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Deadline: 30 June 2012

The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) opens entry for the 2012/2013 edition of the Annual Film Essay Competition.

The theme of the essay competition is “Film, Family Values and the Society”. The topic seeks to evaluate the challenges inherent in home video and films, whether or not they enhanced core and positive family values and their effect on the society.

GUIDELINES

• Winners in past editions of the competition are not eligible to participate
• Participants should be 18 years and above
• Submission of entry is from June 1, and will end on June 30.

• First prize: N100, 000
• Second prize: N75, 000
• Third prize, N50, 000

• Nigerian Film Corporation Headquaters, 218T Liberty Dam Road, Jos Plateau State;
• NFC Office, Obalende Ikoyi Road, By Voice of Nigeria, Ikoyi Lagos;
• NFC Office, First Floor, Shippers Plaza, Opposite Ibru Hotels, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja;
• NFC Office, Kano State Secretariat, Kano

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: md_nfc@hotmail.com or contact@nfc.gov.ng

Website: http://www.nfc.gov.ng

Deadline: 1 August 2012

Nearly There: A Queer POC Zine

What: Nearly There is a zine project meant to address the serious absence and silencing of stories about the experiences of queer people of color. For those of us who occupy the spaces of both queer and of color (along with all our other identities), this project is about creating an arena where we can listen and be heard, find commonality and difference, and leave a mark in the making of our own queer history and POC history.

Who: Knowing full well that for many of us, terms like queer or LGBTQ+ often do not and cannot truly measure who we are but being limited by the lack of other terms, this project is for, by, and about queer/LGBTQ+ youth of color including those of us who are low-income/working class, 1st/1.5/2nd/3rd generation im/migrants, city based, Mestiz@, Chican@, rural based, bi/multi racial or mixed, undocumented, same-gender-lovin, formerly or currently incarcerated, parents, dark skinned, from any spiritual background, college educated, butch, femme, aggs, street-involved, etc, etc, etc.

Theme: For this first issue, the theme is relatively open and inclusive of any issue, concern, or interest of queer POC. Ideally looking for submissions about in/visibility in queer and POC communities, discourses on coming/being out or not, finding and creating queer POC spaces, and more. Email me with your questions! Submit: stories, poetry, non-fiction (in any format), drawings, photos, portraits, essays, etc.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries/ submissions: nearlythere@gmail.com

Deadline: 15 June 2012

For centuries, the Mediterranean Sea has both divided and joined the many disparate nations, cultures, language groups and artistic traditions which flourished in the Mediterranean Basin: the Maghreb, Iberia, Southern Europe, the Balkans, the Levant and Egypt. As a dividing line and barrier to inter-cultural exchange, it has allowed each of these regions and their many cultures to develop unique artistic traditions. As the major feature binding these diverse cultures together, however, it has also facilitated inter-cultural exchange. What happens, then, when these traditions travel, meet and merge with each other? How does the host country adopt and adapt the ideas and aesthetics coming from abroad to its own native tradition?

This volume will look at such pan-Mediterranean artistic exchange (in literature as well as film, painting, music, photography, etc.) produced during or about the Modernist period, roughly the last quarter of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th. We welcome papers addressing any aspect of Modernist and avante-garde literature and art on four related themes: first, papers which describe the interaction of two or more Mediterranean artistic traditions (international Futurism, for example, or the reception of French Surrealism in Algeria); second, two or more Mediterranean cultures (Alexandria’s Jewish community or relations between Greeks and Turks in Cyprus); third, depictions of the Mediterranean itself during the period (in, for example, Lawrence Durrell’s Bitter Lemons of Cyprus or Henry Miller’s Colossus of Maroussi); or, fourth, the myriad forms of Modernist and avante-garde art which emerged from a single location (such as Cavafy, Marinetti, Ungaretti and Durrell in Alexandria). Papers on similar themes will also be considered.

