HHI calls for research papers on how marginalized communities survive COVID-19

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY -- The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) calls for submission of research papers about the experience of marginalized communities in the Philippines during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

 

HHI, the Harvard University’s humanitarian arm and humanitarian research center invites researchers and authors with papers focusing on the pandemic experience of any marginalized or vulnerable communities in the Philippines that may include, but are not limited to:  The Lumad or other indigenous communities; Coastal and remote communities; the elderly; Persons with disabilities (PWDs); LGBTQ+ populations and Communities living in poverty.

Deadline of submission is on September 20, 2021 and the authors of the best papers would be invited to present their work at “Surviving COVID-19 on the Margins,” an HHI-hosted online symposium in October 2021. 

HHI Program on Resilient Communities Program Director Vincenzo Bollettino, in a media statement said that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the entire globe and has been particularly devastating in parts of Asia.

It is also evident that economic, social, and political inequalities have been exacerbated by the pandemic for marginalized communities, Bollettino said.

“We are keen to understand the ways marginalized communities in the Philippines are being affected by the pandemic, how their needs can be better met, and successful strategies that have been employed to address their needs,” he added.

HHI believes that sharing experiences and stories can be an effective way to improve responses to the pandemic and hope to elucidate some of these practices through this call for papers, he said.

Although the call for papers is open to all researchers and authors who are either graduate students at the master's or PhD level, or recent graduates, preference would be given to authors who are of Filipino descent or are affiliated with a Philippine university.

Papers written by more than one author are permitted. However, papers that were previously published are not eligible.

Each research paper should be between 5 and 10 pages in length and must be submitted by September 20, 2021 (Philippine time). This activity does not involve a cash prize, and the papers would remain solely the property of the authors. In addition to presenting their paper at the online symposium, authors may be given the opportunity to publish their work in an HHI report. 

“We believe this symposium will provide an opportunity for the exchange of important ideas and serve as an opportunity for experts and concerned researchers to connect with one another on this very significant topic in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Bollettino said.

The complete details of the call for papers can be found at the HHI website: https://hhi.harvard.edu/call-for-papers-COVID. For inquiries, please contact Mark Toldo of the HHI Program on Resilient Communities at mtoldo@hsph.harvard.edu