Apply for the Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa: Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship to receive up to $10,000 and complete your PhD on peace, security, and development.
About
The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is dedicated to supporting the advancement of social science research in Africa through its Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa program. One of the key initiatives of this program is the Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship, which aims to aid doctoral candidates in completing their dissertations on topics related to peace, security, and development. This fellowship is a crucial opportunity for scholars in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda to take significant steps towards their academic and professional goals.
Overview of the Fellowship
The Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship provides a stipend of up to US$10,000, enabling recipients to take a one-year leave from teaching and administrative duties to focus on completing their dissertation. This financial support is designed to help candidates in the final stages of their doctoral studies to finalize their research and writing. Additionally, fellows are invited to participate in two workshops each year, where they can further develop their dissertation chapters and enhance their scholarly writing skills with the guidance of experienced facilitators.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the fellowship, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Citizenship: Must be a citizen of a sub-Saharan African country.
- Enrollment: Must be enrolled in a PhD program at an accredited university or affiliated with an institution in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, or Uganda.
- Progress: Must be in the final year of writing their dissertation and have completed at least two dissertation chapters.
While the program prioritizes applicants who hold a faculty position or demonstrate a strong commitment to higher education in Africa, it remains open to all eligible candidates. The program also strongly encourages applications from women to promote diversity within the fellowship recipients.
Benefits of the Fellowship
Financial Support
- Stipend: Receive up to US$10,000 to cover living expenses and allow for a one-year leave from teaching and administrative duties, providing dedicated time to complete your dissertation.
Professional Development
- Workshops: Participate in two annual workshops designed to enhance your scholarly writing skills and help you develop your dissertation chapters. Engage with experienced facilitators, mentors, and peers, gaining valuable feedback and building your academic network.
Research Advancement
- Focused Research Time: With financial support to cover living expenses, you can fully concentrate on your dissertation, ensuring high-quality and impactful research on peace, security, and development topics.
- Thematic Priorities: Engage in innovative research that addresses key issues in peace, security, and development, contributing to the renewal of research agendas and strengthening interdisciplinary social science research capacity in Africa.
Networking Opportunities
- Collaborative Environment: Connect with fellow scholars, mentors, and leading academics in the field of social sciences, building relationships that can support your academic and professional growth.
- Community Engagement: Become part of a diverse and inclusive community of researchers dedicated to addressing critical issues affecting peace, security, and development in Africa.
Academic Recognition
- Increased Visibility: Showcase your research to a broader audience through the fellowship’s support and the SSRC’s platform, enhancing your academic profile and opening up future opportunities for collaboration and funding.
Thematic Priorities
The fellowship program emphasizes research on peace, security, and development, aiming to renew research agendas and strengthen interdisciplinary social science research capacity in these areas. The program encourages innovative and evidence-based research that explores the interconnections between these themes. Projects may range from large-scale phenomena to small-scale social processes, with a strong preference for research that links various scales of analysis.
Potential research topics include, but are not limited to:
- Causes and drivers of conflict
- Institutional and local approaches to conflict prevention, management, and resolution
- National and regional approaches to peace, security, and development
- Identity and conflict
- Gender, youth, conflict, and peacebuilding
- Conflict, peace, and human mobilities
- Histories, arts, and cultures of conflict and peace
- State-society relations
- Economic and humanitarian perspectives on conflict and peace
- Democracy, human rights, and development
- Post-conflict development, governance, and reconstruction
- Peace agreements and transitional justice and reconciliation
- International justice, war crimes, peace, and development
- Law and constitutionalism
- Natural resource governance and development
- Climate change, conflict, peace, and security
- Climate change adaptation and mitigation practices and peace
- Globalization and emerging insecurities
- Peace education and African literatures
- Media, digital technology, AI, peace, and security
Application Process
Interested applicants must submit their proposals through the online application portal. Strong proposals will include:
- Clear and concise project descriptions: The significance of the project must be well-articulated.
- Thorough literature engagement: Applicants should demonstrate familiarity with relevant social science literature.
- Feasibility: Proposals must show that the proposed activities are practical and can be completed within the stipulated timeframe.
Proposals are evaluated by an independent, international committee of leading scholars from various social science disciplines. The evaluation criteria include the clarity and importance of the research question, the methodological rigor, and the potential impact of the research.
Workshops and Mentorship
Fellows are required to attend one workshop each year sponsored by the SSRC. These workshops provide a platform for fellows to engage with mentors and peers, receive feedback on their work, and strengthen their research and writing skills. The collaborative environment of the workshops is intended to support fellows in achieving their academic goals and enhancing their professional networks.
Awards and Support
The program anticipates awarding up to 12 Next Generation Completion Fellowships each year. In addition to the financial stipend, fellows receive valuable mentorship and professional development opportunities through the program’s workshops and networking events.
Further Information
For more detailed information about eligibility, the application process, and award details, prospective applicants are encouraged to refer to the Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provided by the SSRC. For specific inquiries or technical questions related to the online application portal, applicants can contact the SSRC staff via email at nextgenafrica@ssrc.org.
Conclusion
The Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa: Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship is a vital initiative that supports the completion of doctoral research on critical issues of peace, security, and development. By providing financial assistance, mentorship, and professional development opportunities, the SSRC aims to empower the next generation of African social scientists. This fellowship not only advances individual academic careers but also contributes to the broader goal of fostering a robust and inclusive research environment in Africa.
The program is funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, reflecting a commitment to promoting high-quality social science research that addresses pressing global challenges. As the application deadline of August 16, 2024, approaches, eligible candidates are encouraged to apply and take advantage of this unique opportunity to further their research and make meaningful contributions to the field of social sciences in Africa.