student Essay on Electoral Integrity and the IDEA Website.
