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University of Oslo PhD Research Fellowship - ‘Foreign aid and Poverty Reduction’, Norway

Publish Date: Nov 15, 2016

Deadline: Jan 09, 2017

‘Foreign aid and Poverty Reduction’

The Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM) at the University of Oslo is inviting applications for a 3 year PhD research fellowship. SUM is an international research institution at the University of Oslo with a well-established track record of undertaking critical, independent and high quality interdisciplinary and policy-related research on the challenges and dilemmas posed by sustainable development.

SUM’s current research is anchored in the following research areas: Poverty and Development in the 21st Century,
Energy and Consumption, Culture, Ethics and Sustainability, Global Governance for Sustainable Development and Global Health.

SUM is primarily a research institution, but also offers PhD courses and an International Master in Development, Environment and Cultural Change. The Centre has the status of Research School specialising in educating scholars interested in interdisciplinary perspectives on development and the environment.

Description

In this call, we invite innovative proposals that correspond closely with SUM’s research area on Poverty and Development in the 21st Century with a specific focus on the linkage between foreign aid, development and poverty reduction. Aid, or development assistance, has a long history; it is more than half a century since the first United Nations Development Decade was declared. Despite massive changes in international politics and the world economy, traditional Western donors have long dominated the international aid community. Now, with the tremendous diversity and growing numbers of non-traditional donors and developing partners, especially since the turn of the century, prevailing conceptions and modalities of aid and development are being challenged. This represents both opportunities and challenges for poorer countries around the world, especially with regard to how this diversity will influence the fragile progress made in areas such as good governance, aid effectiveness and poverty reduction. At the same time, much remains the same in ‘aidland’: continued debates about the need for policy coherence, problems of corruption, criticism of United Nations bureaucracy and Bretton Woods neoliberalism. There is a need for critical research, from different disciplinary perspectives, on the challenges that aid still faces: both for ‘donors’ and ‘recipients’.

We encourage applicants to submit proposals that develop new research-based knowledge on the impacts of aid on poverty reduction. We are particularly interested in innovative proposals that focus on one or more of the following:

Critical examination of the internal workings of governments and aid agencies and how these affect what happens ‘on the ground’;

  • Study of major initiatives, especially those in which Norway plays a significant role;
  • Collaboration between traditional and non-traditional donors in development projects;
  • Success factors and lessons learned in the process of implementing projects that promote development and poverty reduction.

Applicants should enclose a project description (max. 10 pages), which shows how the project relates to one or more of the above-mentioned topics. The project description should also include a budget and progress plan.

Requirements

  • A 2-year Master’s degree in humanities or social sciences (including development studies)
  • Academic and personal ability to complete the project within the time frame (3 years)
  • Collaboration and communication skills (including written and spoken English)
  • Interest in interdisciplinary academic work

The selected candidates will have their place of work at SUM, but will – as a condition of being granted the fellowship – have to be admitted to a doctoral programme at one of the faculties of the University of Oslo, and follow the researcher education course at that faculty. The academic work will result in a doctoral thesis that will be defended at one of these faculties with a view to obtaining a PhD degree.

The candidates will be selected according to the following criteria:

  • The quality, relevance and originality of the project proposal
  • Academic merit (degrees and grades obtained)
  • Relevant previous publications and work experience

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the quality of the project description and on the assumed academic and personal ability on the part of the candidates to complete the project within the given time frame. Short-listed applicants may be invited for an interview at the University of Oslo.

• Applicants must be fluent in English. Knowledge of Norwegian, Swedish or Danish is an advantage.

We offer

  • a challanging and friendly working environment
  • salary 432 700 NOK - 473 100 per year depending on qualifications
  • favourable pension arrangement
  • attractive welfare arrangements
  • workout during hours,  1,5 h pr week

To APPLY click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.


This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

http://uio.easycruit.com/vacancy/1736861/71568?iso=no

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Disciplines

Development Studies

Environmental Studies

Study Levels

Research

Opportunity Types

Fellowships

Eligible Countries

International

Host Countries

Norway