Aims
The new project aims to:
- Produce and disseminate to the wider region new knowledge about Kosovo’s
statehood and its complex policy making questions.
- Gather together and provide necessary support to a number of young and
dynamic researchers engaged in cutting edge analysis of contemporary
Kosovo.
- Engage the project participants in designing new and innovative
dissemination ideas and tools.
- Form a network of dynamic and promising young academics that will become
the springboard for future research on Kosovo.
The process
A total of twelve to fourteen young researchers (from eligible countries and
Kosovo) will be selected and provided the opportunity to realize, under guidance
from experienced researchers, a comprehensive study on an aspect of policy
making in contemporary Kosovo. Upon their selection all project participants
will be placed in research ‘pairs’ and will be assigned an experienced
researcher/professor who will guide their research through continuous
interaction (face to face meetings or email/skype communications).
During the early phase of the project participants will agree with research
supervisors and project coordinators individual research plans and
networking/dissemination plans. The project participants will spend six months
of data collection, analysis and drafting. During these six months they will have
the opportunity to visit Kosovo for data collection and research networking
purposes․
Individual research papers by ‘pairs’ of researchers will be submitted to the
project coordinators and after a rigorous review and revision process they will
be assembled together in an edited volume that will be published in Kosovo.
Numerous activities disseminating project findings and publicizing the edited
volume will be organized by KFOS and the project participants. The latter will
receive all necessary support from KFOS to realize their dissemination plans.
Finally, towards the finalization of the project, participants will engage in
forming a research network that will continue planning of new research on
Kosovo statehood and policy making in the future. Project participants will have
the opportunity to implement creative and innovative ideas for the formation
and functioning of the network and KFOS will provide support to the plans that
will be reached by participants as a group.
The strengths
Outstanding young researchers in the early stages of their careers are
encouraged to apply. Selected participants will have the opportunity to:
- Participate in an intensive but exciting kick off workshop in Thessaloniki
during which they will attend master classes and get guidance and advice on
their individual researches.
- Receive research guidance from experienced researchers and professors for
the entire duration of this project.
- Visit Kosovo and spend several days engaging in data collection, interviewing
for project purposes and meeting Kosovar policy makers and civil society as
well as other project participants.
- Publish their research in an edited volume that will receive plenty of
publicity in Kosovo and the wider region.
- Receive full funding from KFOS for all project activities (Thessaloniki kick off
workshop, field trip to Kosovo, publication of edited volume etc).
- Receive from KFOS a modest honorarium for their work.
- Be members of an exciting new group of dynamic young researchers who will
devise creative and innovative ideas for future research, dissemination and
networking.
Topics to be investigated
The project coordinators have identified a list of indicative themes for
investigation:
- State building and institutional development in Kosovo [institutional building
and institutional reform; assessment of state building efforts; state building
priorities and policy agenda for the future; international assistance for state
building; EU conditionality and implementation of reforms; Kosovo’s EU
accession: process, challenges and obstacles, prospects]
- Kosovo and democracy issues [democratic transition, reform and institution
building; political parties and party system; elections and electoral system;
functioning of democratic institutions and quality of democracy; foreign aid
for democracy promotion; civil society and democracy]
- Kosovo security issues [security and defence agents and institutions; security
considerations and policy planning; security sector reforms non-traditional
security threats; human security; security cooperation]
- Transitional justice and dealing with the past in Kosovo [judicial and nonjudicial
forms of dealing with the past; uses of memory; collective memory
and identity building processes; aspects of the reconciliation process;
interpretations of history (history that unites and history that divides)]
- The integration of the Serb community in Kosovo [political and social actors
and institutions of the Serb community; electoral behavior; memory and
identity building processes among Kosovo Serbs; institutional development;
the local implementation of the Pristina-Belgrade agreements; building
bridges between the Albanian and the Serb community]
- Issues of heritage management and protection in Kosovo [revisiting Kosovo’s
failed UNESCO bid; understanding institutions and policies of heritage
management; building constituencies for heritage protection; practices of
commemoration and memorialization; heritage that unites and heritage that
divides; heritage as a tool for reconciliation]
Proposals for studies falling within these themes will be given a priority.
However, the list is not exclusive and outstanding proposals focusing on themes
not included in the above list will also be considered.
Requirements are the following:
A Master’s degree in a social sciences discipline; applications from candidates
currently pursuing doctoral studies or have recently completed their
doctorate are welcome and will be considered favorably.
- Some research experience; this will be evidenced through academic and nonacademic
publications, participation in research teams, research work in
think tanks and NGOs etc.
- Fluency in English and ability to conduct research and draft academic pieces
in the English language.
- Good knowledge of contemporary Balkans and keen interest to engage in
public debates about the future of the region in the country of origin and
beyond.
- Being active in civil society, scientific or activist networks, especially with
regards to issues of policy-making and regional cooperation in the Balkans.
- Being keen social media user/blogger or willing to actively engage in new
forms of dissemination and networking.
Applications should include the following:
1. Motivation letter explaining how the candidate fits the objectives of the
project and the profile of participants.
2. Two-page proposal for a topic to be investigated.
3. One and a half-page proposal containing ideas for dissemination in home
country and beyond as well as ideas for the building of a network of the
researchers involved in the project and other experts.
4. CV and list of publications.
For more information click "Further official information" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://kfos.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KFOS-Call-for-applications-FINAL-16-June-2016.pdf