Meaning-making Research Initiatives (MRI) 2025
Application deadline: February 20, 2025
Founded in 1973, the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) promotes research by African and Diaspora scholars in the Social Sciences and Humanities with the view to better understanding social phenomena in Africa. This commitment is rooted in the belief that a sound knowledge base about the continent is invaluable to collective efforts to foster opportunity and equity, rights and well-being in the continent.
In 2017, CODESRIA introduced the Meaning-Making Research Initiative (MRI) as its principal tool for research support, amalgamating the National Working Groups, Multinational Working Groups, Comparative Research Network, Transnational Working Groups and Postdoctoral Grants. The MRI is designed to facilitate research that contributes to agendas for imagining, planning, and creating African futures. A key objective of the MRI is to increase the legibility and visibility of the research supported by the Council.
The adoption of MRI marked a renewed commitment to the task of interpretation and explanation that saw CODESRIA produce ground-breaking work on thematic issues such as democratization and economic reform in Africa. MRI strongly encourages scholars to build upon the close observation of African social realities, addressing key challenges in Africa through thorough analysis and understanding.The initiative is marked by reinforced support for researchers and their better integration into the Council’s work. MRI encourages scholars to explore diverse, innovative and alternative ways to present their work beyond the traditional book, journal article or policy brief formats.
Key selection criteria: Projects funded under this initiative should meet most of the following criteria:
- Propose research on key aspects of African social realities that fall under CODESRIA’s priority themes as outlined in the CODESRIA 2023-2027 Strategic Plan;
- Be grounded in a thorough exploration of the continent’s societies, peoples, institutions, and contexts while paying attention to issues of diversity, including gender;
- Engage constructively and rigorously with African futures;
- Be theoretically ambitious with a clear goal of providing innovative ways of making sense of African social phenomena and Africa’s place in the world;
- Explore multiple spatial, temporal and sectoral configurations where relevant to the process of meaning-making;
- Demonstrate familiarity with the knowledge already produced by CODESRIA on the subject researched;
- Be guided by clear questions, a sound methodology and conceptual framing.
Individual and Group Initiatives: MRIs could be either individual projects, or group initiatives. Groups may consist of researchers from one or multiple countries and should ideally comprise be- tween 3 and 5 members. In fact, we strongly encourage applications with members from different countries. It is essential for groups to take into account CODESRIA’s core principle of gender, linguistic, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary diversity. Each group member should have a demonstrated ability to contribute meaningfully to the collaborative work of the group. The Council offers up to USD 10,000 for individual projects and up to USD 25,000 for group projects.
Thematic Priorities: All applications must align with CODESRIA’s 2023-2027 thematic priorities and cross-cutting issues. Please note that, while Higher Education Dynamics in Africa is among the Council’s thematic priorities, it has been excluded from the MRI scheme, as the Council offers dedicated research grants specifically for higher education.
Thematic Priorities:
The State and Democratisation in Africa: Trends and Prospects
Reconnection with CODESRIA’s work on democratization and related themes; link between power, peace, and security; institutional variations, histories and contexts; debates and critiques of procedural democracy; challenges of the liberal democratic model; substantive democracy and its operationalization; typology for comparative studies on the state and democratization; state, politics, and citizenship.
Transformations in African Economies
Economic policy-making in Africa; dependency and structural transformation; export economies and industrialization; informalization of economies; histories and evolution of labor unionization; public private partnership; multilateral governance; the idea of planning in current economic thinking; heterodox traditions and welfare policy; alternative economic theories; reinventing economic systems; structural and institutional challenges of development; interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary conversations on economic policy; policy sovereignty for Africa.
Ecologies and Society in Africa
Interactions between people and ecological systems; land, food sovereignty and poverty in the developing world; histories and trajectories of environmental interactions; complex interactions of the urban and the rural; mineral extraction and the transformation of habitats; structural transformations in agriculture and industrialization; conservancy practices, commodification and impact on societies.
Cross-cutting themes:
- History, Memory and Archive
- Gender
- Generations
- Rurality and Urbanity.
How to apply
Interested applicants should submit application packages containing the following required materials as Word documents. Please note that applications that lack any of the following elements will not be considered.
