Green Conflicts in Kenya’s Northern Drylands (FRONTLANDS) PhD Scholarships

2 PhD Scholarships Announcement:

Green Conflicts in Kenya’s Northern Drylands (FRONTLANDS)

Kenyatta University and Danish Institute for International Studies

Deadline for applications: 20 May 2025, at noon (East African Time)

Kenyatta University (KU) invites qualified and motivated candidates to apply for a fully funded PhD position under the FRONTLANDS research program. Applicants should hold a graduate degree in the social sciences, broadly defined to include disciplines such as environmental/development/peace and conflict studies, history, law, political science, sociology and anthropology.

The FRONTLANDS research programme

FRONTLANDS examines how the increasing involvement of the Kenyan state, NGOs, and private actors in the northern pastoral drylands, driven by conservation and green energy initiatives, contributes to emerging green conflicts. Central to this analysis is how global agendas behind these interventions materialize locally, shaping patterns of tension and conflict in the region. First, an intensified state presence, partly driven by international policy attention and interests, has transformed Kenya’s drylands from a peripheral region into a frontier of Kenyan statebuilding. Second, over the past decade, the drylands have also become a key frontier in the global fight against climate change.

FRONTLANDS brings these developments together to show how they drive green conflicts and, in the process, reconfigure existing local and regional tensions. By examining these conflicts through the lens of state expansion and state-building, the project offers new perspectives on natural resource governance, environmental conflict, the African state, and the politics of development.

FRONTLANDS, drawing on expertise in anthropology, history, international relations, and environmental/development studies, hypothesizes that the Kenyan state is using globally recognized green agendas to reinforce its presence and control in the northern drylands. This strategy has also intensified the involvement of private corporations and NGOs in green initiatives, exacerbating existing conflicts over natural resources and generating new ones.

The central research question guiding FRONTLANDS is: What is the relationship between the rapid transformations occurring in Kenya’s drylands and the convergence of global climate and biodiversity agendas, Kenyan statebuilding and state branding efforts, and overlapping international, national, and local interests?

FRONTLANDS is a collaboration between the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) (three researchers) and KU (three researchers, including one University of Nairobi employee managed through KU, and the two advertised PhD positions), forming a cross-disciplinary team. FRONTLANDS is funded by the Consultative Research Committee for Development Research (FFU) under Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with additional support from the Danida Fellowship Centre (DFC).

The two PhD candidates should develop projects that centre on conservation efforts, renewable energy developments such as solar and wind power, or both, in northern Kenya. Possible field sites include Laikipia, Isiolo, Marsabit, and Turkana. As FRONTLANDS is a cross disciplinary program, candidates from a range of fields are encouraged to apply, including environmental/development/peace and conflict studies, history, anthropology, sociology, political science, economics, and law.

The two PhD candidates will pursue individual research projects. Their main supervisor will be Dr. Eric Kioko (KU), the School Coordinator for Research, Innovation, and Outreach at KU. The PhD students will have the opportunity to spend six months at BIEA to gain insight into policy-driven research and for networking opportunities. They will spend three months in Copenhagen, Denmark, at DIIS in 2028 to collaborate with Danish partners, present and discuss findings, and participate in PhD courses at Danish universities.

The PhD students will be co-supervised by the two Danish postdocs (Mads Yding and Marie Gravesen).

General conditions for the PhD positions

1. The positions are fully funded and include a competitive support package.
2. The successful PhD candidates will be enrolled at Kenyatta University, in the Department of Environmental Studies and Community Development.
3. The scholarships will run for three and a half years, starting in September 2025, and include a research stay in Denmark.
4. The candidates are expected to carry out seven months of fieldwork in at least one of the focus areas in northern Kenya (the place is negotiable, but could include Laikipia, Isiolo, Marsabit, or Turkana). They are also expected to participate fully in FRONTLANDS activities and meet the requirements of the KU PhD school.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants should:

1. Hold a bachelor’s degree (minimum, Second Class Honours) and a master’s degree in social science, history, or another relevant field.
2. Be highly motivated to pursue full time doctoral studies and develop an academic career.
3. Be willing to conduct fieldwork in northern Kenya, and preferably have previous fieldwork experience.
4. Ideally have prior engagement with climate change, conservation, green energy, or governance issues.
5. Be willing to travel and actively participate in FRONTLANDS
6. Demonstrate strong writing and communication skills.
7. Be a constructive and engaged team member.
8. Be a Kenyan resident.

Application process

Applicants are invited to submit a short PhD concept note of approximately four pages (maximum 1,600 words, excluding references) outlining the focus of their proposed research project. The concept note must include the following elements:

1. Statement of the research problem and specific research questions.
2. Theoretical framework.
3. Proposed study area.
4. Methodological approach, including fieldwork considerations.
5. Practical considerations, including field access and security.
6. Ethical considerations.
7. Time plan.

The concept note must be accompanied by the following documents:

1. A detailed CV outlining the applicant’s educational and professional background (2 pages max).
2. Copies of academic certificates and transcripts.
3. An electronic copy of the applicant’s MA thesis and relevant publications.
4. Contact details for two academic referees.

When and where?

The deadline for submitting applications is May 20th, 2025 at 12:00 PM (East African Time).

Applications should be sent by email with the subject title ‘FRONTLANDS PhD application’ to Dr. Eric Kioko, kioko.eric@ku.ac.ke and Dr. Marie Gravesen, malg@diis.dk. For more information about the PhD call, please contact Dr Eric Kioko and/or Dr Marie Gravesen.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The assessment committee will consist of a panel of FRONTLANDS researchers. All applications will be considered in the first half of June 2025 and candidates will be notified thereafter. Interviews with short-listed candidates will take place before July 2025.

Only qualified candidates will be contacted.