Science and Technology Studies
University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
8 October 1996
David Murphy, Director
Individual Grants Section
Research Branch
DEETYA
GPO Box 9880
Canberra ACT 2601
Dear Dr Murphy,
Thank you for your letter of 22 July responding to mine of 27 May
concerning my application for an ARC large grant (file number
A79700005, category 705), which was rejected without being sent to
external assessors. The comments that you conveyed will be helpful in
revising the application. For your information, here are my responses
to the panel's comments.
"First, the application was very sloppy in defining its terms.
What is meant by making technologies useful through social means?
What are social structures? These have to be precisely and rigorously
defined..."
To the best of my knowledge, the application said nothing about
"making technologies useful through social means." It does
extensively discuss making technologies useful for nonviolent
struggle, providing examples.
I was unaware that social scientists would be unfamiliar with the
concept of social structure (e.g. capitalism, the state, family) and
will make this clearer in future.
"Second, the proposal 'to stimulate' the practicality of these
ideas (citing a 1966 study) needs to be better justified and
explained."
The application says nothing about "stimulating" the practicality of
the ideas, but rather talks about simulations as means of providing
insights about their practicality. The 1966 study is a classic
simulation of nonviolent struggle published complete with social
scientific analysis -- the only study of its kind -- hence its
citation. I will clarify this point to avoid misunderstanding next
time around.
"Third, the application failed to satisfactorily explain the
theoretical basis in which the study was grounded."
The theoretical basis is in peace research (specifically nonviolent
action) in conjunction with technology studies. A fully satisfactory
explanation for those who are totally unfamiliar with these fields
would take more space than available in the application. This is the
reason for my initial letter of 27 May asking whether the panel had
consulted a peace researcher.
"Fourth, the panel is never impressed with proposals that
indicated they are going to survey the literature for the first 18
months."
I wouldn't be either. The application specifies "Detailed study of
the dynamics of communication technology in relation to both violent
and nonviolent struggle, based on literature searches, interviews,
and queries via computer (18 months)," and then gives considerable
detail about what is involved, which is far more than literature
searching. (Indeed, there is very little of what is normally called a
survey of the literature, since the literature is quite familiar to
me. Rather, it is a focussed analysis of parts of the literature in
preparation for interviews, as described in the application.) The
application also states that this activity is spread over the entire
project, not concentrated in the first 18 months.
I will rewrite this material so that there is less chance of
misunderstanding.
Yours,
Brian Martin
copy: Aapo Skorulis, Office of Research, University of Wollongong