Deadline: November 13, 2015
The Social Science Research Council is offering fellowships to support the completion of doctoral degrees and to promote next generation social science research in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. The fellowships support dissertation research on peace, security, and development topics.
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. This program also offers two workshops each year to help fellows develop and strengthen research questions, match research methods to questions, engage key literature in their fields, and produce research publications.
The program encourages innovative research on peace, security, and development topics, moving the boundaries of scholarship and research by exploring concrete linkages between these themes.
Eligibility
All applicants must:
- be citizens of and reside in a sub-Saharan African country
- hold a master’s degree
- be enrolled in a PhD program at an accredited university in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, or Uganda
- have an approved dissertation research proposal
As of May 2015, the program prioritizes applicants holding a faculty position or demonstrating a durable commitment to higher education, but does not restrict eligibility to such individuals.
The program seeks to promote diversity and encourages women to apply.
Specific Fellowship Eligibility
Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowship – US $3,000 in support of preliminary research intended to strengthen the doctoral dissertation proposals
- Applicants must hold a master’s degree and be enrolled in a PhD program or intending to enroll within twelve months.
- Applicants must be working on a dissertation proposal which they will submit for approval by the end of the fellowship period
- Applicants must work on a topic related to peace, security, and development
Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship – US $15,000 in support of 6-12 months of doctoral dissertation research:
- Applicants must be enrolled in a Ph.D program.
- Applicants must have an approved dissertation proposal and are still in the data collection phase of their research.
- Applicants must work on a topic related to peace, security, and development
Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship – US $15,000 in support of the completion of the doctoral dissertation:
- Applicants must be enrolled in a Ph.D. program
- Applicants must be able to complete their dissertations in the fellowship period (i.e. in the course of one year).
- Applicants must have completed at least one chapter of the dissertation
- Applicants must work on a topic related to peace, security, and development
Fellowship Award
The award supports 6-12 months of dissertation research costs of up to US$15,000 on a topic related to peace, security, and development
How to Apply
All applications must be submitted using the online application portal.
A complete application includes:
- Autobiographical Sketch
- Short Narrative Explaining Fit of the Topic to Peace, Security, and Development (no more than 200 words)
- Short Answer Section on Research Questions
- Short Answer Section on Methods
- Description of Work in Progress or Already Completed
- Short Answer Section on Changes in Research Design and Findings
- Plans for the Use of the Fellowship
- Short Answer for Re-applicants
- Uploaded References (2)
- Uploaded Language Evaluation Form (if necessary)
Strong proposals will offer clear and concise descriptions of the project and its significance. Proposals should display thorough knowledge of the relevant social science literature that applicants will engage and the methodologies relevant to the project. In addition, applicants must demonstrate that all proposed activities are feasible and can be completed in a timely manner. All proposals will be evaluated for these criteria by an independent, international committee of leading scholars from a range of social science disciplines.
For more information, visit SSRC , see guidelines or e-mail [email protected] .
