Applications sought for Next Gen Fellowships in Peace, Security & Development from early- career scholars from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda

The Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa program was launched in June this year in response to a shortage of well-trained faculty now reaching crisis proportions in African higher education. The program is now seeking applications for Fellowships in Peace, Security & Development aimed at nurturing the intellectual development and increasing the retention of early-career faculty in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. Approximately 45 awards are offered in a given year across all three fellowship opportunities and all five eligible countries.

The program assists fellows to develop research opportunities and skills, obtain doctoral degrees, and participate in robust research communities. Toward this end, the project features a thematic focus in order to renew basic research agendas addressing peace, security, and development topics as well as strengthen interdisciplinary social science research capacity on these issues.

Funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York, this project complements foundation initiatives to develop and strengthen the next generation of African scholars.

The program features three distinct competitive fellowship opportunities for early-career social science faculty who hold positions in accredited colleges and universities in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda:

–    Doctoral dissertation proposal fellowship: Supporting short-term research costs of up to $3,000USD to develop a doctoral dissertation proposal.

–    Doctoral dissertation research fellowship: Supporting 9-12 months of dissertation research costs of up to $15,000USD on a topic related to peace, security, and development.

–    Doctoral dissertation completion fellowship: Supporting a one-year leave from teaching responsibilities with a stipend of up to $15,000USD to permit the completion of a dissertation that advances research on peace, security, and development topics.

Eligibility

–    The fellowships are available to early-career scholars, this category includes faculty who hold the title “lecturer” and have yet to complete their Ph.D. Applicants should also be at least 10 years away from the age of retirement.

–    This fellowship program is only available to faculty who are enrolled in Ph.D. programs but have yet to complete the degree.

–    All applicants must already hold a master’s degree.

–    The fellowships are available to applicants from all disciplines in the social sciences, including anthropology, economics, history, geography, political science, psychology, and sociology. Fellowships are also available to Ph.D. candidates from related fields, such as law, provided that the applicant engages social science literature and uses social science methodologies.

–    The program supports projects exploring the intersection of peace, security, and development. These issues can be broadly conceived to include, for example, work on civil society, humanitarian intervention, law and political practice, media and human rights, peace and reconciliation, public culture and associational life, religion and conflict resolution, social movements and democratic participation.

Application deadline is August 31, 2011.

For more information and details, please visit this link.