YOU

Post graduate in international, defence or peace studies or similar, writing fluently in English, with both specialist knowledge and the flexibility to apply analytical skills to a wide range of topics, including the ability to harness and explain complex issues to potentially non-specialist readers, without jargon or over-dependence on academic sources. You must be a self-starter, and your work must have short or long term relevance to UK policy makers and opinion leaders.

WE

Study our website at www.ukdf.org.uk , www.defenceviewpoints.co.uk and our Twitter feed @defenceredbox

Note carefully what we are, and what we are not, and respond accordingly.

OFFERING

A chance to input information to the political-strategic-defence-security domain ahead of the General Election and the subsequent defence and security review process which will be conducted by whichever party wins the election.

The work will be carried out remotely and at your own pace : We seek to publish on a daily basis, so there are no absolute deadlines. You may work alone or as part of a small group. Initially we will offer support with topics and editing, but we need self-sufficient and fast learners.

THE EXAM QUESTION

One of the assessment criteria will be the quality of a piece of your writing. We ask you to produce an article of around 1000 words suitable for current publication in Defence Viewpoints. (This might be based on your last dissertation) Judgement of it will include style, intellectual argument, interest, audience appeal and original thought. The strategic will be preferred to the tactical. Does the piece meet our overall aims? Our current bete noires include ISIS and von Clausewitz.

WE OFFER

Kudos not cash. The chance to become a Research Associate. Note also please that we don’t give references. Your published work will demonstrate your qualities and value to us and our audience, as they have done to employers at home and abroad of your predecessors.

Achieving Research Associate status with the U K Defence Forum.

This is the goal and reward of internet interns

·          Requires 7 published pieces, up to 6 of which can be in Defence Viewpoints (www.defenceviewpoints.co.uk)

·          The views represented are your own, not ours

·          Copyright remains with you

·          Pick your own topic after checking against DV

·          Defence Viewpoints ideally 1000 words +/- a few hundred

·          Few if any footnotes or references. This is opinion/debate not an academic essay

·          Must be interesting and original. Tell us something we don’t know

·          And literate. We’ll only do light editing, and only if essential

·          Under some circumstances we may be prepared to publish something you’ve already published (or an edit of it) with attribution to get you started

·          Doc format, no pdf, no pictures

·          Put a sentence about your qualifications at the end of each submission

·          After publication of your first piece you may refer to yourself as a researcher rather than intern at the head of the piece

·          To get the minimum one piece published on the website or in the Journal (www.ukdf.org.uk) for Research Associate status  requires a more measured piece with long “shelf life”

·          These can be up to 4000 words and references/footnotes OK

·          Website and Journal pieces will be team-moderated before publication

·          Credit given for working with research teams

·          There is a U K Defence Forum Facebook page through which researchers can conduct dialogue, plus photograph albums

·          If you have a relevant album we may be prepared to publish it with ours

·          To get hourly defence and security updates, follow www.twitter.com/defenceredbox

·          Robin Ashby will also accept a request from you on LinkedIn

·          Research Associate status shown permanently on website but date-ended 12 months after your last piece published. So 7 doesn’t have to be the end

·          We don’t give references but do refer employers, academics, to your publication record

·          We can’t pay you, but once you’ve proved your competence we may buy you books to review

·          Researchers (but not Research Associates) are able to enter for the Tim Garden Essay Competition prize once

·          By participating, you agree we can pass on your CV and contact details to other research organisations whether or not they give us a “finder’s fee”

·          The Director General’s decision is final even if he’s wrong. Or just bored by submissions

·          Send submissions for publication to research@north-house.com