SECOND CALL FOR APPLICATIONS:

MASTER’S SCHOLARSHIPS
DEADLINE: 6 OCTOBER 2023

The South African Research Chair in Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma at the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest (AVReQ), Stellenbosch University, invites applications for scholarships for full time Master’s research. AVReQ is offering two scholarships for students who intend to enroll for a master’s degree in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University. The scholarships are intended to contribute to AVReQ’s research teams working on questions of race and institutional cultures with a focus on the local level within a global context of these debates.

Research Area and Themes:

All research to be undertaken must be relevant to the exploration of the theoretical, historical, cultural, and social underpinnings of the following:

  1. The construction of patterns of institutional cultures.
  2. Transgenerational construction of racial practice and the consequences of race as a human identity.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  1. The applicant must have successfully completed an Honours degree and obtained 70% or higher.
  2. Must clearly show strong commitment to pursue postgraduate study with motivation to be part of a research community;
  3. The applicant must have obtained the Honours degree (or other senior university qualification) not more than two years ago at the time of application.
  4.  Female applicants who are refugees with recognised refugee status are encouraged to apply.

DURATION AND COMMENCEMENT
The duration of the Master’s scholarship is two years and will commence in January 2024 or soon thereafter with proof of registration.

The value of the bursary awards is as follows: 

This is a full scholarship valued at R162,000.00 per annum for 2 years. Continued funding for the second year depends upon satisfactory research progress and relevant reports by the Coordinator of the Masters programme. 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Submit your application via email to Dr. Samantha van Schalkwyk [samanthavs@sun.ac.za] with the following information:

  • A cover letter explaining why you are interested in the scholarship.
  • A draft research proposal of no longer than 5 pages, 1.5-spaced, including a reference list of no more than a page long.
  • A copy of your Honours thesis, or letter from your supervisor confirming that you will graduate by the end of December 2023.
  • Your CV, indicating your date of birth, year you completed your Honours degree, and the names of two contactable academic referees.
  • Copies of all official academic records (certified copies).
  • Certified copy of Identity document and other documents relevant to the requirements of the scholarship.

Email enquiries for more information about the scholarships may be sent to Dr. Samantha van Schalkwyk at samanthavs@sun.ac.za with the following subject title written in capital letters: MASTER’S SCHOLARSHIP ENQUIRY 2024.

Closing Date: 6 October 2023

South African Research Chair in Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma

Call for Applications:

Doctoral Scholarships

Deadline: Friday, 9 June 2023

The South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma at Stellenbosch University is seeking applications for PhD scholarships funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF). In the first phase of the application process, the SARChI Chair and Stellenbosch University research team will be responsible for shortlisting candidates and the NRF will make the final decision in the second stage of the process. Shortlisted candidates will be assisted with submitting their applications on the NRF Online Submission System.

Successful applicants will be provided with funds to support study-related costs, such as research workshops, fieldwork support and conference attendance. The SARChI Chair Works with an interdisciplinary team of senior researchers with extensive research and supervision experience with the following interest areas that students may choose as research topics or related areas of interest:

  1. Violent histories and their transgenerational afterlife.
  • Understanding the historical roots of institutional culture/s at historically white universities and its impact on diverse or specific student groups.
  • The transgenerational repercussions of violent histories on citizens who did not suffer oppression and on their descendants, with a focus on shame.
  • Revisiting specific aspects of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, or specific aspects of the Rwanda post-genocide democratization processes.
  1. Violent Histories, Memory, and Sites of Trauma.
  1. Gender violence and disrupting patriarchy.
  • Patriarchal violence at the intersections of race, class, sexuality, and other social sites of oppression.
  • (methodological) strategies for disrupting patriarchy.
  1. Cultural responses and the role of the arts (visual arts, literature, film, performance) in processes of repair and “healing” historical trauma.

The following are eligibility criteria for shortlisting candidates:

  • PhD applicants must have an MA degree in Humanities/Social Sciences with a minimum aggregate mark of at least 65%;
  • Demonstrable knowledge of qualitative research methods will be ascribed high importance.
  • A key criterion for selection of students will be the fit between their interests and abilities and the focus of the SARChI Chair programme or the specific topics listed above.

Application Procedure:

Submit your application via email to Dr. Samantha van Schalkwyk [samanthavs@sun.ac.za] with the following information:

  • A cover letter explaining why you are interested in the scholarship.
  • A draft research proposal of no longer than 8 pages, 1.5-spaced, including a reference list of no more than a page long.
  • A copy of your Master’s thesis.
  • An example of your writing (journal article, chapter, or essay).
  • Your CV, indicating your date of birth, year you completed your Master’s
  • degree, and the names of two contactable academic referees.
  • Copies of all official academic records (certified copies).
  • Certified copy of Identity document.

Email enquiries for more information about the scholarships may be sent to Dr. Samantha van Schalkwyk at samanthavs@sun.ac.za with the following subject title written in capital letters: DOCTORAL SCHOLARSHIP ENQUIRY 2023.

Closing Date: Friday, 9 June 2023

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest (AVReQ)

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS:

The SARChI Chair in Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma at the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest (AVReQ), Stellenbosch University, invites applications for a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowships commencing in February 2024. AVReQ is an interdisciplinary research centre and intellectual home that provides a vibrant environment for senior scholars, postdoctoral fellows, and postgraduate students to conduct research and engage in scholarly debates on issues of social relevance. We are offering two residential postdoctoral fellowships intended for postdoctoral research as part of a research team. The aim of the research is to develop critical intellectual capacity and contribute to research on questions of race and transformative cultures with a focus on the local level within a global context of these debates.

Selected applicants will produce research-based knowledge with social impact.

Research Area and Themes:

All research to be undertaken will be relevant to the exploration of experiences in higher education institutional context with a focus on at least one of the following:

  • Transgenerational construction of racial practice and the lived experience of race in higher education institutional context.
  • Stories of change and transformation at university campuses: relational encounters across difference.
  • Universities in the wider community in historical context.

Host: Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  1. The applicant must possess a doctoral degree in the Humanities and Social Sciences obtained in the past 5 years.
  2. Previous experience in social science research and/or research on social justice issues using qualitative research methods.
  3. Postdoctoral fellows are not appointed as employees, and as their fellowships are awarded tax-free, they are not eligible for employee benefits. The University reserves the right NOT to make an appointment if suitable candidates do not apply.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Submit your application documents via email to Dr. Samantha van Schalkwyk [samanthavs@sun.ac.za] with the following information:

  1. A motivation letter of no more than two pages on why you would be the ideal candidate to join AVReQ research teams working on one or more of the research topics outlined above.
  2. A short proposal of no more than two pages aligned with the themes above written in the form of a concept note on how you would approach one of the topics above. Importantly, concept note must include your thoughts about the significance of the research you are proposing.
  3. Updated full CV clearly showing publications history.
  4. University transcripts for MA and PhD qualifications.
  5. Names of two referees, one of whom must be former supervisor.

Deadline for Applications Tuesday 12 December 2023.