Title: The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Modernity

Eds. Adam J. Goldwyn (Uppsala University) and Renee Silverman (Florida International University)

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: adam.goldwyn@lingfil.uu.se

For submissions: Email one to two page abstracts by June 15 to Dr. Goldwyn at adam.goldwyn@lingfil.uu.se

Deadline: 15 January 2013

AJISS Special Issue on Islamist Spring? Islamists and the State: New Paradigms and Engagements

GUEST EDITORS

• DR. ABDELWAHAB EL-AFFENDI (University of Westminster)
• DR. ANAS AL-SHAIKH-ALI (IIIT, London)
• DR. NADER HASHEMI (University of Denver)

Research papers (from the various disciplines of the social sciences and humanities), which reflect on all aspects of the theme of Islamists and the state are welcomed.

Book reviews on relevant books are also welcomed.

Shorter reflection pieces of two thousand to three thousand words are also invited.

POSSIBLE TOPICS

• theoretical papers examining the impact of the Arab Spring on the for tunes of Islamist movements and the ramifications for wider Muslim politics

• case studies, qualitative interviews, and comparative studies of Islamist groups across the spectrum or across borders

• critical and in-depth examinations of the shifts in Islamist views and practices on the state and democracy and their methods of engagement with various social groups

• critical studies of variations in Islamist attitudes toward women and minorities

• critical studies of the impact of par ticular scholars or leaders on the Islamist scene

• studies of the role of new actors and leaders (women, youth, professionals, etc.) within the emerging Islamist movements and what impact it may be having

• critical examinations of the views of Islamists on regional and international issues, including attitudes toward the West and Israel

• critical engagement with current scholarship on Islamism and on Western official attitudes to Islamic movements

• critical studies of the post-Arab Spring state, the regional order, and the impact on various political forces, including Islamists

• critical explorations of the impact the new democratic atmosphere is having on the tendencies, visions, and programs within Islamism, and whether it is favoring radical or moderate groups

• critical studies of the fortune of radical or violent Islamist groups in the post-Arab Spring era

• in-depth explorations of the evolution of Islamist political thought, including comparative perspectives acrossmovements and regions

• critical assessment of intra-Islamist debate, in par ticular generational and ideological divisions on all matters political

• critical studies of the impact of existing “Islamist” experiments – such as those in Iran and Sudan – on the evolution of thinking, attitudes, and priorities of Islamist groups across the world

• in-depth explorations and forecasts of emerging trends and possible directions in the thinking and practice of Islamist groups and the significance and likely impact of these trends

• historical studies of underlying structural forces in contemporary political change, or previous effor ts at democratization

• explorations of the reactions of liberal and secular actors to the ascendancy of Islamists, and how the interaction between the two camps is impacting the democratization process

• examination of the changing discourse of the West towards the various Islamic movements and vice-versa, before, during and after the “revolutions”

SUBMISSION

Submission Deadline: January 15 2013

• Publication Date: July 2013

Regular research papers should be between seven thousand and ten thousand words (7,000–10,000). All submissions should conform to AJISS guidelines: original, unpublished research, and presented as double-spaced and single-sided.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: a.el-affendi@westminster.ac.uk

For submissions: send all contributions as an attachment in MS-Word, with a 250-word abstract and a short biography, simultaneously to: a.el-affendi@westminster.ac.uk, iiit@iiituk.com, and nader.hashemi@du.edu

Website: http://www.amss.org/

OOSKAnews, Inc. is seeking freelance journalists to contribute articles for our weekly reports on the water sector in developing countries. We are specifically looking for contributors in or on China, Southeast Asia, Central and South America, North Africa,Israel/the Palestinian territories, the Levant, Yemen,the former Yugoslavia and the Caucasus region. Potential contributors must be able to write in English. We pay $65 per 350-400-word story. If interested, please contact editor-in-chief Liz Howard.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: liz@ooskanews.com

For submissions: liz@ooskanews.com

Website: http://www.ooskanews.com

Blessed Easter Sunday!

