Call for Applications: Balzan PhD Fellowships

Yet the main geographic and spending focus will be on Africa with the production of many papers by dozens of young African scholars funded by Braithwaite’s Balzan Prize. They will work on restorative justice or peacemaking in 20 or more specific war-afflicted African countries.

Aims

• Renew and expand the social movement for restorative justice by deepening restorative research capability among young scholars in Africa, China, and worldwide.
• Complete initial fieldwork for Peacebuilding Compared in Africa, Ukraine, Chechnya, Yemen, and Syria.
• Encourage and support recipients of Balzan PhD Fellowships to lead with editing and publishing collections of articles (hopefully many co-authored with John Braithwaite) with titles like Indigenous Justice, Restorative Justice and Peacemaking in Africa or Restorative Justice and Peacemaking in Africa.
• Chinese University of Hong Kong will collaborate with the project under the leadership of Dr Jin Sun and would deliver and fund sub-projects on restorative justice and peacemaking.

Funding Information

• At least 20, and perhaps approaching 30 Balzan Restorative Justice and Peacemaking PhD Fellowships will be offered to PhD students mostly enrolled in African universities studying restorative justice and/or peacemaking in that same country.
• The Fellowship will be US$10,000: $5000 to support their in-country fieldwork after they have provided a persuasive fieldwork plan with signed approval of it by their principal PhD Supervisor. Their PhD Supervisor has total responsibility for the direction, theoretical framework, and methodology of their PhD.
• But John Braithwaite will not authorize disbursement of the $5000 US unless it meets the Balzan Project excellence standards. A year later, once a satisfactory draft chapter or paper has been and presented at one of the 25 half-day Braithwaite Balzan zoom symposiums of all Fellows, again with the agreement in writing from their university supervisor, they will be awarded a second US$5000 for further fieldwork, purchase of books, and the like, to assist in completing their PhD.

 Eligibility Criteria

• Enrolled PhD students can apply to the Australian National University for Fellowships from John Braithwaite’s Balzan Prize funds.
• Successful applicants will also enjoy opportunities for interaction, perhaps even limited employment, with John Braithwaite and his research team. Eligibility is restricted to:
  • Scholars already enrolled in a recognised university PhD program.
  • PhD projects on Restorative Justice/Peacemaking.
  • PhD projects needing fieldwork support only in the following countries:
    • African Countries: Algeria, Angola, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d-Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt (Peacebuilding Compared will code the Sinai insurgency 2011-2023), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Liberia, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Western Sahara.
    • Non-African Countries: Ukraine, Chechnya, Syria, Yemen

Application Requirements

• Include a 2-3 page summary of your PhD thesis project, timeline, and fieldwork in the above countries for which you seek funding.
• You must include a signed letter of support for your application from the Chair of your PhD supervisory committee at the university where you are enrolled. That letter must also confirm that you are already enrolled in the PhD program. Also include name, email and phone number of one other referee who could be approached.
• Send your CV and one or two examples of your research writing in English.
• If you wish, your application can also share any ideas you have for inviting local restorative justice and peacemaking scholars to meet with John Braithwaite in the country of your fieldwork.

For more information, visit Australian National University.