CODESRIA National Working Groups: Call for 2016 Proposals for laureates and evaluators
Deadline Evaluators: 29 February 2016 – Deadline laureates: 31 March 2016
One of the most important vehicles that CODESRIA uses to mobilise national-level research capacities and channel them into organised reflections has been the National Working Groups (NWGs) Programme. Through this mechanism the Council encourages African researchers to autonomously organise and pursue research on priority themes of their choice. NWGs have been supported by the Council in over forty African countries and have resulted in some of the most interesting studies on politics, the economy and society in contemporary Africa. To better complement research institutions in Africa, the Council now requires the systematic anchorage of NWGs in university departments, faculties, and research centres as well as independent research networks and centres. All NWG proposals submitted to CODESRIA have, since 2007, been required to demonstrate this institutional anchorage and budget for an end-of-study dissemination workshop. Further, to promote the involvement of wider communities in knowledge production and consumption, the Council also now provides resources for the dissemination of the work produced by NWG to national audiences in the countries in which studies are undertaken. Applicants are requested to include a line for such dissemination in their budgets.
CODESRIA invites proposals for the constitution of NWGs under its 2016 grants competition. The Council particularly desires proposals that seek to weld structured empirical research into innovative theoretical reflections on important national issues. Winning proposals will be funded for a strict 15-month period during which work should be completed. On account of this strict timelines, past experience by researchers in their area of chosen work and ongoing work on projects proposed that indicate a high likelihood of completion within 15 months will be added advantages.
NWG sizes vary over time and space but most of the groups sponsored by CODESRIA in the past have had between four and six members. It is advantageous to ensure that a proposed NWG is multidisciplinary in composition, sensitive to gender issues both in its composition and research concerns, and accommodating of younger scholars who might simultaneously benefit from being mentored through their participation in the research project.
NWG applications packages should contain the elements below. Packages lacking any of these will be discarded in the initial sorting process before applications are sent to the Council’s independent review committee.
- Cover letter: This one-page document should introduce the proposed work of the group, list all group members including their institutional affiliation, email addresses and phone numbers and indicate the coordinator of the group.
- CVs: CVs of all group members detailing their full contact information and institutional affiliation
- Completed identification form: the attached identification form must be fully complete
Proposal: NWG proposals can focus on any topic that explores the economy, politics, culture, environment and society in any African country and should:
- Clearly state and contextualize the questions that will be addressed;
- Explore relevant hypothesis and/or review relevant literature, including that produced by the; local research community;
- Discuss the research method(s), which will be employed in the study; Spell out the theoretical and practical significance of the work;
- Provide a clear work plan including dates for the inauguration and finalisation of the work that would be undertaken;
- Specify strategies for anchoring the activities of the group within an African university, or an African research network or centre;
- Provide a letter signed by the responsible of the Institution;
- Indicate a strategy for the dissemination of the results of the work of the group;
- Include an outline budget for the realisation of the research project.
- The proposals should not exceed 10 pages long (font: Times New Roman; font size: 12; line spacing: double);
While grants to NWGs vary, recent grants have ranged between USD 10,000 and USD 20,000. Also, while no particular format is prescribed for the presentation of the budget of an NWG, it is recommended that budgets cater for the following:
A) methodology workshop to launch groups;
B) mid-term review workshop to assess the progress of the work of the NWG;
C) final/dissemination workshop where the results of the work of the group will be presented to a wider audience;
D) The cost associated with field or archival work undertaken by group members;
E) The honoraria of group members; and
F) Books that might be purchased by the group and that will be lodged in the library of a designated African university, established research network or centre.
All proposals for CODESRIA’s 2016 NWG competition should be sent electronically to CODESRIA at nwg@codesria.sn by 31 March, 2016 at the latest. All proposals received will undergo an independent review process and successful applicants will be informed by 30 April, 2016. Kindly use the subject line NWG 2016 in your email to ensure your application does not get lost. All proposals received will be submitted to an independent review process and the selected applicants will be informed no later than 31 May 2016.
Call for Applications: Evaluators
CODESRIA invites highly qualified African and Diaspora researchers with significant experience in the conduct of research and teaching methodology to apply for the position of evaluator for the 2016 National Working Group grant competition. Evaluators perform the primary function of reading, commenting on and ranking NWG proposals.
CODESRIA offers a modest honorarium for the work of evaluators and often invites some evaluators, under separate contracts, to also serve as resource persons during workshops for NWG members. Applicants should send the following documents to CODESRIA
• A one-page cover letter
• A CV with full contact details including email and phone numbers that highlights the applicant’s experience in the area of comparative research and comparative research methodology
• A completed version of the identification sheet attached to this call
The deadline for submission of applications is February 29, 2016. Notification of the result of the selection process will be done by March 31, 2016. All applications should be sent by email to National Working Groups, CODESRIA at nwg@codesria.sn. When sending your email kindly use the subject line ‘NWG 2016 evaluator’ to ensure your application does not get lost.
National Working Groups, CODESRIA,
Avenue Cheikh Anta Diop X Canal IV
B.P. 3304, CP 18524, Dakar, Senegal ,
Tel. (221) 33 825 98 21/22/23, Fax : (221) 33 824 12 89,
E-mail : nwg@codesria.sn
