明日一早，我们即将从伦敦飞往匈牙利布达佩斯，参加中欧大学（Central European University, CEU）暑期大学（CEU Summer University, SUN——这一缩写来自其官方网站）系列课程中的“媒体，民主与公民社会”（Media, Democratization and Civil Society），进行为期两周的紧张学习。
中欧大学是一所国际性的高等学府（碰巧的是，我们去匈牙利驻伦敦使馆签证时，遇到的女签证官就从这里毕业），它的暑期大学也有多年历史。SUN则主要联合匈牙利和美国的高校师资（授课教师来自30多个国家），主要面向欧洲各高校招生（学生来自超过60个国家），每年暑期开设十余门跨学科的课程（人文与社会科学领域）。参加SUN学习的，主要是博士生、年轻研究人员、博士后。对于博士生而言，成功结业后除了拿到学习证书外，课程学分也可transfer到自己的母校。跨学科、跨种族、跨文化的暑期大学，也因此颇具魅力。
而我们要参加的“Media, Democratization and Civil Society”，与我们的学术兴趣非常密切相关。从CEU的e-learning网站上可以看到介绍：
The main purpose of the course will be to examine the interconnections between media, democratization and civil society. It will focus on the Central/Eastern European region, but will also be relevant in other contexts where media and civil society have played crucial roles in processes of democratization but where the deficiencies and shortcomings are also clearly visible. This course will examine the role of non-governmental organizations and individuals in the process of democracy building and sustainability, and address the complex negotiation around privatization and liberalization. In doing so, this course will consider what kind of enabling environment is necessary for media democracy, and what is the role and potential for civil society intervention in the development of such an environment.
The first week of the course will set the foundations by examining theories of democratization and civil society, and introducing the environment of transition countries. The second week will focus on particular areas such as public service broadcasting, community media and media ownership,and it will leave sufficient space for student presentations and for individual work on student papers. It will include debates with representatives of media and civil society organizations such as the South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM), and it will offer field trips to independent media organizations like Budapest-based community radios and multimedia centers.
这门课程将于6月16日-27日在布达佩斯进行，由美国宾夕法尼亚大学安娜堡传播学院（Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania）和匈牙利中欧大学媒介传播研究中心（Center for Media and Communication Studies, CEU）合办。
我们幸运地申请到了含免除学费、报销住宿和往返机票的全额奖学金。该奖学金由欧洲科学基金会（the European
Science Foundation ）支持的COST（European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research）项目资助。
旁边这几行字，是匈牙利前文化部长Andras Torok的笔迹。“你是否曾想过要来品尝一番布达佩斯的滋味，同时进行两周的学术活动？”——嗯，布达佩斯，我们来了。
不过从课程表上看，从周一到周五，从早九点到晚六点，上课、讨论、实地考察安排得满满当当，压力定然不小。看来“品尝布达佩斯”的美事，只能见缝插针地进行了。所幸，如今欧洲的太阳要将近夜晚十点才落山。
媒介、民主和公民社会，对中国当下语境而言是多么重要的议题。新媒介对普通人的赋权、草根的创造性、另类媒体……这一系列我一直在思考的问题，相信也会因这次学习而有所收获。
有关链接：
- CEU Summer University；
- Media, Democratization and Civil Society；
- COST A30 Action “East of West: Setting a New Media Research Agenda for Central/Eastern Europe”；
- Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania；
- Center for Media and Communication Studies (CMCS) at the Central European University (CEU)。
Tags: CEU, Summer University, 公民社会, 匈牙利, 学术, 布达佩斯
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