SSRC Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa: Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Fellowship 2024

The Social Science Research Council offers fellowships to support the completion of doctoral degrees and to promote next generation social science research in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. The fellowships support dissertation research on peace, security, and development topics.

About Social Science Research Council (SSRC )

The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is an independent, international, nonprofit organization founded in 1923. It fosters innovative research, nurtures new generations of social scientists, deepens how inquiry is practiced within and across disciplines, and mobilizes necessary knowledge on important public issues. In 1923, visionary members of the American Economic Association, the American Sociological Association, the American Political Science Association, and the American Statistical Association came together to found the Social Science Research Council, a groundbreaking organizat...... read more

Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa: Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Fellowship

Aim and Benefits of Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa: Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Fellowship

Doctoral dissertation proposal fellowships support PhD students working on developing a doctoral dissertation research proposal as well as students who recently completed a master’s degree and seek to enroll in a PhD program. The fellowships support short-term research costs of up to US$3,000 to develop a doctoral dissertation proposal.  This program also includes two workshops each year that have been designed to create fellows’ networks, help fellows refine, develop, and strengthen research questions, align research methods to questions, engage key literature in their fields, and finalize their doctoral research proposals.

Requirements for Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa: Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Fellowship Qualification

All applicants must:

• Be citizens of any sub-Saharan African country
• Be enrolled, or intend to enroll by the time of the award, and working towards a PhD in an accredited university, or affiliated to an institution in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda 
• Hold a master’s degree at the time of application

The program seeks to promote diversity and encourages women to apply.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Strong proposals will offer clear and concise descriptions of the project and its significance. Proposals should display thorough knowledge of the relevant social science literature that applicants will engage in and the methodologies relevant to the project. In addition, applicants must demonstrate that all proposed activities are feasible and can be completed in a timely manner. All proposals will be evaluated for these criteria by an independent, international committee of leading scholars from a range of social science and related disciplines.  Fellows must be willing to attend two workshops sponsored by the SSRC each year that are intended to help early-career faculty engage in scholarly reflections, research, and writing. We anticipate awarding up to 36 fellowships in total across all three categories each year.

Information on eligibility, the application process, and award details can be found in our Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). For inquiries or technical questions pertaining to the online application portal, please contact SSRC staff from the Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa Program: [email protected].

For more details, visit SSRC website.