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Published February 10, 2012

Postdoctoral Fellowship in African Studies at Cambridge University

Smuts Research Fellowship in African Studies

The Centre of African Studies invites applications for the Smuts Research Fellowship in African Studies, from candidates at the postdoctoral level in all disciplines within the humanities and social sciences. Ideally applicants will have gained a PhD (or equivalent) within the last five years or will have gained a PhD by the time of the appointment. Candidates should have excellent research ability in a field which fits with the interdisciplinary ethos of the Centre. The appointment will be from 1 October 2012 for a period of three years, and is non-renewable.

The Smuts Research Fellow will be expected to carry out an approved programme of research relating to Africa, to participate in the life of the Centre, and to contribute a small amount of teaching for the MPhil in African Studies. The precise nature of the teaching contribution is open to discussion, but we would require the Fellow to be present and available to teach in either Michaelmas or Lent term each year.

The Fellow will also be involved in organising the Centre’s seminar programme and colloquia, and to take part (where appropriate) in the Cambridge/Africa Collaborative Research Programme which each year brings a group of African scholars to Cambridge for a period of six months.

The full text of the advertisement can be found here (link opens a .pdf document).

(HT: Ami V. Shah.)

Published February 7, 2012

Would You Be Interested in Peer Coaching in Development Work?

From a post over at WhyDev.org:

If you have worked in international development, you have probably experienced isolation. It seems to be a fact of life in this industry. Field-based expat staff may be the only person at their level in their local office, or the only expat on the team (or one of very few), separated from their local staff counterparts by cultural, language, and organisational barriers. Even people working in the home office may feel isolated. Perhaps they don’t feel comfortable sharing their struggles with their boss.  Or maybe the boss him/herself is the problem.

Many people working in aid and development tend to spend a lot of time talking about work with their spouses, partners, or close friends.  This can be a great source of support.  However, it can also put undue pressure on the person who is getting an earful.  Over time, they may tire of hearing the same complaints.  Someone who doesn’t work with you — or work in development — may not “get” your work context.  And a spouse will likely have a hard time remaining neutral and impartial because they have a stake in their partner’s career success.

In situations of isolation, it’s great to work one-on-one with a professional coach or mentor. However, this is not always possible, practical, or financially feasible.  An alternative that works well is peer coaching.

You can continue reading — and take a survey assessing whether there is a demand for peer coaching services — here if you think you might be interested in peer coaching related to international development.

I know I could have used a similar service when I spent eight months living in Antananarivo in 2004 when I collected the data for my dissertation. My wife — we had just gotten engaged back then — did get an earful, and she was very supportive. But when she left the US for Togo and it cost us $6 a minute to talk on the phone all of a sudden, we both lost our sources of support, and peer coaching would have been helpful.

Published February 3, 2012

IAEC Economics Postdoctoral Associate Position at Cornell

I have received this earlier this week, in case anyone is interested in applying. This should be a good occasion to get a few papers published and to acquire solid teaching experience:

Postdoctoral researchers are invited to apply for participation in the economics initiative at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Applications will be accepted for one or two-year positions, beginning approximately August 15, 2012.

In addition to research activities and interacting with economics faculty and students across the university, the position will include teaching one course. Postdoctoral associates will have access to the full range of university resources and receive an annual stipend and health benefits.  Applicants must have a Ph.D. by August 15, 2012; scholars who have completed their PhDs within the past two years will be considered.

Screening of applications will begin March 15, 2012. Applicants should submit a curriculum vita, a brief statement of research interests, a writing sample, and three reference letters by e-mail to mw46@cornell.edu. Cornell is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer; minorities and women are encouraged to apply.

Sponsored by the Institute for the Advancement of Economics at Cornell.

(HT: Chris Barrett.)