Appel à projets / Call for Applications (IFAS)

M.A. – Doctoral – Postdoctoral students – Senior Researchers

IFAS-Research (UMIFRE 25, MEAE/CNRS – French Institute of South Africa) has a regional mandate covering twelve countries in Southern Africa: Angola, Botswana, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. IFAS-Research promotes and supports research projects in the Humanities and Social Sciences dealing with this vast area.

Every year, IFAS-Research funds a variety of research projects, either individual or collective (fieldwork, surveys, archival & documentary research, organization of scientific events, etc.). Funds allocated by IFAS-Research will range from 500 to 1,500 €.

All funding applications for 2024 must imperatively reach us before November 30th 2023 (see details and documents below). No nationality requirement applies, but the existence (or the prospect) of a sustainable partnership with one or more local teams is essential, in particular for collective projects.

The financial participation of another institution is mandatory (research laboratories, UFR, doctoral schools, etc.).

The projects must be relevant to one of the Institute’s three research areas:

1. Archaeology and prehistory
   • Paleoanthropology, evolution of hominins;
   • Archaeology and multidisciplinary studies of the Middle Stone Age and Later Stone Age, historical archaeology;
   • Rock art.
2. Heritage, art history and history (medieval, modern and contemporary) of Southern African societies
   • Political and social history; History of social and racial hierarchies, history of slavery;
   • Material, linguistic and cultural circulations; integration of Southern Africa into Atlantic and Indo-Oceanic circulations;
   • Heritage studies, history of art, contemporary approaches to memory in Southern Africa;
   • History of ideas and knowledge, cultural history and historical linguistics.
3. Contemporary dynamics: urban studies, social, political, economic and cultural changes
   • Urban studies (geography, history, sociology, anthropology, etc.): governance and policy, security, spatial justice, right to the city, urban memory;
   • Migration studies, borders, xenophobia;
   • Political transformations in Southern Africa, election studies, citizenship and its transformations, national construction processes;
   • Cultural and language policy; cultural and creative industries; art and society;
   • Identity politics and studies; gender studies;
   • Emergence and resource capture, economic policies, development economics, labour;
   • Education, youth, social movements;
   • Ecology, the environment and society.
   • Health and society.

Scientific excellence is the main criteria of selection.

Applicants will receive replies by email in January 2024.

List of documents to enclose in the application:

1. A cover letter;
2. A CV (maximum 2 pages);
3. A detailed description of the research project not exceeding 4 pages and containing the outlines of the scientific project, a research agenda (dates, itinerary, objectives, etc.), the list of institutional partnerships and the perspectives of valorisation (publications, oral communications, etc.);
4. For master’s students or doctoral candidates, a letter of recommendation from the research supervisor;
5. An estimated budget;
6. The application form for funding (choose between the application form for individual projects or the application form for group projects).

Selection process:

Please send the application by email and attach a single .pdf document containing all of the above to:

annael.lepoullennec@frenchinstitute.org.za & marie.opplert@frenchinstitute.org.za

Deadline for applications: November 30 2023

Find this call in .pdf

Download the form for individual projects here

Download the form for collective projects here