Deadline: March 15, 2020.

The Review of African Political Economy (ROAPE) announces a small research grants competition for African scholars and/or activists based in Africa. The competition is based on the premise that a shortage of funding for critical research is one of the problems faced by Africa-based scholars and activists wishing to carry forward a political economy agenda. In response to this, ROAPE is offering up to two small research grants (value £3000). The process of selection of proposals, as well as their expected format, is outlined below.

ROAPE is a refereed journal committed to encouraging high quality research and fostering excellence in the understanding of African political economy. A political economy approach entails a critical understanding of the social relationships, particularly the power relationships, that mutually constitute the production, distribution and consumption of resources. It requires us to ask who produces what and for whom and hence an investigation into social relations that are generated by struggles over livelihoods and exploitation of the many by the few. Radical political economy represents a form of engagement with those struggles.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Applicants should be nationals of an African country and residents in an African country.

2. Applicants who are based in or studying outside Africa will not be considered.

3. Priority will be given to younger scholars and activists who are not yet established and who do not have alternative source of funding for primary research.

4. Joint applications (by two candidates or more) meeting these criteria will also be considered.

GRANT

The grant is £3,000 and will be paid in three tranches. Upon acceptance of a research proposal, ROAPE will disburse 1/3 of the grant (£1,000) to successful candidates to contribute towards direct research expenses. The second tranche (£1,000) will be paid after submission of the first-year report. Part of the second tranche can be claimed in advance if the first tranche has been used up, upon provision of all receipts of expenses incurred upon.

The third tranche (£1,000) will be paid following the formal submission of an article to ROAPE.

APPLICATION

Applications should be sent by email to the following address: lcmrs@roape.net

Please make sure that you include these words in the title of your email: ‘Lionel Cliffe Memorial Research Scholarship’.

Your application should contain:

1. A brief outline of your research proposal, consisting of:

• a title
• an abstract of no more than 100 words, clarifying the political economy framing of the research
• an outline of no more than 200 words, including a section on the methodology to be adopted in the proposed study

2. your CV with:

• relevant biographical info (name; age; sex; contact details; nationality – please specify if you have more than one nationality; current residence – please specify if you have double residence)
• educational qualifications
• activist experience
• research experience
• your current employment circumstances, including any study or internship programme you are enrolled in, with specification of your remuneration if applicable.

3. a motivation letter explaining how you meet the criteria and why you think you are a good candidate for the LCMRS

4. two full references, inclusive of position/institutional affiliation; email addresses, phone numbers and (if possible) skype contacts. If you are shortlisted, your referees will be asked to produce a reference letter on a short notice.

OFFICIAL LINK: http://roape.net/2020/01/15/lionel-cliffe-memorial-research-scholarship/