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Oxford University International Gender Studies Centre Fellowship Program, UK

Publish Date: Sep 24, 2015

Deadline: Oct 02, 2015

International Gender Studies (IGS) Centre at Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford, is pleased to announce the call for applications for two fellowships for research into women’s empowerment in Eurasia, generously funded by the Open Society Foundations. The Global Dialogues & Women’s Empowerment in Eurasian Contexts Fellowship Programme will provide opportunities for intellectual engagement, critical education and political empowerment of women from Eurasian countries to enable them to become transformative leaders in their own societies and as global citizens. The Fellowship Programme will be implemented under the aegis of the International Gender Study Centre at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, UK.

Our Programme is dedicated to two interconnected goals, the facilitation of the Fellows toward authoritative and leadership roles, and inculcating the importance of intellectual processes in bringing about social change, principally through critical education and political empowerment. As a secondary, but highly important goal, each Fellow will produce a single academic/conceptual or policy-oriented paper to be published by IGS. The purpose of the Programme is to investigate difficult and important issues that societies in Eurasia face in social and economic justice from a gendered perspective. The Programme will be both taught and independent research-based.

The Programme will balance academic programming with applied mentoring reflecting a holistic approach, developing both intellectual and professional skills. Fellows will take courses at the International Gender Studies Centre, with options such as 'Feminist analyses of power, empowerment and diversity', ' Gender violence and institutional transformation', ' Gender, development, and the state', and others.

Fellows are expected to take full advantage of the Foundations’ expansive reach and work to bring new people and fresh ideas into its organizational ambit. Successful projects should push the boundaries of current thinking and carry lessons that can be applied to a variety of settings. In addition to their conceptual/academic or policy paper described above, Fellows may produce a variety of work products, including publications such as books, reports, or blogs; innovative public-education projects; or the launch of new campaigns or organizations. They should also be prepared to engage in activities such as hosting panel discussions, traveling to conferences, participating in policy debates, and actively promoting their ideas in public venues. The Programme will support the fellows financially in the production and dissemination of their research.

Programme Details

Timeline

Applications are due by email by noon (BST) on 2 October. Short-listed candidates will be contacted by 5 October for letters of reference. These must be emailed to IGS no later than noon (BST) on 9 October. Open Society Foundations’ approval of the selections will be sought prior to offers of place. Successful candidates will be notified on 16 October and should be prepared to immediately begin the visa application process. IGS will provide guidance throughout this process. Successful applicants will arrive in Oxford in advance of the beginning of Hilary Term 2016 (11 January), on or around January 3, and will depart Oxford by July 31st, shortly after the end of Trinity Term 2016 (25 June).

Fellowship Support

Successful applicants will be supported in accessing accommodation in Oxford, applying for a visa, and applying for medical insurance. They will be informed of opportunities and resources available within the wider University. Fellows will have access to the University of Oxford main libraries, the Bodleian, as well as College library access at Lady Margaret Hall. They will have access to shared work space at the University, and will receive financial support for research-related expenses.

Fellows will receive a living and accommodation stipend commensurate with Oxford living expenses. In addition to the stipend, fellows will receive a project budget. That budget may include expenses such as in-country travel (including airfare and hotel), visa costs, conference fees and health insurance. The purpose of the fellowship is to support individual fellows; therefore the program will only cover individual expenses. Fellows do not engage in paid employment while in the UK for the duration of this Fellowship, in order that they focus exclusively on opportunities and responsibilities associated with the Programme.

Eligibility Criteria

Essential Criteria

The proposed Fellowship Programme seeks to equip Fellows for the important task of making a difference in their home societies through individual intellectual and political empowerment. Aimed at creative thinkers and social change makers from the Eurasian region, the Programme will select Fellows in consideration of their past accomplishments and for their potential in leadership roles in the public and private spheres of activism, which may also be in the religious domain, and in both academic and civil society institutions. Its purpose is, furthermore, the enhancement of Fellows’ aptitude to participate in regional and global discourses and activity on cultural, political, social and economic issues, always from within informed, gender-critical perspectives.

Applicants should possess a deep understanding of their chosen subject and a track record of professional accomplishment. Fellows might have worked as journalists, activists, academics, and practitioners in a variety of fields, but they are expected to have obtained an advanced degree and be able to give proof of an impressive academic record. Successful applicants will be eager to utilize the many resources offered by IGS, LMH, and the Open Society Foundations and be prepared to engage constructively with and within our global networks. 
Applicants must meet the following essential criteria:

  • Citizenship and ordinary residency in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan

  • At minimum, an undergraduate education and/or qualifications demonstrating commensurate skills and experience: formal and informal research experience

  • Competence in written and spoken English (Support for improving English language skills will be provided by the Language Learning Centre at Oxford)

  • Established contributions to gender equality and demonstrated experience working in the area of women’s empowerment in the Eurasian Region (while the Fellowship Programme is explicitly committed to female empowerment, both male and female candidates are welcome to apply)

Desired but not Essential
Candidates are welcome to submit a RESEARCH PROPOSAL of no more than 2000 words, (approximately 3-4 pages in 12-point font with one-inch margins) outlining the Candidate’s objectives for the Fellowship. This gives an opportunity to add other skills and experiences you consider relevant to this application.
A fully-developed research proposal is not mandatory. Rather, do indicate your primary area of research and initial ideas. What kind of outcomes do you expect to work for (e.g., an academic working paper, policy report, or a critical state of the field overview in your outlined area of interest)?

Ineligibility Criteria

The fellowship does not fund enrolment for a degree or for study as part of a degree programme.

Application Check-List

The candidate must email the following documents to igs.admin@lmh.ox.ac.uk no later than 12 noon on 2 October 2015.

  • Cover letter (one page)

  • Brief listing of biographical information (name, age, gender, contact address, email, nationality, country of residence).

  • A full CV  (Times New Roman 12pt font, single-spaced, one-inch margins)

  • In the first round, you are required only to submit the names and contact information of two referees. If you are notified that your application has made the shortlist, one Letter of Recommendation must be written by an academic supervisor with knowledge of your academic strengths, and the other should be written by a referee with knowledge of your civil society engagement (for example, the Executive Director of an organization, or the Editor of a news journal). Letters should make reference to the relationship with the candidate, and should include an appraisal of the candidate’s qualifications for a Fellowship position.

  • A Research Proposal, as described above. Whilst not obligatory, this would be welcome.

In Case of Questions
Applicants who are uncertain whether their topic fits within the Programme’s focus are invited to submit a brief letter of inquiry, accompanied by a CV, before proceeding with the full application process. The letter of inquiry should be addressed to Dr Maria Jaschok at maria.jaschok@lmh.ox.ac.uk. Inquiries regarding any other matters contact Karen McCallum at igs.admin@lmh.ox.ac.uk.


This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

http://www.lmh.ox.ac.uk/IGSC/Home/Community/Research-Fellows/Eurasian-Womens-Empowerment.aspx

Similar Opportunities


Disciplines

Gender Studies

Study Levels

Research

Opportunity Types

Fellowships

Eligible Countries

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Moldova

Russia

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

Uzbekistan

Host Countries

United Kingdom