Kenyatta University (KU), in collaboration with the GAP research group, invite interested and qualified candidates holding a graduate degree in social sciences and/or relevant disciplines to apply for a fully funded PhD position under the GAP research programme.
The GAP research programme
Citizens in the Global South are increasingly being affected by climate change hazards. In addition,
with inadequate support, the most vulnerable are often left to tackle their adaptation efforts alone. Preliminary studies indicate that only 10% of public adaptation finance was used at local levels between 2003-2016. Instead, finance allocated for climate change adaptation were either not distributed for adaptation activities, were used for administration in centrally managed projects, were over-reported or were otherwise lost during the transfer process from national to local institutions. This indicates that there exists a gap between who controls the funds and who the activities are supposed to benefit. Adaptation funds are therefore not spent in the most relevant and cost-effective manner.
GAP analyses how structures of decision-making influence the way finance for adaptation is distributed and implemented. The research programme compares Tanzania and Kenya that generally represent a centralized and a decentralized system for managing adaptation finance.
The 14 participating GAP researchers collaborate within 3 work packages (WP): First (WP1), map the flow of financial resources allocated to implementing institutions for adaptation activities in Kenya and Tanzania. Second (WP2), explore the politics of adaptation finance that influence the socio-political context by focusing on qualitative in-depth inquiries into this new arena for political contestation, providing a political economy analysis of adaptation finance among key actors along the flow of funds. And lastly (WP3), build sustainable North-South-South partnerships with capacity to support future research on adaptation finance and make policy recommendations for how they may become transformative. This PhD position is invited to contribute to the second work package of the programme.
General conditions for the PhD position
1. The position is fully funded and comes with an attractive package.
2. The successful PhD candidate will be enrolled at Kenyatta University at the Department for Environmental Studies and Community Development.
3. The duration of the scholarship is 3,5 years and starts in October or November 2021. It includes a research stay in Denmark.
4. The candidate is expected to do about seven months of fieldwork in one or both of the Kenyan counties of focus for the GAP programme, Makueni and Turkana Counties; fully participate in GAP project activities; and follow KU PhD school requirements.
Eligibility criteria
- A master’s degree in social science or another relevant field.
- Be highly motivated to develop an academic career and to pursue fulltime doctoral studies.
- Be willing to conduct fieldwork in Makueni and/or Turkana County, and preferably possess previous fieldwork experience.
- Ideally have been engaged in climate change adaptation and governance issues before.
- Be willing to travel and actively participate in the GAP project activities.
- Possess good writing and communication skills.
- Be a constructive and engaged team worker.
Application process
Applicants are invited to develop a short PhD concept note that takes departure in at least 2 of the following 3 questions:
1. What are the essential factors in the historical and/or contemporary socio-political context that can inform the politics of adaptation in Makueni and/or Turkana County?
2. In what way may ambiguity over adaptation terminologies (i.e. understandings of what constitutes adaptive actions) lead to confusion, opportunistic influence or direct interference with funds that are being channelled down to the implementation level in Kenya?
3. How and why may we understand access to adaptation funds as an arena for political contestation between actors and institutions or struggles between (in)formal institutions?
The concept note should be about 4 pages (max 1,600 words, excluding references) and outline a focus for the proposed PhD project. The following details must be included:
Statement of the research problem and specific research questions
Theoretical framework
- Selection of the proposed study county in Makueni and/or Turkana County
- Methodological approach, including fieldwork considerations
- Practical considerations, including access to the field site and security
- Ethical considerations
- Time plan
In addition to this concept note, the application should be accompanied by the following documents:
- A detailed CV stating the applicant’s educational and professional history
- Copies of academic certificates and transcripts
- An electronic copy of the applicant’s MA thesis (or other relevant publications)
- Contact details of two references
The application
Deadline for submitting the application is 16 September 2021 at 12 PM (East African Time).
Applications should be sent by email with the subject title ‘GAP PhD application’ to Dr. Eric Kioko, kioko.eric@ku.ac.ke and copy Dr. Marie Gravesen, malg@diis.dk .
For access to a detailed GAP research programme description and more information about the PhD call, please contact Dr. Eric Kioko kioko.eric@ku.ac.ke
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
The assessment committee will consist of a panel of GAP researchers. All candidates will be notified. Interviews with short-listed candidates will take place in the final week of September.
The partners in the GAP research project are Kenyatta University, the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) in Denmark and REPOA in Tanzania, along with three other secondary partner institutions. GAP is funded by the Consultative Research Committee for Development Research (FFU) under
Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Danida)