We were able to raise a little over $200 from our first wave of call for donations (90% of which came from our Write Jobs blog followers) and we're sincerely thankful for the support. The donations were used to pay a small honorarium to our blog designer and volunteers who helped us set up our search and alert tools, and backtrack to as far as mid-2011 announcements that we missed when we temporarily stopped operations.

We urge you to support the work we do and the service we provide - just through the first 3 months as we try to sort out how else we can source funds to keep our blogs alive. Perhaps, you are already an established writer or you can find opportunities somewhere else, but we would like to exist and keep running our resource sites for young and emerging writers who check our blogs daily hoping to find an opportunity where they can hopefully be recognized.

A small donation will go a long way. We won't promise to send you the Hot Jobs reports right away as we're still trying to raise funds to hire a few more people for encoding and proofing - but we're targeting to release it in a few weeks. This new blog design is final - and we can focus on the Hot 500 project from today.

Thank you very much in advance.

Deadline: 15 April 2012

An analytical information service based in Nairobi, Kenya seeks to recruit experienced African writers with the competence, dedication and networks to write weekly reports on regional issues ranging from Economics to Politics.

You should be a Subject Matter Expert (SME) with research and writing experience or; journalist with experience writing on complex regional issues. Journalists covering these beats or opinion piece writers who work on these issues on a regular basis are especially encouraged to apply.

You will be responsible for writing objective, insightful and predictive pieces on issues affecting your country and its environs. You will not be required to leave your country. A commitment to sending timely and clean copy is mandatory.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPECTATIONS

1. Excellent writing, research and analysis skills.
2. Excellent command of English. Knowledge of French or Arabic is a plus.
3. At least five years experience writing analysis, stories or commentary on newsworthy and important developments in the African region; or experience researching these issues with an ability to write short, witty pieces.
4. Great contacts in news circles and political offices.
5. Interest in breaking news, current developments in your country of residence and African Affairs.
6. Experience writing internationally or with international organizations and contacts.
7. Professional and dedicated to writing original work.
8. Understand how African issues are interrelated and develop over time.
9. Published and/or run an informative blog.
10. Must be a resident and live in one of the 54 African countries.

Writers, who have won awards; are respected in their countries commentary and news circles or internationally are especially encouraged to apply.

Interested and qualified candidates should email their most recent resume and samples of projects worked on to info@rmi-ea.com by the 16th of April, 2012. These samples could be in the form of web links to published works, scanned copies of your work or a link to your blog. There is no need to send a cover letter but kindly include a short introductory note with your daytime contacts and an indication of your fee range for freelance work.

The earlier you submit your application, the better. The subject of your email should be, “Re: Analytical Writers.”

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: info@rmi-ea.com

For submissions: info@rmi-ea.com

Writers, like all creative professionals, always have room for improvement and development. Even acclaimed or widely published authors may find themselves hitting a creative wall at some point in their career. While writing obviously requires many attributes that go beyond concrete techniques, such as skillful use of intuition and a sense of the reader – many characteristics of a good writer are also well within the realm of craft. Following are some craft pointers and exercises that both beginning and established writers can use to grow their writing skills:

