Climate Change and Rural Institutions (Closed)
The Call
The purpose of this call is to solicit concept notes for PhD research from prospective PhD researchers or those who are at the early stage of the research and whose interests match with the broad thematic area of climate change rural institutions. This is targeted to Nepalese students, enrolled or planning to be enrolled at Institute of Forestry (IOF) or other relevant Institutes or Faculties under Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal.
One PhD research will be supported through a project called ‘Climate Change and Rural Institutions’ (CCRI), which is led by Danish Institute of International Studies (DIIS) and funded by Danida Fellowship Centre. Nepal is one of the four countries selected for the research, and ForestAction Nepal and Southasia Institute of Advanced Studies (SIAS) are the national research partners. The selected PhD researcher will receive a monthly stipend plus the University tuition fee coverage.
The research project
The overall objective of the CCRI project in which the PhD research will be linked is: Improved adaptation to climate change in rural areas through policy development that stimulates innovation among meso-level institutional actors.
Two perspectives have dominated the social science discourse on climate change adaptation. First, there has been a critique of how international and national policies for “planned” adaptation reach communities. Second, a great deal of research is underway on how local farmers, pastoralists, and others are undertaking their own “autonomous adaptation” at individual and community levels. Effective and sustainable climate adaptation also requires a third focus: understanding of the processes within meso-level institutions that mediate between national and local practices. This research will pay particular attention to the process of “bricolage” that is underway, wherein different development and climate goals, rules and structures are combined, some of which involve innovation and others reflect responses that are locked into path dependencies.
The research will address the knowledge gap that currently exists about the role of district level institutions (specifically local government, agricultural advisory services, agencies involved with natural resource management and farmer organisations) in providing an enabling environment for climate change adaptation. These meso-level (district or sub-district) institutions play a key role at the interface between national policies and individual/community level adaptation efforts, and the research programme will explore (i) the nature and extent of their engagements and interactions in climate change adaptation, and (ii) the factors and processes that stimulate, constrain or block innovation in relation to climate change adaptation. By investigating the ways that local government, agencies/groups responsible for natural resource management, agricultural advisory services and farmer organisations respond to climate change, the programme will go further to develop new policy relevant knowledge. Besides, as the country is in a political transition phase, it is important to understand and explore the forms of future local governance system in general and role of local government bodies in particular in achieving climate resilient development.
Submission of Interests
Interested researchers should send their proposal to Dr Hari Dhungana, Executive Director, SIAS, Kathmandu Nepal at hari@sias-southasia.org no later than 5 pm, October 28, 2011.
Innovative framing of research questions and methods that reflect broad CCRI research objectives are welcome. PhD research proposal should contain the following:
- A brief research proposal that reflects the broad themes and objectives of CCRI project (not over 1500 words, excluding bibliography)
- A brief CV outlining relevant qualifications and experience (not exceeding 2 pages)
- A short cover letter highlighting the motivation to do research in the climate change and local institutions
- Names of two referees. It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure that referee reports arrive on time
Selection
Selection criteria
- Quality of the research proposal
- .Relevant experience and qualifications
- Competence to interdisciplinary and participatory research skills
- Eligibility for PhD Admission as per TU regulations
Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview. Selected candidates will start research from December 2011.
