The Eighth CSE Media Fellowship
The Anatomy of Discord
Humans vs Wildlife in India’s Forests
October 15 – December 15, 2008
For some years now, India’s forests and their surrounding areas have been
witness to a continuous, low-intensity conflict between their two primary
denizens: wildlife and humans. The struggle has been for space and for the
resources that these lands offer. With reducing forest cover and resources,
humans and wildlife are being pushed to confront each other.
Habitat for animals has shrunk, forcing them to invade human settlements inside
and around the forests, causing loss of life and property. In turn, they become
targets of retaliation killings and poaching rings.
On the other hand, people, dependent on forests for livelihood and sustenance,
have been given a short shrift by official policy and forest bureaucracy in its bid to
protect wildlife. This has fuelled discontent, and turned the forests’ erstwhile
protectors into poachers and smugglers. In fact, the officialdom’s efforts to keep
India’s wildlife habitats pristine by evicting and relocating people have come to
naught: in over 30 years of wildlife management, not even 10 per cent of the
families in the country’s tiger reserves have been relocated.
The Scheduled Tribes and Other Forest Dweller (Recognition of Forest Rights)
Act, passed in 2006, has rekindled the debate: Who are our forests for? How well
do we understand human-animal conflicts and the reasons behind them? What
really has been our experience with relocation, or with the implementation of the
Forest Rights Act, till date? What is the way out? Is coexistence a possibility or a
pipe-dream in today’s conditions?
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) invites journalists to find answers, by
studying, investigating and reporting on ‘The Anatomy of Discord: Humans vs
Wildlife in India’s Forests’. The fellowship offers a unique opportunity to travel
to hotspots where the conflict is playing out, look at the issues and concerns at
close range, and to write and comment on them.
Duration
Two months – October 15-December 15, 2008 – with one month of travel time
and another month for research, writing, and publication and submission of
stories and features.
Compensation and funding
Selected fellows will each receive a stipend of Rs 40,000 (subject to tax
deductions at source) to support research, travel and writing between October
and December 2008.
The stipend will be released in two instalments – the first as a travel grant at the
start of the fellowship programme and the second after its successful completion.
Who can apply
These fellowships are open to Indian journalists only. Working journalists,
freelancers and photojournalists are encouraged to apply.
Applications must be accompanied by the following documents:
· Curriculum vitae
· For print journalists, three samples of published work on development
issues. By ‘published work’, we mean articles published by / in national or
regional media.
· Those writing in regional languages must have at least one of their articles
translated into English.
· For television and radio journalists, two samples of telecasted /
broadcasted programmes on development issues – those telecasting /
broadcasting in regional languages must also give a short written
summary of the programme along with the CDs of the samples.
· A letter of support from the editor that the output under the fellowship will
be published / broadcast (mandatory for all candidates, including
freelancers).
· A comprehensive fellowship proposal outlining (a) the subject/s and story
ideas that the applicant proposes to focus on, (b) tentative travel plans
and (c) a list of people who might be interviewed.
Last date for submission of applications
September 20, 2008
Fellowships output
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