• Read Widely – Reading as much as possible with as much variety as possible is a prerequisite for writers of all stripes. Perhaps you are already “well-read” but in what sense? Perhaps you have read all the classics, but there is still much to be learned in the ways of sentence structure, diction and the human condition. Consider reading periodicals or genres that are outside your normal reading material. If you write primarily realistic fiction, pick up a book of abstract stories. Inspiration can be found in trade journals, science fiction, nonfiction journalism, and nearly all types of reading material.
• Utilize a Dictionary – If you find yourself using the same words and images in your work, it may be time to refresh your vocabulary. Most writers have a wide vocabulary, but they may be prone to using some words more than others out of habit. Find a quality dictionary and spend some time going through it. Look for words that are common, but that you rarely use in speech or in your work. In this way, you will add fresh language to your work, without it sounding stilted or overdone.
• Set Deadlines and Schedule Writing Time – Perhaps your writing struggles stem from an issue of motivation or structure. Since writing is a vocation of choice for many people rather than a traditional job, it can be difficult to complete projects in a timely manner. Practice setting deadlines for pieces of writing that you are working on; allotting a particular time every day to write or a particular word count to complete, can also act as motivation. Examine literary journals from art colleges or writer’s websites for writing competitions you can enter. The hard deadline of a competition can motivate you to work.
• Examine Sentence Cadence – Even if you are not a poet, you should take some time to examine the cadence of the sentences in your work. The stressed and unstressed syllables in your sentences may make your work read faster or slower, depending on their placement. They can also make sentences flow more easily or make them sound halting and displeasing to the ear. It also makes sense to pay attention to the length of your sentences. Short sentences are more urgent and punchy, while long ones can add a flowing effect.
• Use the Tools of Plotting – Consider how you normally plot your work, if you are a writer of short stories or novels. Changing up the plotting tools you use can add new insight to your writing. Many writers generally start their stories from the ending or from some traumatic beginning event. Others do not work with causal events at all, but instead start with a particular philosophical idea. Still others intersperse non-causally related incidents to form a rich texture. Whichever device you normally use to structure a story, consider a different approach, even if you only use it as an exercise.
• Get Academic Support – Pursuing an academic degree in writing or even enrolling in a single class can also serve to improve your writing. While a formal education is not necessary to become a writer, the advice and guidance of an experienced writer can help the new writer gain traction and realize key themes apparent in their work.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – The Center for Writing Studies (2012)

Jerz’s Literacy Blog (2011)

Teachers of Color is a diversity recruitment resource center for prospective teachers, school employers, educational institutions and professional organizations. Our mission is to connect multicultural teachers with those committed to diversity recruitment.

UTRS Group, an online teacher recruiting and applicant management system is looking for interns to help blog on high ranking educational blogs.

The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated self-learner with basic knowledge of social media and blogs. They will work with other interns to build the entire web presence based on the team leader's direction. We will meet at least 1-2 times a week (web/phone conference). Work will be done on your own time and scheduled outside of those meetings.

We are happy to work with your college so you can do this for credit as an independent study.
We are adding interns on a rolling basis. Be prepared to talk about what you have done in social media and how you approach large projects.

Compensation: Paid on blog performance $200 monthly

Telecommuting is ok.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: nzrcf-2939091909@job.craigslist.org

For submissions: nzrcf-2939091909@job.craigslist.org

Website: http://www.teachersofcolor.com/

Date: 31 March 2012

BOOK N GAUGE X: CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT. XPECT ANYTHING!

X is that figure in mathematical calculations that you have to find. X stands to be filled in by you. For the tenth edition of Book N Gauge, we leave you come for Book N Gauge X and decide what to call it, what to make of it. From our end, we are so sure that it is going to be about surprises. Who doesn't like that?

Book N Gauge X will feature conversations with two writers, Chuma Nwokolo and poet, Ralph Tathagata; Performance by Efe Paul Azino. It's going to be music, poetry, readings and more music. For Chuma to be reading a second time at BnG, you know there is a reason, you want to find out? Then, come!!!

WRITERS & PERFORMER

Chuma Nwokolo: Lawyer, writer and the publisher of African Writing magazine. He is author of the poetry collection Memories of Stone, the serial Tales by Conversation, and many novels, including Diaries of a Dead African, the Pulpfaction Club Book of the Month for October. He was writer-in-residence at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Chuma’s writing has been termed as funny yet witty. We have featured him once; for this edition, he will read from his latest collection of short stories, The Ghost of Sanni Abacha.

"The Ghost of Sani Abacha tells the story of a man who climbed to the top of his political career only to become disillusioned about the grandeur of wealth. From these stories, Nwokolo brings to life various issues pertinent to life such as love, betrayal, jealousy, greed, power and pride. He weaves his stories around both the rich and poor, city and village life"--The Debonair Book Blog

Ralph Tathagata was born in Obiohia-Bende, Abia State. Presently, he lives in Lagos. He is largely self-educated: a poet, a writer, a journalist and a former general secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos State.

