PhD candidate: Land Governance Reform in central Africa

Within the framework of a collaborative project on land governance with Mbarara University in Uganda, Nijmegen University, and Wageningen University we are looking for a PhD candidate:

Re-advertisement - Land Governance Reform in central Africa (M/F)

The candidate will work in a team with 2 other PhD-candidates and a Post-doc researcher to investigate how land governance evolves in post-conflict situations, as an outcome of the interaction between multiple stakeholders, including government, traditional authorities, NGOs, and local people. The research will focus in particular at how decentralization influences relations of governance, how it impacts the legitimacy and authority of local institutions, and how it affects the resolution of land conflicts. A central aim of the project is to foster learning and stimulate exchange on this theme between academics, development organizations, local community institutions, and local governments.
Preferably, the research project will be carried out in Burundi, yet, proposals for research carried out in DRC, Rwanda, or South Sudan will also be considered, The research includes several periods in the Netherlands for proposal writing and training (6 months) and thesis writing (6 months). For the rest of the time you will be based at your field work site

We ask
You have a Masters degree in a relevant discipline (sociology, anthropology, development studies, political sciences), and you can demonstrate your capacity of conducting high quality research and have experience with working in teams. You are prepared to carry out extensive ethnographic fieldwork in Central Africa. You possess a good knowledge of English and, if the research will take place in a francophone country, of French as well. You are prepared to travel to the Netherlands for extended periods, and visit your colleagues that are based in northern Uganda and South Sudan. You are available and prepared to do the PhD full-time for a duration of 40 months. A separate budget for fieldwork is available. Preferably you are based in Africa. Unfortunately, EU citizens cannot apply.

We offer
An appointment for a period of 40 months. During your stay in the Netherlands you will be offered a scholarship of € 1,500 a month and € 1,200 a month when in Africa.

Additional information can be obtained from: Prof dr ir J.W.M. van Dijk (dijkh@ascleiden.nl) ( tel +31 6 3078 6637) or Dr Mathijs van Leeuwen (m.vanleeuwen@fm.ru.nl) (+31 6 4096 4636)

The organization
The African Studies Centre is an independent research institute devoted to the study of Africa. The position is based at the Africa Studies Centre. Supervision is provided in collaboration by the Africa Studies Centre, and Nijmegen and Wageningen University. The PhD degree will be obtained from Wageningen University, the Netherlands (see http://www.wageningenuniversity.nl/UK/informationfor/PhD+programmes/). PhD candidates from non-Anglophone countries are required to submit an internationally recognized Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language (TOEFL or British Council, IELTS).

To apply for this PhD position the interested candidates are requested to send
• Your CV
• A letter of motivation
• An (electronic) copy of Research MA degree or Mphil
• thesis or recent publication
• A preliminary (draft) research proposal for the research project (max 1000 words)
• Evidence of familiarity and engagement with ethnographic research
• Declaration of availability to pursue the PhD full time for the 40 months of the scholarship years
• The names and addresses of three referees

Applications should be sent electronically to Ms Maaike Westra (westra@ascleiden.nl) before May 15, 2012

A more detailed project description can be found here. Additional information can be obtained from: Prof dr ir J.W.M. van Dijk (dijkh@ascleiden.nl tel. +31 6 3078 6637 ) or Dr Mathijs van Leeuwen (m.vanleeuwen@fm.ru.nl tel. +31 6 4096 4636).

Join the mailing list for vacancies by sending an e-mail to: asc@ascleiden.nl. Please note that you will also receive vacancies in Dutch. These will not be translated.