The Twenty-First OSSREA Social Science Research Grant Competition for Young Scholars

The Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA) is a regional research and capacity-building organisation based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Its mission is to develop and promote the emergence of a culture of excellence in the study, research and training in the social sciences.

OSSREA is offering research grants to successful applicants based in eastern and southern Africa during the current year. Proposals may be submitted by researchers from any of the disciplines in the social sciences involving applied social and economic analyses of contemporary development issues. Grantees are expected to conduct field research anywhere in eastern and southern Africa.

The objectives of the competition are to encourage young scholars to conduct research in the social sciences, to strengthen teaching in the social sciences through the joint participation of faculty and students in field research, and to enhance the subsequent availability of research findings for teaching purposes.

The competition is open to proposals focusing on any topic in the social sciences. However, special consideration will be given to proposals focusing on the following themes:

• Media and Democracy

• The Challenge of Globalisation and Poverty

• Migration Dynamics and Changing Rural-Urban Linkages

• Reform and Reconstruction of African Public Sector Institutions

• Population Movements and the Spread of HIV/AIDS

• Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and Social Institutions

• Accountability, Ethics and Leadership

• Civil Society, Multi-party Politics and Democratisation

• Regional Economic Cooperation

• Environmental Issues and their Relations to Development

• Criminalisation and the Culture of Bureaucratic Corruption

• Bird Flu/Avian Flu Prevention and Care

All applicants must be based in eastern or southern Africa, currently employed, enrolled in or otherwise affiliated with a national institution which conducts research. They must hold at least a Master’s degree from an accredited academic institution. The applicant's institution must endorse the research to be undertaken and be willing to provide some support to the applicant. Proposals prepared for the fulfillment of the requirements for a degree will not be accepted.

Individuals who have won in previous OSSREA competitions are not eligible.

A complete proposal should contain the following:

1. A synopsis of the proposed research, including:

   Title, (b) Background, (c) Problem statement, (d) Study objectives, (e) Study significance and scope, (f) Conceptual framework, (g) Literature review, (h) Methodology, (i) Bibliography, (j) Work plan, and (k) A break-down of the budget required to accomplish the proposed research both in local currency and its equivalent in US Dollars.
   

2. A current curriculum vitae of the applicant, including age, gender, educational level, nationality and a detailed address (Postal address, Tel., Fax & E-mail).

3. A letter of endorsement from the institution of affiliation and official clearance from the relevant government authority (in countries where this is applicable).

4. The size of the proposal should be limited to a maximum of 10-15 pages with 1.5 line-spacing. Applications that exceed the stated page limit will not be considered at all.

The budget for the proposed research should not exceed US$5,000 and may be used to cover actual research costs (e.g., local travel and subsistence, supplies, acquisition of documents, photocopying, etc.). This will be subject to the approval of the Jury. Allocations for equipment (PC, tape recorders, etc.) and contingency are unacceptable.

Not more than US$1000 of the total grant will be allowed as payment of honorarium to the grantee.

Research grants will be awarded on the recommendation of a panel of scholars drawn from eastern and southern Africa. The panel will review all proposals, with the names of the applicants removed.

Successful applicants will be expected to take up their awards within three months from the date of notification. Normally, the award will be good for a period no longer than one year, by which time a final report and a statement of accounts for the grant fund expended should have been submitted to OSSREA.

Grantees will be required to deposit copies of their final research reports with the relevant university library, sponsoring academic department or the national archive(s) in the country where the research was conducted, in addition to submitting to OSSREA one hard copy and another copy on a CD or a floppy disk.

Grant applications and proposals should be submitted to OSSREA by express mail before 30^th April 2007. Electronic submissions will not be accepted. Completed applications and inquiries should be addressed to:

The Coordinator
The 21^st Social Science Research Grant Competition
OSSREA
P.O. Box 31971
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel.: 251-11-1239484/1239717
Fax: 251-11-1223921
E-mail: ssrgc@ossrea.net 
Web site: http://www.ossrea.net

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