Endless Roads, his first collection of poems, is a profound portrayal of contemporary Nigeria. It is concerned with the State and resultant mental states. The collection shows an awareness of African, European and North American poetries and deals with its varied subjects through a rich variety of poetical forms. In spirit, Endless Roads is satirical and lyrical, to be savoured with a biting tongue. Seeing human life through a surreal kaleidoscope, these poems possess a visionary, even hallucinatory quality. They discover beauty in strange places, in ways that continuously enrich the imagination.

PERFORMER

Plumbline studied as a Geo-scientist, rather than digging oil pipes; he “mines” words. Influenced by poets like the late Mamman Vatsa and the late Ken Saro Wiwa, the songwriter and spoken word artist wrote poetry from his secondary school days. He performs Spoken Word Poetry at most Lagos Events like Wordslam, Anthill, Taruwa and hosts Chill and Relax. His words dash straight through the heart of the audience and leaving them with thoughts, little mementos to take home.

Auction Session: There will be an auction session. What do you get? Latest books that you can only find online. Hot CDs that are yet to be on the streets. There is also a surprise X auction item, come to find out. What are you waiting for? Let the bargaining begin.

ALSO:

• A one-on-one interaction between authors, performers and readers.
• A platform for book enthusiasts to meet, interact and network. (Members of PulpFactionClub on Facebook and followers on Twitter would have a grand opportunity to meet).
• Freebies, lots of it. Let’s start with this. Invite five friends, ensure they come for the event and win a free book.
• Live Musical performances by: Jeffrey Plumbline
• Book signing.

VENUE: Debonair Bookstore, 294, Herbert Macaulay Way, Sabo, Yaba.

Remember: Bring five friends and win a free book! Gifts are available for early birds too.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: pulpfactioner@gmail.com

Website: http://www.facebook.com/groups/pulpfactionclub/

Deadline: 16 April 2012

"Mixed Race 2.0: Mixing Race, Risk, and Reward in the Digital Age" is a project dedicated to examining the intersections of multiracial identities that lurk behind the scenes of everyday life in an increasingly networked world. In recent years, multiracial identities have seen increased representation in media, politics, art and activism. To explore these exciting transitions..., "Mixed Race 2.0" will pose questions and provide analyses that strike the core of what multiracial identities have meant, currently mean, and will mean to generations across the globe.

The primary question is: What does mixed race 2.0 mean to you? Potential themes with which to address this question include, but are not limited to:

• 2010 v. 2000 US Census
• Digital v. Analog
• “Hapa” v. “Mulatto”
• Book v. e-Media
• One Box v. Check All that Apply
• Consumers and Marketing
• The Ivory Tower v. The Real World
• America v. The World
• History v. Future

There is a significant market for a contemporary and analytically engaged, yet very accessible, book and media project on the meanings of multiracial identities in the digital age. The target audiences are both popular and academic consumers. The general consumer interested in race, identity, politics, demographic shifts, popular culture and media subject matter will find "Mixed Race 2.0" interesting and engaging. The academic consumer will find this text to be multi-disciplinary, and suitable for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as researchers and practitioners in the fields of communication studies, journalism, critical cultural studies, racial/ethnic studies, popular culture studies, mass communication and media studies, media literacy, sociology, and education.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

We welcome the following formats of submission: essays, high-resolution images of artwork, short films no longer than 3 minutes, and music in mp3 form no longer than 3 minutes. Essay contributions should be approximately 2000 words, Chicago formatted, in 12-pt Times New Roman font. All submissions are due on or before Monday, April 16, 2012. Submissions should include contact information and a brief 50-word bio for each author. Authors of accepted projects will be notified no later than Tuesday, May 15, 2012.

All inquiries and submissions should be sent to the editors below:

• Marcia Alesan Dawkins (mixedrace2.0@gmail.com)
• Ulli K. Ryder (mixedrace2.0@gmail.com)
• Alexandrina Agloro (mixedrace2.0@gmail.com)

For inquiries: mixedrace2.0@gmail.com

For submissions: mixedrace2.0@gmail.com