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Placement opportunities for students at the University of BirminghamProject IndiActs – led by Wouter PeetersCentre for the Study of Global Ethics and Department of Philosophycontact@ Project descriptionThe aim of Project IndiActs (Individual Actions for global justice) is to create a one-stop website where people can find very practical recommendations to contribute to a better world. Often people say that they are aware of problems such as climate change and poverty or exploitation, but that they don’t know what to do about these problems, do not have time to look up information, are confronted with conflicting information, … The project would try to reduce these epistemic problems and make it easier for people to take actions that contribute to a better world with bite-sized (but comprehensively researched) tips and suggestions. The difference with some other initiatives (e.g. Effective Altruism, fair fashion evaluators) is that this project does not necessitate substantive background assumptions, works on different fronts (unilateral as well as political actions), and is quick and practical. Key is also to do this in a non-moralising, enticing, optimistic way, and to take into account ancillary benefits for the individual themselves.In a first phase, the project’s themes will be limited to environmental sustainability (including tackling climate change) and poverty alleviation (including global health). Possible themes and subthemes include, but are not limited to: How to take simple measures to reduce energy consumption in one’s homeHow and why to invest in biodiversity conservation (including, for example, reforestation/afforestation)With which organisations to improve global healthHow to increase car mileage by behavioural changesWhich brands provide socially and environmentally sustainable fashion (and other) itemsHow to implement the principles of minimalism and alternative hedonism in one’s daily lifeWhy and how to offset one’s greenhouse gas emissionsWhat are effective projects and organisations to reduce severe povertyElements of the website include:3 layers: Practical, bite-sized recommendations (in enticing language) that people can easily followRationales for these recommendations (e.g. why we recommend a certain brand of clothing)Overarching principles and criteria for evaluation (to base rationales and recommendations on) and methodological information. In addition, ethical background information: e.g. arguments why individual actions do make a difference, what is exploitation, what is fairness, …Other elements: links with related initiatives (e.g. fair fashion, Buy Nothing Day, Effective Altruism, …), Contact- and feedback forms, mission statement and other formal stuffThe project envisages the following activities for students to engage inResearching specific organisations/brands/…Putting the recommendations in enticing bite-sized tips, with an attractive layout (including tweet-style messages, short home-made videoclips, memes), as well as providing a rationale in non-technical languageResearching related initiatives(Re)writing background information in an accessible waySocial media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and communication with NGOs and other organisations to promote the websiteLearning opportunitiesPlacements with Project IndiActs will offer the following learning opportunities. Research communication: students will increase their skills in communicating theories and research to a lay audience. These skills will be developed through supervised practice, peer-evaluation and discussion.Knowledge development and transfer: students will learn more about one or more issues of global justice (including the subthemes of the website mentioned above). Consistent with the previous learning opportunity, they will learn how to make this knowledge accessible and to transfer it to rmation management: ideally, we will be gathering a lot of data and information about brands/organisations/initiatives/…, as well as the input of other people (focus groups, surveys, …). One of the tasks is managing this information from start (considering different systems of information management and setting it up) to finish (how to extract the relevant information). This is a transferable skill which will be developed in practice and supervised by the placement provider. Critical reflection: We will use ethical criteria to evaluate brands/organisations/… This research will contribute to the students’ ability to critically reflect and process information. When?The placement will take place in the first three weeks of July 2020, and the website will go live mid-July. Students should be able to join on the start date of 1 July, but, depending on whether it is a placement for credits or a voluntary placement, work can be done flexibly afterwards. There is also the opportunity to do preparatory work spread over Spring and Summer Term (e.g. support in conducting focus groups, setting up social media accounts, …)PrerequisitesThe only essential prerequisites are:Good command of the English language (especially writing)Being communicativeInterest in themes of global justice, including the themes mentioned above)Highly desirable (but not absolutely necessary): Knowledge of issues of global justice (including the themes mentioned above) and organisations who work towards addressing theseCreative writing skills (and being creative in general)Experience with social media, vlogging, pod-casts, meme-generatorsExperience with WordPress ................
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