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- A proposal with the following clearly titled sections: an introduction; statement and contextualization of research questions; brief review of literature and/or competing hypotheses; study design and research methodology; theoretical and practical significance of the study; research plan, a summary of the budget. Proposals must be submitted as Word documents and should not exceed 10 pages (font type: Times New Roman; font size: 12; line spacing: double). Proposals should include concise budgets, considering the strict 16-month duration of these grants. Selected applicants will be invited to attend both a launch workshop and a completion workshop.
- Budget: Click on these links to access and complete the budget template
- Annotated plan of deliverables: One-page annotated table of contents for book or annotated plan for two scholarly articles.
- A cover letter should include information -names, email and physical addresses and tele- phone number- of the project coordinator and members.
- CVs of the members of the project.
- Institutional affiliation: A letter specifying the institutional affiliation of each member.
The deadline for submitting applications is February 20, 2025.
Please use the CODESRIA online submission system via the following link : https://submission.codesria.org/mri-general
NB:
- If you have previously received an MRI grant, please refrain from reapplying.
- You may submit only one application across all three categories. Please avoid submitting multiple applications.
- In accordance with CODESRIA’s guidelines, this grant scheme is exclusively for African scholars, whether residing on the continent or abroad.
- Please note that applications from consultants and consulting firms are not eligible.
MRI FAQs
- Can the proposal be submitted in languages other than English?
- Yes, proposals can be submitted in English, French, or Portuguese.
- Can I apply as an individual and also as part of a group?
- You can submit only one application: either as an individual or as part of a group. You cannot apply both ways.
- I don’t have a PhD; can I still apply for an individual initiative?
- No, PhD candidates are welcome to be part of a group but cannot apply for an individual grant. Kindly note that the grant is not intended to fund the completion of a PhD thesis.
- Can PhD students be part of a research group?
- Yes, PhD students can be members of a research group but cannot serve as the team coordinator. The coordinator must hold a PhD.
- Can male team members be included in a female-led research team for the MRI Female Scholars call?
- Yes, male team members can be included in a female-led research team, but only in exceptional cases and with proper justification.
- Must you be a member of CODESRIA to apply?
- No, you do not have to be a member of CODESRIA to apply.
- Is there a proposal template?
- There is no specific template for submitting the proposal. However, the Call for Applications outlines the key sections expected in the proposal (e.g., research questions, methodology, etc.).
- Can I re-submit a revised proposal if it was not successful in a previous call?
- Yes, you can resubmit a revised proposal in response to a new call, provided you address the feedback received and make significant improvements to the original submission.
- Are non-African nationals eligible to apply?
- Only nationals of African countries are eligible to apply for the MRI grants. While applicants may reside either on the African continent or abroad, priority is given to scholars based in Africa, in line with CODESRIA guidelines.
- What is required for the institutional affiliation letter?
- If you are affiliated with a university or research institution, you must submit an institutional affiliation letter from that organization. Independent researchers, however, may not be required to provide an affiliation letter.
- How can I Access CODESRIA’s strategic plan?
- You can access CODESRIA’s strategic plan using this link: https://codesria.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/CODESRIA-Strategic-Plan_2023-2027-17122024.pdf
- Are there any limits or restrictions on the budget?
- The grant can be used to cover costs such as data collection, data analysis, books, and materials. Specific expenditures may be included in your budget as long as they are justified and within the funding limits. A budget template is provided to help you outline these costs. Please note that the grant does not cover researchers’ honoraria/fees.
- How many years of experience after obtaining a PhD are required to apply for an MRI?
- For the General and Female Scholars’ grants, the coordinator must hold a PhD, with no requirement for the number of years since obtaining it. However, applicants for the Advanced Senior Research Fellowship grant must have obtained their PhDs at least 15 years prior.
- What is the exact budget amount for the Advanced Senior Research Fellowship grant?
- The proposed budget will be evaluated based on the needs outlined in your proposal.
- What are the main selection criteria?
- Projects should address relevant topics, adopt a strong and ambitious theoretical approach, and incorporate innovative methods. For more detailed guidelines, please refer to the specific calls for proposals.
- I am a member of an NGO/Consulting Firm; can I apply for the MRI?
- Applications from consultants and members of NGOs are not eligible. However, independent researchers are eligible to apply.
- Can a group member belong to a discipline outside of the humanities and social sciences?
- Yes, a member of a group can belong to a discipline outside of the humanities and social sciences, provided their involvement is properly justified.
- Is the MRI program open to proposals related to higher education?
- No, the MRI program does not accept proposals related to higher education. The Council has other programs that address this topic. For more information, please visit the CODESRIA website.
