PhD Scholarship in Conflict and Development, Germany

The Right Livelihood College (RLC) is a global capacity building initiative of universities and the Right Livelihood Award, known as the "Alternative Nobel Prize". The RLC Campus at the Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, promotes cooperation and exchange between winners of the “Alternative Nobel Prize”, researchers and policy makers in fields of sustainable development in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The RLC Campus Bonn is sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

 

In this context, RLC Bonn and DAAD offer a 3-year PhD scholarship for candidates from developing and transition countries to carry out an empirical PhD research project related to the topic “Conflict and Development”. The topic refers to the issue that in the last two decades development takes places in an environment which is more and more characterized by fragile state structures, endemic violence and political instability. In this respect, themes such as human security, humanitarian interventions or the civil-military nexus become increasingly important.

Proposals have to be of practical relevance for the work of ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’ winners.

ZEF, the host institute of the RLC Campus Bonn, ranks among the Top 10 of Science and Technology Think Tanks worldwide. It is based in the City of Bonn in Germany - a center of international scientific, development and UN organizations.

The candidate will be integrated into the ZEF Doctoral Studies Program, a structured PhD program in English language. ZEFs doctoral program is unique in Europe in terms of interdisciplinarity, internationality (students from 80 countries), and size (around 30 new PhD students each year).

Qualified applicants should come from a developing or transition country (according to DAC list) and currently reside there. They should hold an excellent master’s or equivalent degree in peace and conflict studies, political sciences, development studies, sociology or related disciplines and have outstanding empirical research expertise. Experience in interdisciplinarity is an asset. Fluency in English is mandatory. The age limit is 32 years.

The scholarship is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for 3 years. It covers a PhD junior researcher position at ZEF in Bonn and respective costs for travel and research. The position starts as of August 1, 2013.

Your application should consist of:

• Motivation letter (1 page)
• A CV in EUROPASS format
• Two letters of recommendation from professors or supervisors
• Certified academic degree documents (as PDF)
• PhD proposal related to ‘conflict and development ‘ (max. 5 pages)

All documents are to be submitted in English. Closing date for applications is March 31, 2012. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The selection process is due to be completed by mid of April.

Please send your applications via e-mail to:

Dr. Till Stellmacher: stellmacher@rlc-bonn.de
RLC Campus Bonn/ Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung (ZEF)
University of Bonn Walter Flex Str. 3
53113 Bonn, Germany