7 June 2016
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a doctoral scholarship at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre of African Studies, in collaboration with the African Governance and Space project, AFRIGOS. This full-time, fixed-term position is available for 4 years, from September 2016 to August 2019.
The scholarship is attached to the European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant entitled African Governance and Space: Transport Corridors, Border Towns and Port Cities in Transition (AFRIGOS) that runs for 5 years between 2016 and 2020. AFRIGOS is led by Professor Paul Nugent and investigates the process of ‘respacing’ Africa, a political drive towards regional and continental integration, on the one hand, and the re-casting of Africa’s engagement with the global economy, on the other. This is reflected in unprecedented levels of investment in physical and communications infrastructure, and the outsourcing of key functions of Customs, Immigration and security agencies. The principal research questions are approached through a comparative study of port cities, border towns and other strategic nodes situated along the busiest transport corridors in East, West-Central, West and Southern Africa.
The University of Edinburgh’s Centre of African Studies and AFRIGOS are looking for someone to work specifically on Chinese infrastructural investment and trade along transport corridors, and more broadly on China-Africa and China-EU relations in the context of regional integration initiatives in Africa. The successful applicant will be expected to develop an independent research project that will connect to the larger agenda of AFRIGOS. This may involve empirical case-studies from one or more regions of Africa. Because the student will carry out much of the research in China, or with Chinese respondents in Africa, we would intend to appoint someone with a good knowledge of Mandarin. It is anticipated that the successful applicant will hold a Master’s degree from a relevant Social Science or Humanities discipline.
The supervision will be provided by core members of the project team, and in particular Professor Nugent, Dr. Wolfgang Zeller and Dr. José-Maria Muñoz or by other staff within the School of Social and Political Science.
Value of Award
The scholarship will pay study fees over a four-year period, a maintenance stipend and fieldwork expenses. The successful applicant will be expected to make some contribution to the administration of the AFRIGOS project, such as providing help with organising workshops/conferences and public engagement.
Application Procedure
Applications should include:
- a cover letter of no more than 2 pages describing the applicant’s background and expertise and outlining reasons why s/he is interested in the project
- a research proposal that lays out the research questions, the proposed regional focus and relevant methodologies (maximum 3,000 words, including bibliography)
- a CV, including nationality and current country of residence
- the names and contact details of three referees
- a sample of written work in English, ideally a peer-reviewed publication or possibly a sample chapter from a Masters dissertation
- academic transcripts and proof of existing qualifications
The application should be emailed to gradschool.sps@ed.ac.uk with the subject line ‘AFRIGOS PhD Scholarship Application’.
Application Deadline
The deadline for receipt of applications is 21 June 2016.
Shortlisted candidates may be invited to interview, which would take place on Skype or over the phone in late June. Candidates who advance from this stage will be expected to formally apply to the PhD programme of the Centre of African Studies, School of Social and Political Science in advance of a 15 July 2016 admissions deadline.