The University of Dar es Salaam, in collaboration with the GAP research group, would like to invite interested and qualified candidates holding a graduate degree in Natural Resources Assessment and Management, Climate Change, Social Sciences and/or any relevant disciplines to apply for fully funded 2 PhD positions under the GAP research programme.
The GAP research programme GAP focuses on analysing how (de)centralized modes of governance influence the distribution and use of finance for adaptation during implementation, using a comparative study of Tanzania and Kenya. GAP’s overall goal is to provide evidence for how and by whom decisions are taken, and on what and where adaptation funds are spent. GAP is organized around 3 analytical components, each unfolded in a work package (WP), focused on: the financial architecture of adaptation finance in Tanzania and Kenya (WP1); the politics of adaptation finance in Tanzania and Kenya (WP2), and building North-South partnerships and capacity for scrutinising adaptation finance and make policy recommendations for how they may become transformative (WP3). GAP is funded by the Consultative Research Committee for Development Research (FFU) under Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA). The 2 PhD positions are invited to contribute to the WP1 and WP2 of the programme.
General conditions for the PhD positions:
- The positions are fully funded and come with an attractive package.
- Successful PhD candidates will be enrolled at the University of Dar es Salaam, Institute of Resource Assessment (IRA) to pursue a PhD in Climate Change and Sustainable Development
- The duration of the scholarship is 3.5 years and starts November 2021. It includes a research stay in Denmark.
- The candidates are expected to undertake about seven months of fieldwork in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma at the national level and Arusha region in the selected study
LGAs; and to fully participate in GAP project activities; as well as follow UDSM Postgraduate studies regulations.
a) The candidate in WP1 will have a strong climate change adaptation profile and interest in financial architectures, decentralisation, government policies and practices on climate change adaptation, and link this knowledge, and the results from WP1 to the political economy, and associated adaptation finance in selected study areas
b) The candidate in WP2 will have a strong social science profile and interest in governance, decentralization, policies and practices on climate change adaptation, and be able to link this knowledge, and results from WP2 to understandings of governance of adaptation finance in local and regional contexts.
Eligibility criteria
a) The candidate for WP 1 (Focus on rural settings/LGAs)
- A master’s degree in Climate change, natural resources assessment and management, social science, or another relevant field
- Be highly motivated to develop an academic career and to pursue fulltime doctoral studies.
- Be willing to conduct fieldwork in rural district councils/local government authorities of the Arusha region, and preferably possess previous fieldwork experience.
- Ideally have been engaged in climate change adaptation issues before.
- Be willing to travel and actively participate in the GAP project activities.
- Possess good writing and communication skills.
- Be a constructive and engaged team worker.
b) The candidate for WP 2 (Focus on urban settings/LGAs)
- A master’s degree in Anthropology, Climate change, or another relevant social science field.
- Be highly motivated to develop an academic career and to pursue fulltime doctoral studies.
- Be willing to conduct fieldwork in urban local government authorities of the Arusha region, and preferably possess previous fieldwork experience
- Ideally have been engaged in climate change adaptation and governance issues before.
- Be willing to travel and actively participate in the GAP project activities.
- Possess good writing and communication skills.
- Be a constructive and engaged team worker.
Application process
Applicants are invited to develop a short PhD concept note that takes departure in at least 2 of the following 4 questions:
- What are the essential factors in the historical and/or contemporary socio-political context that can inform the politics of adaptation in Tanzania?
- In what way may ambiguity over adaptation terminologies (i.e. understandings of what constitutes adaptive actions) lead to confusion, opportunistic influence or direct interference with funds that are being channelled down to the implementation level in Tanzania?
- How and why may we understand access to adaptation funds as an arena for political contestation between actors and institutions or struggles between (in)formal institutions?
- What could be the appropriate pathways of funds allocated for adaptation action to implementing institutions
The concept note should be about 4 pages (max 1,600 words, excluding references) and outline a focus for the proposed PhD project. The following details must be included:
- Statement of the research problem
- Research questions
- Theoretical framework or Conceptual Framework?
- Selection and rationale thereof of the proposed study district in Arusha region
- Methodological approach, including fieldwork considerations
- Time plan
In addition to this concept note, submission of the application should be accompanied by the following documents:
- A detailed CV stating the applicant’s educational and professional history
- Copies of academic certificates and transcripts
- An electronic copy of the applicant’s relevant publications
- Contact details of two references
- If possible, an admission letter
The application
Deadline for submitting the application is 20th September 2021 at 12 noon (East African Time).
Applications should be sent by email with the subject title ‘GAP PhD application’ to the Director, Institute of Resource Assessment (ira@udsm.ac.tz) and copy to Dr. Noah Makula Pauline (noah.makula@gmail.com and pauline.noah@udsm.ac.tz). For access to a detailed GAP research programme description and more information about the PhD call, please contact Dr. Noah Makula Pauline.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
The assessment committee will consist of a panel of UDSM and GAP researchers.
Interviews with short-listed candidates will take place in the last week of September.
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