Visiting Fellowship at CAS, Edinburgh, 2006

From: Sara Rich Dorman
Edinburgh University
<sara.dorman@ed.ac.uk>

Centre of African Studies, Edinburgh Visiting Research Fellowships

The Centre of African Studies at the University of Edinburgh is pleased to announce its new visiting research fellowship programme. The programme aims at allowing African academics to spend time interacting with colleagues
and making use of resources in Scotland. This research initiative, funded for three years by the Scottish Executive, will have an annual theme: in year one, civil society and development; year two, health and infectious disease; and year three, education and capacity building. The visiting fellowships are intended to give young African scholars the opportunity to use the University's library resources, develop papers and projects, interact
with academics at CAS and across Scotland, and contribute to the intellectual
life of the centre and university.

Each year the fellowship scheme will fund several young African scholars to spend time in residence at the University of Edinburgh. Fellowships will
cover return airfare and a stipend of approximately £1600 per month towards accommodation and living expenses for periods of between two and six
months. Applicants should be young African scholars, with a PhD or equivalent
research experience, who are seeking to develop their careers and who are currently based in an African institution.

Research Theme 1: Civil Society, Democracy and Development It is now
widely recognised that 'civil society' is central to African politics and development. Non-state actors are agents of democratization, vehicles of empowerment and development, and contribute to a complex 'societal glue' within African states and across borders. Consequently the relationship between state and civil society must be constantly reshaped and rethought, avoiding past tendencies to homogenise the ambiguity and plurality within real civil (and uncivil) societies.

We seek to support research which develops a deeper understanding of the complex compositions of civil societies, the evolution and dissolution of organisations including (but not limited to) NGOs, community groups, churches, trades unions, and 'traditional' associations in both rural and urban areas. In particular, we are interested in new formations and new
trends within older forms of social networks.

How to apply for a Visiting Fellowship
If you would like to be considered for a fellowship during 2006:

(1) Send a short c.v. and the names and email addresses of two referees (2) Send a proposal of not more than 1,000 words on this year's theme, showing your record of past research, how you will benefit from the fellowship and what you hope to achieve while in Edinburgh. (3) Indicate the period of time you would like to spend in Edinburgh

Applications or enquiries should be directed to Prof Paul Nugent (paul.nugent@ed.ac.uk). Tel: +44 131 650 . Centre of African Studies, 21 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LL, United Kingdom. Website: www.cas.ed.ac.uk

Applicants may apply at any time, but should aim to apply at least four months before they intend their fellowship to begin.

Page Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar, Ph.D.